Today's marquee fibs almost always evolve the same way: A tree falls in the forest—say, the claim that Saddam Hussein has "weapons of mass destruction," or that Barack Obama has an infernal scheme to parade our nation's senior citizens before death panels. But then a network of media enablers helps it to make a sound—until enough people believe the untruth to make the lie an operative part of our political discourse.
For the past 15 years, I've spent much of my time deeply researching three historic periods—the birth of the modern conservative movement around the Barry Goldwater campaign, the Nixon era, and the Reagan years—that together have shaped the modern political lie. Here's how we got to where we are.
Inside the GOP's Fact-Free Nation
How the U.S., on the road to surplus, detoured to massive debt
The nation’s unnerving descent into debt began a decade ago with a choice, not a crisis. In January 2001, with the budget balanced and clear sailing ahead, the Congressional Budget Office forecast ever-larger annual surpluses indefinitely.
The outlook was so rosy, the CBO said, that Washington would have enough money by the end of the decade to pay off everything it owed. 1807 Voices of caution were swept aside in the rush to take advantage of the apparent bounty. Political leaders chose to cut taxes, jack up spending and, for the first time in U.S. history, wage two wars solely with borrowed funds.
For first time, Guantanamo's detainees come into view
For years, the U.S. has cast the captives at the Navy base prison camps in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as dangerous terrorists, and many may be. There's Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who's bragged that he masterminded the Sept. 11, 2001, hijackings, which killed nearly 3,000 people.
There's Abd al Rahim al Nashiri, who may stand trial soon on charges of orchestrating the October 2000 suicide bombing of the USS Cole, which killed 17 American sailors off the coast of Yemen. But no comprehensive list has been available of who's currently being held at Guantanamo. Until now.
Hypocritical pediatricians push for stricter chemical laws at the same time they inject babies with toxic vaccines
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently issued a policy paper condemning the current Toxic Substances Control Act (TSC Act) for failing to properly regulate the tens of thousands of toxic chemicals used in various consumer products, many of which are especially dangerous to pregnant women and young children. Though correct in its identification of chemical use as a toxic threat to society's most vulnerable individuals, the AAP hypocritically continues to support the intramuscular poisoning of children through vaccinations, which are loaded with toxic chemicals that are directly injected into children's bodies.
Herbal medicines banned as EU directive comes into force
Patients have lost access to hundreds of herbal medicines today, after European regulations came into force.
Sales of all herbal remedies, except for a small number of popular products for 'mild' illness such as echinacea for colds and St John's Wort for depression have been banned.
Apple's Chinese workers treated 'inhumanely, like machines'
An investigation into the conditions of Chinese workers has revealed the shocking human cost of producing the must-have Apple iPhones and iPads that are now ubiquitous in the west.
The research, carried out by two NGOs, has revealed disturbing allegations of excessive working hours and draconian workplace rules at two major plants in southern China. It has also uncovered an "anti-suicide" pledge that workers at the two plants have been urged to sign, after a series of employee deaths last year.
Scientists investigate twisters as crime-scene detectives
Weather scientists are retracing the footprints of this week's monstrous tornadoes the way detectives would investigate a crime scene: talking to witnesses, watching surveillance video and taking the measurements of trees ripped from the ground.
The result will be a meteorological autopsy report on the disaster, revealing how many twisters developed and how powerful they were.
Calif. may let locals opt out of immigration checks
California lawmakers are the latest to weigh joining efforts in other states to gain control over a controversial national program that automatically checks the immigration status of arrestees.
The Golden State accounts for more than a third of the deportations under the Immigration and Customs Enforcement program, and some local officials are saying they were misled by the federal government about the program's extent.
Donald Trump dodged Vietnam War through medical deferment, not high draft number as he claimed
Selective service records Donald Trump didn't want anyone to see show he dodged the Vietnam War due to a medical deferment, not a high draft number as he has claimed.
The records indicate Trump was granted a series of student deferments before graduating from college, and then was deemed physically unacceptable for military service after he graduated. The paperwork, obtained from the National Archives and Records Administration by thesmokinggun.com website, contradict what Trump has publicly said in recent days.
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