I've never come across this phrase before, but it seems very appropriate to me, particularly in relation to politics. There are so many complex issues that a modern, developed, society has to deal with - health, welfare, employment, education, justice....and on and on. The policies we vote for are important, so it seems to me the onus is on the political parties to ensure that the data they use to determine what those policies are and the data they use to verify that the policies are working is vitally important.
However frequently this appears not to be the case. Too often really questionable statistics are used. Misinformation is peddled. Glib responses hide the paucity of evidence. Politicians of all shades don't answer direct questions, but deliver irrelevant "soundbites" hoping the public / questioner will give up trying to get straight answers. Are there special classes for politicians on how to evade answering relevant questions? Are they graded on their ability to avoid answering? Is there a punishment from the "Whips" if they get it wrong? You bet.
In the fullness of time, with "Freedom of Information" most lies & deceits are revealed. Iraq for example. But by then it's too late. The harm is done. People have suffered needlessly & in some cases died. We are still nowhere near the transparency & availability of information that America now has.
I think decision makers should have to wear a simple form of lie detector when making public statements. There must be an inventor out there who could devise it. Perhaps it could sound a siren when politicians dissemble & lie? For frequent offenders perhaps a mild electric shock? We are a nation of inventors. There must be money in it for some clever entrepreneur. Currently no one seems to be really held to account for anything.
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