Truth

From Commentary: Restore civility by Kevin McKinney:

We need to find the truth again.

Isn't that what's been missing in all this? Truth and justice used to be considered the essential building blocks of a democracy, our democracy. Admittedly, politics and lies to some degree have always gone hand in hand. Nothing new there. Anymore though, we live in an age, and amid a harsh political landscape that leaves virtually no room for the truth to flourish. It's lost its value - a reflection of us losing our values. The truth is treated as a novelty, incorporated only when convenient to serve a particular political agenda. It's the first casualty of political warfare.

In the absence of the truth, all bets are off. The groundwork is laid for further deception. The escalation begins. Arrogant lies become common place. And our country suffers.