Here we’re concerned with the very real choice of a presidential candidate who intends to try to undo the Affordable Care Act, (though many of its provisions have not yet taken effect nor are likely to take effect without additional implementation of rules, regulations and even consideration by the states themselves,) and the other choice of choosing our President who supports the further implementation of the Affordable Care Act, (which he hopes will go along as projected but relies heavily on the implementation of rules, regulations, as well as consideration by the states for its positive projected results to occur.)
In other words, the Affordable Care Act, that huge campaign “issue” is at this point largely unknown in terms of how its most publicized features will or will not work even if the Act does remain law, and it is unknown as to whether or not any portion or all of it will be repealed by Congress.
Yet to listen to the President, Affordable Care is a fait accompli, and to listen to Mitt Romney, his election is a vote for repeal of Affordable Care. Neither is necessarily true.
And this untruth is not the only untruth uttered by Presidential runners thus far according to fact checkers throughout the US. If you look into fact checkers you'll find that the amount of fudging numbers, spin, and out-and-out lies being uttered is pretty stunning.
But when it comes to the mean-ing of America, as we listen to the inspired recitations and lectures about what being American means, it’s interesting that one thing has become very apparent to me, the truth and pursuit of the truth is neither a goal nor a value that is well respected in this country as reflected in our country's political process for highest office.
From media coverage to speakers at the conventions, to the candidates themselves we hear different versions of the truth based on snippets selected, angles chosen, and numbers recited. Each day we read articles, and are presented with evidence by fact checkers that such information is incomplete, taken out of context or plain wrong.
So I decided to look up when we stopped focusing on truth as an American value, and I realized that “truth” is not underscored as all that important for our politicians.
For instance, read the inaugural addresses from iconic Presidents Ronald Reagan and President Kennedy, held up as beacons and examples for their respective parties, and you’ll see no promise to the American people to be truthful in either one of their inaugural addresses.
In fact the Presidential Oath of Office merely asks the President to “…faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and…to the best of [his,her] my ability protect the Constitution…”
With all the words revolving around what it means to be American, it seems, as these conventions have illustrated, that the mean-ing of being American has little to do with the truth. All these words that we listen to and our Presidents don’t take an oath of office or of candidacy even as stringent as that taken by a citizen witness or juror who promises to provide sworn testimony that is “…the truth, the whole truth…” under penalty of perjury.
So, without either the promise or assurance of truth, where does that leave us in listening to the endless flood of words invading our consciousness if we’re concerned with the health and healthcare system for Americans, or any other position of the President or Mitt Romney regarding the direction in which they’ll take this country?
It leaves us with the onus of investigating our core issues and what legally can likely be accomplished. It leaves us with the onus of prodding for clarification and attempting to introduce concepts of integrity and honesty demanded elsewhere in American life into our political process, as well as media coverage of such process.
And what of our politicians who lie? When not lying is neither a goal nor a value, the penalty for lying is non-existent, as it is in American politics today. This is the mean-ing of America which overshadows all the sales pitches by candidates asking for our votes. Is one lie worse than another? And if you’re voting on an issue based on an unenforceable promise by a politician without a commitment to the truth, are you casting a meaningful vote? This is unclear, we are merely tasked with taking our vote seriously but our candidate with a grain of salt.
Unfortunately,as citizens, we'll have to search out the truth of what we're hearing because our choices are President Obama, whose slogan is “Forward,” and Mitt Romney, who seems unassociated with a single slogan as yet, rather than Superman who with resounding clarity promises to fight for, “Truth, Justice and the American way.”
