Do they know the difference?

By Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq.
TriceEdneyWire.com, Columnist

There was a time in campaigns when truth seemed to have mattered. There was a television program called “Truth or Consequences.” Now that the show is off, truth doesn’t matter and it seems there are no consequences! Watching this Republican Primary is a sight to behold! The candidates just seem to make up stuff as they go along without caring whether what they say is true for false. They’re often in a debate with themselves when it comes to what they really believe.

Take for instance Mitt Romney who while Governor of Massachusetts thought affordable health care was a good idea. Somehow, when President Barack Obama agreed, and worked hard to get affordable health care for all of us, Romney switched sides because it seemed politically wise to do so.

Rick Santorum who was run out of office because his constituents in Pennsylvania didn’t think he was representing them, so in his mind he thought his former constituents sent him packing so he could run for President and represent all of us!

Buddy Roemer wants to use his Louisiana political experience and do hand to hand combat against corruption. Maybe his jobs program is to hire people to help with his combat! Then what?

Ryan Paul believes he is divinely commissioned to run in every Presidential election. No one knows whether he’s a Republican or what. Is he running to win or just running to be seen?

Rick Perry, the trigger-happy cowboy who wants to secede from the union and become President of Texas, where the schools are ranked #50 out of 50, whose constituents are among the lowest paid in the country, who calls the Fed Chief a traitor and talks like a mafia don about treating opponents pretty ugly, wants to be President. He threatens bodily injury just four days into his campaign!

Herman Cain, prior to the Iowa caucus thought he’d be in high cotton if he just came in 3rd place there; when he didn’t, he declared 5th place was just fine.

Sarah Palin is not a declared candidate, but she just has this habit of running around in her bus to places where other Republicans are trying to make a great showing and win friends for their campaigns. Television lenses just seem to gravitate to her taking the spot light off the candidates. Is she campaigning or just keeping her name in the news to increase her wealth?

Michele Bachmann takes the cake. She thinks Black children were better off during slavery because there were two enslaved people around the house instead of one. Never mind, they could have their families split up and sold to the highest bidder. She believes the Founding Fathers who owned enslaved people really worked hard to get rid of slavery. She thinks John Wayne, one of the right-wing favorite heroes, was born in Waterloo, Iowa when it was actually John Wayne Gacy—a notorious murderer! She even admits to having his spirit! She celebrates Elvis Presley’s birthday on the day he died instead of the day he was born. She doesn’t believe in government help, but she and her husband accept it for personal gain. She referred to gays as part of Satan, in bondage, etc. throughout her career, but now, she is not in a position to judge them!

The amazing thing is they get away with this stuff. You get the feeling they are not just saying things to get attention. They are saying them because they have no respect for truth and because they know there are no consequences!

Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq. is Chair of the National Congress of Black Women. She’s Chair of the Board of the Black Leadership Forum in Washington, DC. To reach her, call 202/678-6788; e-mail dr.efayew@g­mail.com or see website at www.na­tionalcongressbw.org.

This article originally published in the August 29, 2011 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.