With the memories of the blatant lies of the 60s and 70s fading ( Vietnam, Watergate, etc. ), and a buffer of the little lies of the 80s ( Iran-Contra, ' Read My Lips ', etc. ), the 90s usher in the, DECADE OF THE BIG LIE. Somewhere between the Gulf of Tonkin and the OJ trial, the powers that be, decided that it was okay to tell whatever story you wanted, representing it as the truth, as long as you had your fingers crossed behind your back. The best liars, now occupy the highest paid positions in both the private and public sectors of American society!

This trend may have started in the OJ trial.

Johnny Cockran took a blatantly guilty client with a mountain of evidence against him, and through a carefully orchestrated campaign of direct untruths by skilled liars, his client is now walking amongst us. The lawyers from this case, threw all concerns of ethics out the window, in their defense of the indefensible, and it worked wonderfully. Whether or not this was a case of the lawyers completely running amok, or a judge soft on letting lies, with no hint of facts to back them up, in as ' evidence '; the world saw that well crafted lies work better than the truth. Before this case, lawyers used to have an ethical duty not to spread untruth and inuendo into evidence. See ya' later truth; in the criminal justice system now, imaginative lies triumph over the boring facts!

Politicians used to just tell little lies, as in CAMPAIGN PROMISES. In 1992, Bill Clinton changed all that!

In his campaign for the Presidency in 1992, then Governor Clinton, lied about everything from draft dodging and smoking marijuana, to extramarital affairs. These do not include any legitimate policy-based campaign promises, but lies about his past nefarious deeds. As he entered the office of the Presidency and the corruption began; the campaign turned to one of lies to cover-up conduct by the DNC, the Executive branch of our government, and private parties involved in sections of our society that were corruptable for political payola. As the disingenuous conduct and influence peddling grew to monumental proportions, so did the lies and cover-up. These lies grew so numerous, that a cadre of unethical troops had to be brought in to wage the war of baloney; they adopted the name of SPINMEISTERs. Their job was to smile sweetly, and lie through their teeth!

Before the advent of the Clinton presidency, SPIN was ' putting the most positive light on a set of facts that were not necessarily in the person's ( or object's ) favor '. The Clinton cronies have changed the definition of SPIN to LIE! It is not a case of whether ' the cup is half full or half empty ' anymore, but ' what lie can you tell that may fit the facts you distorted through the lie '. When the lie is so uncovered, as to be impossible for even the most unethical to support, they think up another lie to take its place! One spinmeister lies, and next spinmeister picks up the lie ( whether or not he knows it to be a lie, to begin with ) and repeats it. Through this repetition of the same lie, they seek to fool the people into believing it to be the truth! Sadly, this tactic seems to be working very well. Remember, it worked to perfection in the OJ trial and seems to be getting Bill Clinton through his second term as our fearless leader. Just look at how the army of Whitehouse spin doctors ( I guess there are so many people lining up for the job now, that you need a PHD to apply? ) have villified the Independant Counsel looking into Bill Clinton's patterns of corruption!

I am truely at a loss, as to how politicians, media talking heads, and trial lawyers can play so fast and loose with the truth. Is the chase for the almighty dollar, so tempting, as to subvert just about everyone? Has the price of one's integrity really gotten that low? Or, are they just now paying way too much for the services of good liars?

You be the judge...

- Bongo ( The ' L ' in LAWYER is for LIAR? )