“Trust, but verify” is a phrase with no meaning. President Reagan used it a lot, mostly referring to dealings with the Soviets. It was a sound-bite, nothing more.
The fact is, if you trust, you don’t have to verify. That’s what trust means. I trust my wife, so I don’t have to call to see if she is where she says she’ll be. I don’t really even have ask her where she’s going because I trust her. I’d just like to know about when she plans to be back so I’ll know when to start worrying.
When it comes to the government, however, the word "trust” should never enter into it. Always, always, always, always verify. Demand hard facts to back up whatever you’re told by the government.
Whether it’s the president, a congressman, a general, a police officer, an IRS agent or a tour guide – never take their word for it. They lie. They lie because they know that 99% of people will take their word for whatever they say. And that if they get caught in a lie, they know that most of the time nobody will do anything about it.
Weapons of mass destruction, intern sex, no new taxes, “we’re not torturing anybody”, “I didn’t taser that guy who was already in handcuffs on the ground”; if comes out of the mouth of a government representative, verify.
And that goes double for political candidates.
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