No it implies all other times when other politicians were better at it. Plenty have been caught (I could name dozens a-la Nixon, Clinton, Boris Johnson, the Mahon Tribunal) but there are plenty of others that get away with what they do too (eg. Albert Reynolds).
Too put an exact percentage on who falls where on a scale of greyness is basically unknowable as a lot shall die with their secrets. But I would sooner claim it was 100% (I don't, not even close) than it is 0% minus Trump which is simply laughably naive.
Someone once asked me, when Barack Obama was first elected, if I trusted him. I was mildly astonished. I said, "That's not what politicians are for!" To me it seems clear that the primary purpose of politicians is to get out in front of the crowd and justify to ourselves and to the world our crimes, cruelties, and vices.
I mean, if people weren't wicked would there be any politicians or lawyers?
I actually dropped out of high school and was homeless for a few years, in part because of disaffection with society and politics. I got over it. Nowadays I tend to believe that most people are doing their best, we just suck. I think it's the aftermath of the Younger Dryas and the invention of agriculture, but that's a whole 'nother story.
Anyhow, I'm curious about how other people view the world and (at this point in history) the political class, so thank you.
> Plenty have been caught (I could name dozens a-la Nixon, Clinton, Boris Johnson, the Mahon Tribunal) but there are plenty of others that get away with what they do too (eg. Albert Reynolds).
I'm going to assume you're Irish (because of the context) - can you explain to me how Albert Reynolds was a liar? Maybe he just looks honest, sandwiched between Haughey and Ahern.
you're the one playing logical foootsie. nothing op said implied that all other politicians are as crooked as trump, only that all the other crooked politicians that do exist are smarter than trump. stop being so disingenuous and actually read that which you react to.
The word "only" implies that all other times all other politicians were competently good at hiding it.
Are you gonna answer my question or do you just want to play logical footsie?