Monday, April 14, 2014

How not to lie in politics

By Richard K. Barry

Joni Ernst (R) is running for the United States Senate in Iowa. She is currently a state senator and has been criticized for missing more than half of the votes in the Iowa Senate this year. When asked by conservative radio host Laura Ingraham why she missed so many votes, Ernst said this:
Well first, National Guard Services. I have had some days on duty that I’ve had to be with the National Guard. And those are times that I’ve been on orders ... so that is one thing you won’t hear them talking about, those that are attacking my voting record.

The problem is that these things are a matter of public record and such statements beg for an enterprising reporter to do the leg work. 
A review by The Gazette of the Iowa Senate Journal and her schedule obtained through a Freedom of Information and Iowa open records request from the Iowa National Guard, shows that few — 10 percent, or 12 of the 117 missed votes — came on days when she was on active duty.

Some will defend her by saying she never said that most, or even a significant number, of missed votes were because of National Guard duty.

No, but she implied it, and that's when her trouble began. If, as a candidate, you are going to tell a lie, for Pete's sake, make sure there isn't irrefutable empirical evidence to make you look foolish. And, oh yeah, don't wrap yourself in the flag while you 're lying. People hate that.

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1 Comments:

  • Honestly , if she can't show up yo do her job, she shouldn't have that job, no matter why she isn't showing up. She could have edited until her Guard duty was finished before running for office,

    By Blogger Professor Chaos, at 10:30 AM  

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