YOU’VE BEEN LIED TO BY THE GOVERNMENT We shrug off this fact as an unfortunate reality. America is the land of the free, after all. Does it really matter whether our politicians bend the truth here and there? When the truth is traded for lies, our freedoms are diminished and don’t return. In Lies the Government Told You, Judge Andrew P. Napolitano reveals how America’s freedom, as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, has been forfeited by a government more protective of its own power than its obligations to preserve our individual liberties. “Judge Napolitano’s tremendous knowledge of American law, history, and politics, as well as his passion for freedom, shines through in Lies the Government Told You, as he details how throughout American history, politicians and government officials have betrayed the ideals of personal liberty and limited government." —Congressman Ron Paul, M.D. (R-TX), from the Foreword
Presents an analysis of the lying behavior of political leaders, discussing the reasons why it occurs, the different types of lies, and the costs and benefits to the public and other countries that result from it, with examples from the recent past.
Governments play a crucial role in shaping societies, enacting policies, and making decisions that affect the lives of their citizens. While many governments work with transparency and integrity, there have been instances throughout history where deception and manipulation have been employed to achieve certain objectives. It is important to acknowledge that not all governments engage in deceptive practices, and this preface should not be interpreted as a blanket statement about all governing bodies. Instead, it aims to shed light on some historical and potential methods governments could use to deceive their citizens. Governments may deceive their citizens through various means, including: 1. **Propaganda:** Governments can use propaganda to control the narrative and shape public opinion. They may disseminate biased information or misleading narratives through state-controlled media, censorship, or manipulation of social media platforms to influence public perception. 2. **Censorship and Information Control:** By controlling the flow of information, governments can restrict access to certain facts or ideas that might challenge their authority or contradict their agenda. This can be done through internet censorship, media control, or limiting academic freedoms. 3. **Half-Truths and Spin:** Governments may present information selectively, emphasizing certain aspects of an issue while downplaying or omitting others to manipulate public perception and opinion. 4. **False Flags:** In some cases, governments may orchestrate or allow incidents to occur to manipulate public sentiment or justify certain actions. These "false flag" operations can create a sense of crisis and rally support for government actions that might otherwise be met with resistance. 5. **Surveillance and Privacy Concerns:** Governments may employ extensive surveillance measures, often justified in the name of national security, to monitor their citizens' activities. This can lead to concerns about privacy violations and potential misuse of collected data. 6. **Corruption and Bribery:** Instances of corruption within the government can lead to dishonest decision-making, with policies influenced by personal gain rather than the best interests of the citizens. 7. **Divide and Conquer Strategies:** Governments might exploit existing societal divisions, such as along ethnic, religious, or socio-economic lines, to maintain power by pitting different groups against each other. 8. **Scapegoating:** Governments may blame certain groups or individuals for societal problems to divert attention from their own shortcomings or to rally support for specific policies. 9. **Manipulation of Elections:** By tampering with electoral processes or engaging in voter suppression, governments can influence election outcomes and maintain their hold on power. 10. **Complex Legislation and Bureaucracy:** The use of complex legislation and bureaucratic processes can make it difficult for citizens to fully understand the implications of certain policies, making it easier for governments to pass controversial measures without widespread public scrutiny. It is essential for citizens to be vigilant and well-informed, questioning information sources, and demanding transparency and accountability from their governments. A robust civil society, free press, and active public engagement can act as safeguards against deception and misuse of power by those in authority.
Three former CIA officers--the world's foremost authorities on recognizing deceptive behavior--share their techniques for spotting a lie with thrilling anecdotes from the authors' careers in counterintelligence.
A powerful analysis of why lies and falsehoods spread so rapidly now, and how we can reform our laws and policies regarding speech to alleviate the problem. Lying has been with us from time immemorial. Yet today is different-and in many respects worse. All over the world, people are circulating damaging lies, and these falsehoods are amplified as never before through powerful social media platforms that reach billions. Liars are saying that COVID-19 is a hoax. They are claiming that vaccines cause autism. They are lying about public officials and about people who aspire to high office. They are lying about their friends and neighbors. They are trying to sell products on the basis of untruths. Unfriendly governments, including Russia, are circulating lies in order to destabilize other nations, including the United Kingdom and the United States. In the face of those problems, the renowned legal scholar Cass Sunstein probes the fundamental question of how we can deter lies while also protecting freedom of speech. To be sure, we cannot eliminate lying, nor should we try to do so. Sunstein shows why free societies must generally allow falsehoods and lies, which cannot and should not be excised from democratic debate. A main reason is that we cannot trust governments to make unbiased judgments about what counts as "fake news." However, governments should have the power to regulate specific kinds of falsehoods: those that genuinely endanger health, safety, and the capacity of the public to govern itself. Sunstein also suggests that private institutions, such as Facebook and Twitter, have a great deal of room to stop the spread of falsehoods, and they should be exercising their authority far more than they are now doing. As Sunstein contends, we are allowing far too many lies, including those that both threaten public health and undermine the foundations of democracy itself.
Liespotting shows how to use the latest techniques to spot deception in work and life situations. GET TO THE TRUTH People--friends, family members, work colleagues, salespeople--lie to us all the time. Daily, hourly, constantly. None of us is immune, and all of us are victims. According to studies by several different researchers, most of us encounter nearly 200 lies a day. Now there's something we can do about it. Pamela Meyer's Liespotting links three disciplines--facial recognition training, interrogation training, and a comprehensive survey of research in the field--into a specialized body of information developed specifically to help business leaders detect deception and get the information they need to successfully conduct their most important interactions and transactions. Some of the nation's leading business executives have learned to use these methods to root out lies in high stakes situations. Liespotting for the first time brings years of knowledge--previously found only in the intelligence community, police training academies, and universities--into the corporate boardroom, the manager's meeting, the job interview, the legal proceeding, and the deal negotiation. WHAT'S IN THE BOOK? Learn communication secrets previously known only to a handful of scientists, interrogators and intelligence specialists. Liespotting reveals what's hiding in plain sight in every business meeting, job interview and negotiation: - The single most dangerous facial expression to watch out for in business & personal relationships - 10 questions that get people to tell you anything - A simple 5-step method for spotting and stopping the lies told in nearly every high-stakes business negotiation and interview - Dozens of postures and facial expressions that should instantly put you on Red Alert for deception - The telltale phrases and verbal responses that separate truthful stories from deceitful ones - How to create a circle of advisers who will guarantee your success
The threat of terrorism in America, the Obama administration assures us, is contained and controlled. Recent attempted attacks like the Times Square bombing, the “underwear bombing” on a flight over Detroit, and the attack on a Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Oregon were all isolated plots that failed anyway. In the words of Homeland Security secretary Janet Napolitano, “The system worked.” Don’t believe it. In , investigative reporter Erick Stakelbeck exposes the staggering truth about our national security: the Obama administration is concealing and whitewashing the enormous terrorist threat growing right here within America’s borders. If you believe terrorism is only a problem for other countries, Stakelbeck’s on-the-ground reporting will open your eyes. He has been inside America’s radical mosques, visited U.S.-based Islamic enclaves, and learned about our enemies by going straight to the source—interviewing al-Qaeda-linked terrorists themselves.
Welcome to the inflatocracy-our new form of government of, by, and for inflation-in which deliberately debasing our money has become a tool of social engineering, mind manipulation, wealth redistribution, and secret taxation. Inflation empowers Washington inflatocrats to pick the pockets not only of Americans but also of Germans, Chinese, Brazilians and South Africans, imposing a hidden tax on people around the world who trust paper US dollars as their reserve currency-a worldwide tax that exports our inflation, all to feed our politicians' power-mad addiction to stratospheric spending. The inflatocracy, and the huge welfare state it makes possible, have brought America to the brink of bankruptcy. In The Inflation Deception, monetary expert Craig R. Smith, the chairman of Swiss America Trading Corporation and former think tank futurist Lowell Ponte explain how the inflatocracy took over our government. They offer three political and three financial ways to restore a free and prosperous America.
