We’ve all heard the hundreds of speeches (and lies) made by politicians year after year. They continue to repeat the lies that have been fed to us since the establishment of this country. Politicians promise the world, but, once elected, conveniently forget. They will try to brainwash us with their countless speeches. It is truly a feat how they can take the most well-rounded people and turn them into spineless puppets. They make their constituents jump hurdles to understand their nausea-inducing speeches. They will make us envision a better world where we can live in peace with everything we could ever dream of, that, coincidentally, only they can bring to life. They deserve Oscars.

Now here’s a crazy thought: what if politicians just told the truth about their intentions? What if they told their constituents exactly what they could achieve if they were elected? Oh right! If politicians did do that, their constituents would turn their backs on them quicker than a politician can break a promise.

            But what if we created a truth serum that politicians would have to take before going on any public stage? Their performances would have all the drama of a reality TV show; it would almost have the same ratings as Keeping Up With the Kardashians. Just imagine, Keeping Up With the Government tonight at 8PM central, and you are one of the millions of people tuned into CNN, Fox News, or MSNBC, waiting to see the new scandal a government official has just stepped in. Just imagine them squirm every time they get a question they don’t want to answer, but instead of brushing it off they are compelled to be honest. I can see the headlines now: “Presidential candidate admits to an affair,” “George Bush confesses to have orchestrated 9/11,” “Senator takes bribes from big corporations,” “Did Republican Representative-elect George Santos lie about his life story?”. Oops. That last headline is real.

            But the idea of a truth serum feels too good to be true. There would be no way of enforcing the use of a truth serum for politicians. They would say their religion doesn’t permit truth serums or they have an allergic reaction to every ingredient in the truth serum. Or they would use their amazing deception and manipulation skills to convince the people of the United States to ban the use of truth serum, but only for politicians and maybe a couple of their closest friends and family, of course. Let’s be honest, politicians have become so good at manipulating us that they could convince Einstein that the sky is green and E actually equals 2.

            Truthfully, I don’t understand why they feel the need to become politicians. It is clear that they don’t want what’s best for their constituents and are only doing running for power. But isn’t there a much easier way to gain that power? Approximately 79% of government officials are white and 65% of officials are men. Honestly, they would probably earn more money and have more power if they just got jobs in corporate America. If they did that, they also wouldn’t have to worry about keeping up with their millions of lies, but I suppose their greed and ego are too powerful to let go of a seat as a government official. They seem to enjoy making people’s lives worse than they found them. Politics is a game for them. One where they have all the power and we are left helpless trying to pick up the pieces of the shattered economy and dying planet they broke.

            Although the idea of a truth serum for politicians may seem appealing, it is ultimately unrealistic. The political game is built on deception, manipulation, and power, and it is unlikely that any measure can change that. However, as voters and citizens, we have the power to demand transparency, honesty, and accountability from our elected officials. It is our responsibility to hold them to a higher standard and to demand that they work towards the betterment of our society, rather than their personal gain. Only then can we hope to see real change in the political landscape and a government that truly serves the people.