Engineer a Product to Save The World?

Sorry, but if you think the politicians are lying to us, then you are mistaken.

The "powers that be" know just what information to give, ie re. WMD, so that they will make their minds up to take a certain path, and when the politicians are found out not to have been correct, they fall on their sword, and the next incumbent is duly brainwashed.

If brains were needed in politics, I'd be Emperor of Greater Europe by now.

It's called voice stress analysis software. It's available.

Not nearly accurate enough, as far as I've been able to tell. Do you know of any that are significantly better than random guessing?

Maybe it'd be fun to use existing technologies, because maybe it'd make more people more likely to actually watch/demand political debates. Few debates even happen now because so few of us care to see our employees in action.

But what I'm hoping for is something that's accurate enough to base hiring decisions on.

Andy,

You're thinking way too small here. Why just politicians? Let's build it and turn it on religious leaders, teachers, scoutmasters, bank tellers, car salesmen, landlords, our neighbors, our children (they lie too)...heck...everybody. Why remove the civil rights of just one class of people when we can do it to everyone, and since everyone would have to always tell the truth, we'd make the world a better place. Right?

Umm...well, I've never heard of a bank teller committing genocide. I suppose it's possible that kids can start wars. I do feel that some of my teachers oppressed me.

But you've made a mistake about rights and powers, and you are wrong about what I'm asking for.

I've run for office six times, and I'd have gladly submitted to a truth/lie test. At least some of my opponents would have surely balked. OK, fine. We learn from their refusal as well.

No coercion. No laws. Just a voluntary submission to the rules and technology of a Modern Political Debate.

Remember that politicians are the ones who are taking your rights away; I'm not.

C'mon guys, this is serious.

Oh, I understand exactly what you're saying. I just think the applications of such a technology could be widened to help society in so many ways. Sure politicians have a lot of power, but they aren't the only one who make decisions that affect the lives of others.

True a used car salesman is not likely to be the cause of genocide, but his sale of a crappy car to someone of limited means could deeply affect the purchaser's future endeavors.

Shouldn't we use the same technology to make sure that scoutmasters aren't pedophiles?

Shouldn't we get to know the honest beliefs and desires of religious leaders? After all, they drive policies that affect the lives of almost everyone one on the planet.

Shouldn't we test CEOs who are making statements in front of their shareholders? Isn't a lot of money and potentially jobs at stake if they lie?

How about companies having the right to use the technology to test job applicants?

All of this could be done upfront, with the full knowledge and consent of the person to be tested.

Politicians may be your biggest fear, but there are lots of other people out there who are part of the problem....

We already have a zillion ways to go after all your enemies, and the government is working hard to make sure that they get even more. There's no shortage of effort in ways to go after citizens who may, in some way, screw up. So I see no reason to add to that.

What I'm asking for is a special effort to police the police, as it were. Surely you see the difference.

Government has tanks and cruise missiles and they're spending my money to buy more. I'm asking for at least a pop-gun to fight back.

Actually, I don't consider any of those people to be "my enemies" - and no, there are not zillions of ways to stop a CEO from lying to his shareholders before lots of damage is done. Nor are there ways to stop religious leaders from misleading their flocks. These people, like politicians, are in positions to unduly abuse their power and abuse other people. In many cases they are getting our tax dollars as well through corporate subsidies or through faith based initiatives. Why wouldn't we include them in any effort to "police the police". They are tied into the power structure as much as "politicians", are they not? They donate money to, support, and even become politicians themselves - or they simply buy politicians votes when useful.

I am certainly not against technology to track whether politicians are lying, I just think the same technology could be used in many other ways to make sure others in similar positions of power aren't lying. And of course, I'm sure you're smart enough to realize that any such technology would eventually be used in all the ways I have proposed and more - including by politicians against the populace.

I don't disagree that this technology will be used in other ways; particularly if we don't use it in its intended way.

But I think you're being a little obtuse. Every day now, some CEO gets caught and sent to jail for a rule violation that may or may not actually harm people.

What do we have that's comparable for politicians? Martha Stewart went to jail for something that, to me, seems extremely minor, while politicians responsible for death, theft, oppression and such become famous instead. Heck; we relect them AFTER their convictions (e.g., Marion Berry)!

We have elected convicted felons (several...look it up) who get away with more than murder. That needs a response. I don't know why you seem to be defending these politicians by dissipating the focus of my intent and attacking others.

You say go after everybody else when everybody else is already under scrutiny. Politicians are not under anything similar. Can we agree that's out of whack?