Global Breaking News - Sunday, October 4, 2026

Why Politicians Get Away With Lying

Maybe it’s a sign that the public has given up on honesty from presidential candidates. Instead, in a recent flurry prompted by the public editor of The New York Times, the assumption seems to be that politicians will always lie and that voters’ defense against that is fact checking by journalists.

But … why do voters let politicians lie to them? What sort of lies do people accept, and which do they object to?

 왜 유권자들은 정치인들이 거짓말을 하게 내버려 두나요? 어떤 유형의 거짓말은 사람들은
받아들이고, 어떤 것들을에 반대하나요?

* When Lies Become the Norm
Politicians might lie when they think they will get away with it, hoping that enough people will be misled and that others won’t hold it against them.
 
* Lies and the Conservatives Who Love Them
Politicians lie to protect or advance what they see as a moral endeavor, like invading Iraq or cutting off 'welfare queens.'
 
* Why Lie When You Can Evade?
In voters' eyes, politicians are better off answering a question they weren't asked than inelegantly answering the question at hand.
 
* Politics Is a High-Stakes Game
We might not tolerate lying from kindergarteners, but when candidates engage in half-truth, there is something in it for their supporters.
 
* Half-Truths and Other Fractions
The public recognizes that politics is full of gray areas, and that politicians will always try to render them in black and white.