When Wilson betrayed his PDA supporters, the public was surprised but not disappointed. Of course, the public reasoned, politicians cannot be trusted. But, there were no repercussions for Wilson s about face, just as there were no repercussions for, 1. Glen Clark s lie about balancing the budget. Bill Clinton s lie about not having sex with Monica Lewinsky.
Politicians are able to lie with impunity.
If the end result is the same, then the difference between a lie and the truth becomes meaningless. If there is no difference between lying and telling the truth, then trust becomes a pointless measure by which to assess politicians. The public discounts trust as a useful tool. When the public abandons trust as a measure for politicians, experienced liars are no more disadvantaged than untried politicians. The public doesn t trust Gordon Wilson, and similarly, no one believes Gordon Campbell when he promises to balance the budget, make government more efficient, and enact changes to enhance democracy.