Put TRUTH in Quotes [a guest post]

Professor Cosimo Kramer, the NYU political ichthyologist, said today that there is something fishy about some of Pres. Obama’s recent stands that contradict his campaign promises. For example, the President said on the campaign trail that he would reduce our armed forces in Iraq; now he is slowing withdrawals there and building up our troop level in Afghanistan. “What,” asks Prof. Kramer, “is the truth in this case?”

Another of Mr. Obama’s “fishy” stands concerns the environment. Initially determined to reduce CO2 in the air, the President has authorized the inclusion of so-called “clean” coal in the new energy bill. Yet, Prof. Kramer argues, “Clean coal is a scam, because it takes so much energy to produce that it pollutes in the making.” Moreover, Mr. Obama’s push for a 35 mile-per-gallon minimum for car fleets by 2016, would still allow manufacturers to continue making gas-guzzlers that have far less fuel economy as long as they offered enough small, light cars that get 40-50 m.p.g.

On the finance front, Prof. Kramer points out, Mr. Obama has appointed men like Tim Geithner and Larry Summers to lead the bailout of banks and other financial institutions.

“These are the same men who oversaw the housing and credit bubbles, and they remain connected to many leaders in the industry they have power to regulate. What is the truth in this fox guarding the hen house arrangement?” asked the professor.

On national security, Prof. Kramer notes, former Vice-President Dick Cheney says the truth is that harsh interrogation techniques-or “torture,” the professor claims-kept America safe after 9/11, while Pres. Obama says the truth is that such techniques provide no trustworthy evidence of terrorism.

Because of the many contradictions between government policy and governing reality, Prof. Kramer offers a modest proposal: When writing about government or politics, suppress the word “truth” or write it only inside quotation marks.

This policy should remind readers that the truth is almost irrelevant outside the realm of science. After all, Prof. Kramer reminds us, in New York City, “Mayor Bloomberg receives credit for good governance regardless of the truth. And courts of law seek justice, not truth, while religion calls for faith, not truth.”

As Emily Dickinson might have said it:

Put “Truth” in quotes
Then let it stand
For what we hope -
Promised Land

Though lost in Port
And swamped by lies
Bail out the False
Till our Sails rise