Is this the world we want?

Throughout my career as a reporter I have had almost as many people tell me that politicians are all liars, as those that say they don’t believe anything that journalists write.

The prevailing opinion was that “politicians are out for themselves”; that “there is no difference between the political parties”.

Those of us who were closer to the action knew that while there was always a grain of truth in these comments, most politicians were genuinely trying to do the job they were elected for, and if they didn’t quite measure up…well they were only human.

That was before the election of United States President Donald Trump.

Trump uses Twitter to communicate with his public. While traditionalists might cringe at this, it has to be accepted that Twitter, and other social media, are good ways, maybe even the best ways, of getting a messages across in the modern era.

After all, Trump wasn’t the first. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi used it effectively to win election back in 2013; Trump’s predecessor, Barack Obama, was a skilful practitioner.

Apart from the countries where they don’t have to bother, most leaders now use social media to convey their messages to the population.

What makes Trump different is the significant percentage of the more than 11,000 tweets he has made since the beginning of his presidency that are lies — not misrepresentations; not a slight bending of the truth, but flat-out proven porkies.

A couple of examples: “I have cut illegal immigration in half” — Department of Immigration figures show that his record in this area is inferior to Obama’s.

“The Kurds are safer after the US troop withdrawal” — scores have been killed and thousands misplaced.

This is happening to such an extent that lying has become an established part of the Trump presidency, polls showing that most Americans, including many among his own supporters, no longer take him at his word.

A strategic adviser to former President George W. Bush, Peter Wehner says Trump is not just a serial liar, he is attempting to murder the very idea of truth, reaching a stage when the veracity of what is said is no longer relevant.

“That is far worse,” Wehner says, “because without truth a free society cannot operate”.

This is the theme of Trump’s re-election bid. I am the tough guy who doesn’t play by the rules, cuts a few corners, but that is what it takes to face up to the effete denizens of the Washington swamp that are trying to drag down the president you elected.  

Trump’s methods are beginning to resonate. Imitators, to a greater or lesser degree, are springing up in democracies and pseudo democracies around the world. His success points to a tempting path for others to follow.

The longer his example remains, the greater the temptation.

The question is do we want this kind of world? While change is inevitable and often positive in many areas, are there some fundamental principles of honesty and integrity that are worth retaining?

Worth handing on to our children and grandchildren?

We will need answers to this — and very soon.