Gary Horton | Stop the Spin, and Give it to Us Straight
“You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.”
— Attributed to Abraham Lincoln
Here’s a quote nearly everyone recognizes, yet few realize it’s attributed to one of our most serious and revered presidents — Abraham Lincoln.
If he said it, it must be true. Or was it Washington who couldn’t tell a lie? Or both? What a time it must have been when presidents either wouldn’t or couldn’t spin the truth. Perhaps the whole country was a giant No Spin Zone.
Just tell it like it is, Honest Abe. And by all accounts, he did.
Back then, modern marketing and spin techniques had yet to be crafted by slick psychiatrists and MBA-toting “Masters of the Universe.”
A person’s word was their bond and honor. Words mattered.
They still should — but unfortunately, they don’t. Americans have developed a taste for news, facts, and information wrapped in neat, comfortable packages that reinforce their beliefs or soften unpleasant realities.
The truth too disturbing? No problem — just call it an “alternative fact.” If George Carlin were alive today, his head might explode.
Take last week’s SpaceX launch. Another massive Starship rocket took off,........
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