Many believe that old saying. How do you know when a politician is lying? When their mouth is moving. It seems like this is most true during an election year. The commercials that most of the candidates are running are loaded with untruths.

Some think that not telling the complete truth is not a falsehood. I believe that failure to share exact knowledge is tantamount to lying. You may agree with Bill Clinton that changing the meaning of a word is all that is needed to prevent having to admit that you are speaking lies.

 One candidate accuses another of being the person responsible for the Missouri abortion law taking effect after the repeal of Roe versus Wade. He lumps her in with every other Democrat. Another candidate doesn’t talk about the issues. She tells how her campaign is grassroots centered. We don’t know where she stands. How can we unless she tells us?

The Attorney General of Missouri had to put into effect a law that was passed before he was elected to his office. To fail to do this would have been breaking the law. His opponent lumps him in with all Republicans as supporting the overturning of Roe vs. Wade.

Most candidates are attacked based on what the other party normally stands for. Especially for those who have never held office. It is difficult to denounce the voting record of someone who has never voted. Guilt by association is the rule.

Speaking of those who have never voted. Can they claim they are not politicians? Do you have to be holding a political office to be a politician? The definition is: “a person who is professionally involved in politics, especially as a holder of or a candidate for an elected office.” If you are running for an office, you are a politician.

Candidates use the money contributed to their campaigns to purchase advertising. You do not mention the name of your competition unless you are trying to discredit them. When they are not a threat, you don’t pay to mention them. One Senatorial candidate speaks against both of her opponents. Third-party candidates are not usually even recognized by the Republicrats or Demicans. Maybe this year we may see another party emerge victorious.

I am not mentioning the names of any of these candidates because I want you to make your own decision on who to support. I also want you to choose which side of the ballot issues to choose.

The ads about the legalization of marijuana talk about making law enforcement’s job easier when the sheriff’s associations in most states consider legitimizing any illegal substances a terrible idea. What some of you do not know is that all the current illegal substances were openly used at one time in our country. Laws were passed to protect those that were addicted to them.

These commercials give false information about the financial benefit of changing our laws. They do not consider the cost of the problems that will be caused. Where is the information from the nineteen states that prove what they are claiming? Maybe those statistics don’t confirm the promises made.

Do your own research on the amendments and the candidates. Decide how to vote. Come to the polls on Tuesday and participate in your democratic republic. That may be where those party names came from. Who knew?

©Copyright 2022 by Charles Kensinger