Politics and Prose: Bruce Bartlett: 'The Truth Matters'

Source:Politics & Prose- author & columnist Bruece Bartlett, at Politics & Prose in Washington.

"Bartlett’s handbook for telling real facts from alternative versions is a practical tool for citizens concerned about the quality of the news they consume. Bartlett, who served in both the Reagan and George H. W. Bush administrations and more recently has written for Forbes and The New York Times “Economix” blog, is uniquely positioned to advise readers on how to evaluate sources for accuracy and reliability. Using his inside knowledge of both government and the journalists who cover it, Bartlett offers clear and direct guidelines for assessing  the truth value of what gets reported, how it’s reported, and where." 

Source:Politics & Prose

I don't want to make this all about Donald Trump, but when I thinking about The Truth Matters I think of that Kellyanne Conway line from February last year I believe when she's on NBC's Meet The Press with Chuck Todd and Todd asks her something about the truth and facts and Kellyanne looking back at it I believe she was somewhat reluctant in saying this because of how bad it would sound and make her look with the mainstream media going after her for about a week on this, but she said: "Well, there are alternative facts." With Todd essentially saying that no, they're aren't alternative facts. There's the truth and then there are falsehoods.

Alternative facts and Martians have one thing in common and even that is only one thing it's a very important thing: they don't exist.

You have facts which is the truth and and how people know what's going on with either themselves or people around them or in society in general.

There are falsehoods things that simply aren't true. And then there's garbage (to be nice) which is a nice way of saying lies.

The truth is what's going on and what's happening what we know to be true. America is a federal republic. That would be one truth.

Falsehoods are things that are simply wrong and people unintentionally say falsehoods all the time thinking what they said is correct not having the right information with them at the time that they said what they said or did what they did. Like the weather report saying that i's going to rain tomorrow and maybe it's an overcast day but the weather is dry the whole day because the storm moved onto another area.

And there's garbage or lies when people are representing things as the truth that simply aren't true. Like Donald Trump claiming he would work all the time and not spend as much time playing golf as President Obama. That was obviously a lie.

There's no such thing as freedom without facts and real hard information that people have to have to make the right decisions. Without the truth, you're a blind person with eyes feeling your way around the world never knowing for sure what's in front of you. But with the truth, as well as a sane, sound, intelligent, sober, experienced mind, you can be as free as a bird and do anything that you're personally capable of doing. 

The truth and always knowing what's going on and always knowing the truth about your self is the most important and effective tool and freedom that anyone can have. And when people especially public officials are caught telling either falsehoods or flat-out lying it's the job of the media and the public especially to always hold those people accountable. To promote this most important tool that people have and discourage the archenemy of the truth which is falsehoods and nonsense. 

You can also see this post at The Daily Times, on Blogger.