Not Intended To Be A Factual Statement

If I could sum up my 84 year old mother's commentary on her 50 years of living in America, it would probably read something like this:  "Politician lie.  They get away with it.  Over and over again.  And no one cares."  And I have been hearing some version of that comment, for well, almost 50 years.

Enter Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ):

Stephen Colbert’s field day with Senator Jon Kyl’s unique relationship with “factual statements” continued last night which resulted in high (and absurd) comedy. After spending the better part of the day yesterday promoting imagined facts about about Kyl via Twitter, he continued to keep the joke alive last night by reading some of the best jokes offered under the #NotIntendedToBeAFactualStatement hashtag.

First some background: during last week’s Senate debate about the federal funding of various programs with a shutdown looming, Senator Jon Kyl claimed that “well over 90% of what Planned Parenthood” does is perform abortions. Turns out that the actual reported figure is 3%, though Kyl’s office clarified the discrepancy to CNN that claimed that Kyl’s comment “was not meant to be factual.” This bit of rhetorical back-peddling has earned a great amount of praise/derision, continued by Colbert last night.

What has public service become when it is acceptable for a sitting United States Senator to take to the Floor of the Senate and make public comments "not meant to be factual?"  To outright lie, and make it sound as if was meant to be such.  And that it's all acceptable.  The nonchalance of the statement makes it sounds all too routine, to me. And I don't mean the lying per se -- it's the seeming acceptance of the practice under these particular circumstances that is most despicable.  Lying on the floor of the Senate by design.

Senator Kyl is retiring at the end of his term.  I don't agree with his politics, but I have no reason to believe he does not love his country, and that he takes pride in serving his constituency well.  That said, this outrageous statement should be a indelible stain on his career.  And on any future career prospects he has.

Politicians lie.  They get away with it.  Over and over again.  If this one doesn't make people care, I don't know what will.