The GOP’s Habitual Lying Is Hazardous to Its Political Health

Whenever any Republican says that fraudster George Santos doesn’t belong in Congress, that he’s some kind of aberration, I have to laugh. I mean, of course he doesn’t belong in Congress. Neither do most members of the House GOP caucus. But his lies are not unusual in his party; they’re just more outrageous. On the GOP’s continuum of liars, he’s surely one of the most brazen.

But he’s not alone. Lying comes as naturally to many congressional Republicans as breathing. This is still the party of Trump, who proved there’s no consequence for habitual lying—about his businesses, his taxes, his sexual exploits (including alleged assaults), his political corruption, his role in an attempted coup, and of course his loss (by an undeniable 7 million votes) to Joe Biden. But not everyone can be as lucky a liar as Trump (or, so far, George Santos).

The latest example came with Tuesday night’s State of the Union address. When President Biden noted that “some” Republicans want to cut Social Security and Medicare, congressional Republicans erupted in boos and shouts of “liar” and “bullshit.” A lot has been made of Biden’s political skill in baiting the GOP, which has indeed regularly proposed cuts in both programs, into publicly repudiating such an idea. That was big. But even bigger, potentially, was the exposure of a party so used to lying it can’t help itself, even when those lies are easily exposed. This kind of political malpractice might not hurt Trump, but none of these blunderers wear his baggy Teflon suits.

In one of the best television shots on Tuesday night, Senators Rick Scott and Mike Lee, sitting side by side, look incredulous and outraged. But both men have indeed put both programs on the chopping block. So have many others.

Biden broke into a huge grin as the GOP denied what was so easily proven. Would he call out individuals? He did not. He merely said, “Contact my office” for more details. As Republicans continued to object to his “lies” about them, Biden sprang a political trap. “I enjoy conversion,” he said. “As we all apparently agree, Social Security and Medicare is off the books [for cuts] now, right?” He baited most of the Republicans into applauding that line.

Did Biden plan this trap? I don’t know. But given the GOP’s proclivity for lying, he had to know there was a good chance members would deny what was in plain sight. Even in a party known for lying, this blundering was remarkable. Reporters didn’t have to break a sweat searching for receipts.

Rick Scott, as head of the Republican Senate Campaign Committee, published a “plan” that would sunset all federal programs—including Social Security and Medicare—every five years, forcing Congress to vote to reenact them, thus making them easier to cut, reshape, “privatize” or eliminate. He has confirmed that both popular programs would be included in his plan.