The Result of Honesty

Mark, over at www.leftfieldperspectives.blogspot.com, posed an interesting question in his post yesterday. He asked how different the world would be if politicians always upheld the truth. Well, I have to say, I'm having a hard time with this one. But I'll try.

First, I believe that our major difference would be in the ability to trust the motives of those in public office. There would be none of this argument about whether the president lied to us about his motives for the war, or for anything else he does. Now, who knows if there would even be a war under these conditions. If we could have trusted Saddam in the first place, we never would have had to go there. (I'm not sure if Mark's query applies to other nations as well though). I'm pretty sure that honesty could have prevented a great number of wars in history, but I'm not sure how to support that. I'd have to do more research than my tired brain has time for.

I'm not even sure that the president would be president. I'm not sure that the last hundred years of presidents would be the same. I'm convinced that most politicians (at least during my lifetime) have had something to hide at one time or another that would have prevented their election. Of course, if you remove the capacity for lies, you also remove the ability to mud-sling. If honesty is our policy, there is nothing to hide, right? If it's all on the table, no one can really call you on it.

This also would take care of all scandals. That's it. No Monica Lewinsky. No Watergate. No wondering about Ted Kennedy's responsibility in the death of his secretary. No wondering if President Kennedy slept with Marilyn Monroe. This list is endless.

Congress would be more effective, because there would be less time spent covering their own behinds and making themselves look good. There would be less division between the parties because political gain would not be the motivation of those in power. After all, no one could tell the public that world domination was their aim and still get elected, right? We would have a government that truly cared for and looked out for the needs and freedoms of the people they served. Who can really say how much difference that would make?

Of course, I could be wrong. This kind of question can go either way. Honesty could save us, or it could usher in the apocalypse. It's impossible to tell. It kind of reminds me of those science fiction movies where the hero goes back in time. You know the scenario-- you move one rock in the past and the future is forever altered.