Making lies sound truthful in US elections

As the US election gets to the business end of the campaign, with the Republican convention, we will no doubt witness the now usual smear tactics of both sides.

It’s a convenient method of avoiding real debate on substantive issues which affect, not just US citizens, but the lives of billions of people worldwide. Televised debates will no doubt focus on emotive social issues, while economic discussion will be limited to scaremongering on threats of creeping socialism or unaccountable wealth.

It will provide for entertaining viewing and the outlandish promises made will cement Orwell’s assertion on political language, namely that it is ‘designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind’. Something we are well used to from our own political class.

Barry Walsh

Blackrock

Cork