Letter: Truth, Facts, and Opinion

Dear Editor,

Truth: “There will always be truth, regardless of lack of understanding, disbelief, or ignorance.” — W. Clement Stone

Facts: “Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.” — Aldous Huxley

Opinion: “Is the medium between knowledge and ignorance.” — Plato

It has been suggested that we now live in a post-truth environment. That facts, things that are known or proven to be true, are no longer important or valued over opinion, which is something that is not necessarily based on fact or knowledge. In my experience, politicians have often been very loose with the truth. They would find a way to say something that was somewhere between the absolute truth and a lie so they could say they did not lie.

That was in the past, before modern technology and the “fact checker”! Now, when a politician speaks, it is analyzed, and a report is printed detailing what was a fact,what was an opinion, and what was a lie. Back in the day, when a politician was caught in a lie, his/her followers were upset, and often there were consequences. 

Boy, have things changed! Today, politicians just make up stuff as they go along, often seeming like they are living in a false reality. Our present fearless leader seems to be the king of lying, but there are many working hard to dethrone him. And what are the consequences? Well, there are none because his followers seem to love it! They appear to accept what he says without question.

In addition, there is now an entire corporate media structure devoted to providing false information to his followers 24/7. So they can live in a world where all they get is lies, period, and they believe the lies 100%. Of course, most media today is corporate-owned so they all are looking for an audience and will do whatever it takes to get and keep one. The facts often suffer.

I find this very disturbing. If we can’t agree on facts, there can be no discussion, reasoning, or common understanding. It also makes it hard for all of us to obtain accurate news or information about what is taking place in our world. Just what the politicians want, so they are free to keep us busy with culture wars and defending ”our side!”

I recently had an encounter with a woman who asked if I was a Republican, and I replied “no” but before I could finish and explain that I did not subscribe to any party or group, she said “Oh your one of them!” And there it was. she reacted as if we were on opposing sides when really we are all on the same side. 

The purpose of the United States government, as outlined in the preamble of the Constitution, is to”establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty.” The government achieves these goals by making, executing, and interpreting laws through the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, respectively.

In my opinion, the president, his cabinet, and his fellow Republicans in the Senate and House, as well as the Supreme Court, are failing every day on all five goals. All 15 presidents in my lifetime have followed the goals outlined above and used the three branches of the government in the way intended in the Constitution up until Trump and Project 2025. There were successes and failures, but they all worked through the system. Even Ronald Reagan, the first president to use the first edition of the Heritage Foundation’s Mandate for Leadership, used the three branches of government to implement policies. But not Trump. He told us what he would do, and we elected him anyway. Now he is in the process of wrecking the very government that was working with relative success enacting the five goals in the preamble.

The U.S. is less safe, less tranquil, with less justice, less freedom or liberty, and less safe in this dangerous world. Our allies don’t trust us, and Putin and the other dictators are very happy. And China is on the rise economically and militarily. And today, the President of the United States, when asked if he needed to uphold the Constitution, answered, “I don’t know!”  

Someone out there who does not agree with what I have written, please write a letter to the editor using facts and explain how I am wrong. It might help me sleep at night.

With respect,

D.R.Conning Sr.

Campville

Town of Owego