Voters have high tolerance for politicians who lie, even those caught doing it

[rangerrebew]

Voters have high tolerance for politicians who lie, even those caught doing it
Melissa Healy, Los Angeles Times on Dec 20, 2018
 

In a modern democracy, peddling conspiracies for political advantage is perhaps not so different from seeding an epidemic.

If a virus is to gain a foothold with the electorate, it will need a population of likely believers ("susceptibles" in public health speak), a germ nimble enough to infect new hosts easily (an irresistible tall tale), and an eager "Amen choir" (also known as "super-spreaders").

Unleashed on the body politic, a falsehood may spread across the social networks that supply us with information. Facebook is a doorknob slathered in germs, Twitter a sneezing co-worker, and Instagram a child returning home after a day at school, ensuring the exposure of all.

But if lies, conspiracies and fake news are really like germs, you might think that fact-checking is the cure, and truth an effective antidote.

If only it were that easy.

https://www.arcamax.com/knowledge/scienceandtech/technews/s-2158785?fs

[Oceander]

One need look no further than the election, and re-election, of Obama to see that this is the case.

[Fishrrman]

Title:
"Voters have high tolerance for politicians who lie, even those caught doing it"

Of course.
If a politician suddenly STOPS lying, and tells the truth, THEN folks get nervous and wonder what the heck is goin' on...!

[berdie]

And it's a sad state of affairs when we expect to be lied to. But it is what it is, I guess.