The 15 Biggest Lies in Politics

by Garrett, Major; Penny, Tim J.

• ISBN13: 9780312254599
• ISBN10: 0312254598
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-01-01
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Summary

It's always been difficult in politics to separate the truth from the lies. In this strongly argued yet nonpartisan book, Garrett and Penny draw on their combined decades of experience watching government work to illuminate the deceptions and delusions to which we as citizens are subjected every election season. The pervasive falsehoods explicated in this study include: Tax Cuts Are Good Social Security Is a Sacred Government Trust Medicare Works Money Buys Elections Republicans Believe in Smaller Government Democrats Are Compassionate The 15 Biggest Lies in Politics aims to reveal, as noted in the introduction, "the most insidious lies spun by special-interest groups, parroted by politicians, and accepted by the media."

Author Biography

Major Garrett is the congressional correspondent for U.S. News & World Report. He has appeared on such television programs as Hardball with Chris Mathews, CNN's Crossfire, and The Today Show.

Former congressman Timothy J. Penny, now a senior fellow at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute and policy chair of the budget watchdog group Concord Coalition, lives in Waseca, Minnesota. Their previous book was Common Cents.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Political Lies: A Self-Defense Manual	p. 1
The First Lie: The Abortion Debate Matters	p. 12
The Second Lie: Gun Control Reduces Crime	p. 31
The Third Lie: Religion and Politics Don't Mix	p. 46
The Fourth Lie: Immigration Hurts America	p. 60
The Fifth Lie: All Politicians Are Corrupt	p. 75
The Sixth Lie: Money Buys Elections	p. 92
The Seventh Lie: Fat Cats Are the Problem	p. 113
The Eighth Lie: The Budget Will Be Balanced by the Year 2002	p. 132
The Ninth Lie: Social Security Is a Sacred Government Trust	p. 146
The Tenth Lie: Medicare Works	p. 160
The Eleventh Lie: Tax Cuts Are Good	p. 174
The Twelfth Lie: Education - More Money Equals Better Results	p. 184
The Thirteenth Lie: The Environment - It's Mother Earth or Mother Lode	p. 198
The Fourteenth Lie: Republicans Believe in Smaller Government	p. 212
The Fifteenth Lie: Democrats Are Compassionate	p. 220
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