Officials Must Answer Questions
Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2025 8:50 am
What can be done when federal officials misrepresent the truth, and now, simply lie with no restraints? And to be honest, are never held responsible for their behavior. This problem is especially bad in the current White House and all the current appointed officials.
The president of the United States speaks more lies that he does truth. This is a danger to democracy, to the United States, and, indeed, to the entire world. (And the feckless Republicans in Congress lack the courage to stand up to him. Or maybe they do share goals, the outright destruction of democracy.)
As Bill Maher would say, it’s its time for: New Rules.
We need a forum in which any government official can be put on the stand, under oath, asked questions, and be forced to answer them. If said official lies, they are immediately subject to charges of perjury. And if necessary, that person is immediately suspended from office in order for justice to be served.
Some major problems become immediately apparent. If the official is the president of the United States, who has authority to convene such a questioning session. Who has authority to declare that the president has lied? And what should be the threshold to require such testimony?
A second major problem is retribution. Presume that Trump is subject to such requirements, and maybe removed from office and put in jail. What next? Those who are loyal to him will do everything they can to extract retribution from the next Democrat in office. They will not accept that they behaved extremely badly in electing Trump.
The problem, and the question is, what can be done to call out and reduce the amount of lying by our elected and appointed officials. There will be no easy answer, and maybe, no viable solution at all. But maybe, a solution can be found.
The president of the United States speaks more lies that he does truth. This is a danger to democracy, to the United States, and, indeed, to the entire world. (And the feckless Republicans in Congress lack the courage to stand up to him. Or maybe they do share goals, the outright destruction of democracy.)
As Bill Maher would say, it’s its time for: New Rules.
We need a forum in which any government official can be put on the stand, under oath, asked questions, and be forced to answer them. If said official lies, they are immediately subject to charges of perjury. And if necessary, that person is immediately suspended from office in order for justice to be served.
Some major problems become immediately apparent. If the official is the president of the United States, who has authority to convene such a questioning session. Who has authority to declare that the president has lied? And what should be the threshold to require such testimony?
A second major problem is retribution. Presume that Trump is subject to such requirements, and maybe removed from office and put in jail. What next? Those who are loyal to him will do everything they can to extract retribution from the next Democrat in office. They will not accept that they behaved extremely badly in electing Trump.
The problem, and the question is, what can be done to call out and reduce the amount of lying by our elected and appointed officials. There will be no easy answer, and maybe, no viable solution at all. But maybe, a solution can be found.