How’s that for a sound bite?
Pretty good, I’d say, even discounting pride of authorship.
“Lie and Buy!”
What’s good about it? Well, you have to admit it’s memorable, if not catchy.
It rhymes, too.
But, you might ask, what does it mean, connote or describe?
Well, if you have to be picky or critical, here’s one take on “Lie and Buy!”:
Like all good sound bites it pulls together emotions, point of view, reinforcement of existing beliefs and, among other things, a statement that almost defies rebuttal or rational discussion.
“Lie and Buy!” for me is the sound bite that summarizes the 2014 political campaigns in Iowa and, I expect, elsewhere around the nation. So many candidates have ads that mislead, misinform, hoodwink, deceive and, well, lie.
So many big spenders want to buy candidates, buy power in legislatures and the Congress, buy influence and shape government policy so that they’ll have even more money in 2016 to buy still more influence.
Hence, “Lie and Buy!” overcomes wishful thinking or Polyanna prose like that of Adlai Stevenson who may have lost his 1952 and 1956 campaigns for the presidency because he urged candidates:
“Let's face it. Let's talk sense to the American people. Let's tell them the truth, that there are no gains without pains, that we are now on the eve of great decisions, not easy decisions, like resistance when you're attacked, but a long, patient, costly struggle which alone can assure triumph over the great enemies of man — war, poverty, and tyranny — and the assaults upon human dignity which are the most grievous consequences of each.”
Sadly, nowadays, candidates don’t seek triumph over assaults upon human dignity. Instead, under “Lie and Buy!” their campaigns themselves are assaults upon human dignity.
What’s good about it? Well, you have to admit it’s memorable, if not catchy.
It rhymes, too.
But, you might ask, what does it mean, connote or describe?
Well, if you have to be picky or critical, here’s one take on “Lie and Buy!”:
Like all good sound bites it pulls together emotions, point of view, reinforcement of existing beliefs and, among other things, a statement that almost defies rebuttal or rational discussion.
“Lie and Buy!” for me is the sound bite that summarizes the 2014 political campaigns in Iowa and, I expect, elsewhere around the nation. So many candidates have ads that mislead, misinform, hoodwink, deceive and, well, lie.
So many big spenders want to buy candidates, buy power in legislatures and the Congress, buy influence and shape government policy so that they’ll have even more money in 2016 to buy still more influence.
Hence, “Lie and Buy!” overcomes wishful thinking or Polyanna prose like that of Adlai Stevenson who may have lost his 1952 and 1956 campaigns for the presidency because he urged candidates:
“Let's face it. Let's talk sense to the American people. Let's tell them the truth, that there are no gains without pains, that we are now on the eve of great decisions, not easy decisions, like resistance when you're attacked, but a long, patient, costly struggle which alone can assure triumph over the great enemies of man — war, poverty, and tyranny — and the assaults upon human dignity which are the most grievous consequences of each.”
Sadly, nowadays, candidates don’t seek triumph over assaults upon human dignity. Instead, under “Lie and Buy!” their campaigns themselves are assaults upon human dignity.
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