How can we expect the Saudis to tell the truth when our own President tells whoppers on a regular basis?

The WaPo, which I started subscribing to a few months back, because I was sick of running out of free articles, following the paper on Twitter because the NYT overtweets and needing to read Margaret Sullivan's screeds, and you righties don't get your knickers in a twist, I get the WSJ too, reports that our President says the Saudis deny killing Khashoggi.

At least Trump says it's possible, whereas he keeps believing Putin when he denies his illegalities and Kavanaugh lies in Congress.

Am I the chump, the only person who refuses to lie in court? Putting my hand on the Bible and solemnly swearing, at the risk of perjury if I tell a fib?

I don't know if Kavanaugh would have been confirmed if he'd admitted to occasionally being blackout drunk, I've been, but he certainly lied about it, and some other little things. And as my friend Tony Wilson used to say, if you get the little things wrong, how can we trust you on the big ones?

Meanwhile, Putin keeps denying he poisoned that ex-spy in England, even as the press documents not only the identities of the perps, but their true occupations, in contradiction to Vladimir's statements, and in "Icarus" not only testimony, but visual evidence of cheating is provided and Putin keeps denying it. What kind of world do we live in?

One where character is subservient to cash.

That's right.

It started in entertainment, which is built on lies. And that's what Trump is, an entertainer. Lied about his ascension, and built an empire of identity without investigation. The NYT admitted that he bamboozled them, that he was so busy creating chaos with his image burnishing that they didn't bother to stop and see if it was true.

Character and honesty are something intrinsic. There are not enough police people in the world to make sure you’re toeing the line. Never mind enough IRS people to make sure you don't cheat on your taxes. Meanwhile, the GOP keeps cutting the IRS to whose advantage, ask yourself that. We all hate paying taxes, but we all hate being called out on our behavior, but is the solution to loosen the reins so that people get away with bad behavior?

When I went to college there was an honor code. No proctors. You could take an exam in your dorm room. Because if we can't trust the people, if they don't live up to societal values internally, what chance does society have. And sure, I'll admit that everybody lies a bit, but where is the line? Like I said, court used to be one. But not anymore.

Or maybe it's always been this way and it's me that is clueless as to the true ways of the world.

Then again, there are cameras everywhere these days and the hoi polloi can't get away with it but the rich can. White collar crime is where it's at, baby.

So this appears to be a total breakdown of society.

Or maybe we just had fewer checks and balances back then, like I said no cameras in the street, that's what the Turks are saying, Saudi Arabia has security cameras everywhere, there's got to be footage.

But when our own President lies incessantly, and a Supreme Court nominee too, why should I tell the truth?

Hell, that's my reputation, saying the unsayable, it's what draws people to me in a world of duplicity. Can I be the only one?

I hope not.

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