Robert Maynard and I clearly operate on the same frequency when it comes to politicians, public servants and candidates who have no problem stretching truth beyond recognition and spouting untruths to get what they want.
Maynard, from Hot Springs Village, suggests a new law that requires anyone seeking public office only speak truth about him or herself and any opponents. Those who abuse the public trust by knowingly spreading incomplete or false information would be prevented from holding that office. I see justice in that. Can you?
Then this exasperated taxpayer and voter really gets upset. He said he also wants the law to include criminal provisions that would result in a sentence lasting as long as the term of the public office he or she was seeking. Ouch!
"It seems all we hear from politicians are lies, lies and more lies about themselves and their opponents," he said.
The way I understand his reasoning, Maynard's Law (catchy name, doncha think?) could carry penalties for political candidates who make idle promises they know at the time aren't possible to fulfill in the position they're seeking. In other words, political candidates would be much better off sticking only with promises they believe they can or will strive to fulfill in the office they are seeking.
I say Robert and I are on the same frequency since lately I've had similar feelings about the pervasive and obvious falsehoods repeatedly told by those at the uppermost levels of our elected and appointed governments. The disgraceful Machiavellian approach (any means to achieve an end) has become the normal way of doing business in Washington, D.C.
Those well-compensated and shameless flacks who "handle" our elected officials coach them on how to dodge, spin and reveal far less than the truths they know in order to be elected to or remain in office. It's become the norm to lay anything out there and move forward, realizing much of a lapdog national media with similar ideological agendas won't question them and the public too soon forgets the dishonesty.
The messes unfolding today under sworn examination by Congress in D.C.--the Benghazi slaughter of four Americans, the IRS emails, the VA disgrace, flooding our sovereign borders with Central American youths, and the U.S.-sanctioned Fast and Furious gun-running operation--only provide examples of the point.
I'll not bother reciting all the flagrantly broken promises politicians have made to us Americans.
Mike's imaginary law, while not carrying criminal penalties, would warn that any public servant being compensated to perform a job connected with the sacred public trust who knowingly lies or refuses to truthfully answer material questions about their responsibilities to the public would be fired; no tolerance for dishonesty in the performance of public jobs. Why should we?
Robert's right. The falsehoods have indeed reached epidemic levels in the public sector and have been allowed to intensify virtually unquestioned.
Audubon among first
In a recent column I made a classic journalism error by trying to name every nonprofit and activist group involved in opposing the controversial Cargill-sponsored C&H Hog Farms that the state allowed into our Buffalo National River watershed.
It's darned near a journalistic landmine to try and list groups because inevitably (and despite your best efforts) you can bet I'll overlook one.
Sure enough, I left out the venerable Audubon Society. Fact is, the society's staff and members were among the first to publicly speak out at the Pollution Control and Ecology Commission meeting over a year ago.
And they've done much more since, having been among the most prolific in contacting Gov. Mike Beebe, the commission and the Department of Environmental Quality.
I'm told that the National Audubon Society office in Washington recently sent an action alert to members in both Arkansas and Minnesota. In one day, over 1,000 Audubon members had written, printed and sent letters to Cargill's headquarters. The call for people to write the multibillion-dollar, multinational corporation with their opinions remains. There's a link available on the Buffalo River Watershed Alliance home page if you care to participate.
Women of Distinction
I'm sharing a fine idea every Arkansas community would be wise to adopt.
The Harrison Daily Times last week hosted its fourth annual ceremony honoring "Women of Distinction" in that community. The idea for this event came in 2010 from the paper's former publisher, Ronnie Bell, assisted by Jane Garrison, Micki Somers, Donna Braymer James White, Jason Overman, Lynn Blevins and other staffers. The luncheon honors eight to 10 outstanding women for distinguished service to Harrison. The event is sponsored by the Times and First Federal with other partners.
The event, whose luncheon tickets help sponsor annual scholarships at North Arkansas Community College, drew more than 400.
Among the 10 honored this year were two I've known and long admired: Mary Patrick, deputy director of the Area Agency on Aging, who retired after a distinguished 35-year career; and Carolyn Bonsteel Gokenbach, who's been a vital contributor to Harrison in so many ways.
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Mike Masterson's column appears regularly in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Email him at [email protected]. Read his blog at mikemastersonsmessenger.com.
Editorial on 06/28/2014