To: President Donald Trump, The United States House of Representatives, and The United States Senate
The Mendacity Amendment
It is time to amend the First Amendment. We need a mendacity amendment.
This would not prevent politicians from lying -- after all in the heat of the moment a little exaggeration can be expected.
However, once a statement had been judged to be a lie by independent observers, the politician who had uttered the lie would be prohibited from repeating it: in person, over the airwaves, in newspaper reports, in flyers. Surrogates and the politician's allies, party and campaign staff, as well as friendly PAC's would also suffer this prohibition.
The Federal Elections Commission would be responsible for enforcing this rule.
This would not prevent politicians from lying -- after all in the heat of the moment a little exaggeration can be expected.
However, once a statement had been judged to be a lie by independent observers, the politician who had uttered the lie would be prohibited from repeating it: in person, over the airwaves, in newspaper reports, in flyers. Surrogates and the politician's allies, party and campaign staff, as well as friendly PAC's would also suffer this prohibition.
The Federal Elections Commission would be responsible for enforcing this rule.
Why is this important?
If mendacity had resulted in Mr. Romney winning the Presidential election, he would have done the nation a great disservice. As a proponent of free markets, he should know that efficient markets require perfect information from both buyers (voters) and sellers (politicians).
Alas, Mr. Obama and his campaign were not completely free of untruths either.
Alas, Mr. Obama and his campaign were not completely free of untruths either.