Is It a Wonder Americans Don't Vote?

Arment Dietrich | Email | No Comments

Nowhere do we see more spin than in a political election. From politicians blatantly changing positions on controversial issues to pollsters manipulating surveys, it can seem as though the entire political process is designed to mislead the public.

This is the very worst use of spin. At no other time is it more important to know the facts – and I don’t mean the vague jumble that comes out of a candidate’s mouth during a speech or debate.

Don’t get me wrong; I value messages. They help politicians or our clients communicate to their constituents in the most precise and direct way possible. But when a message is used to obscure events of facts, it becomes spin.

In politics, the repercussions of spin are most clear. Although it is possible to have a general sense of the candidates – after all, the grueling conditions of campaigning render it impossible for even the most superhuman and crafty of politicians to sustain an actual lie – spin robs the public of their ability to make an informed decision at the voting booth.

In the U.S., where our political divisions are a matter of degrees and politicians can seem interchangeable, the prevalence of spin is robbing us of political choice. — Brigitte Lyons