Looks like we lie all the time, often to ourselves

[kpete]

One in four Americans has an opinion about an imaginary debt plan

Looks like we lie all the time, often to ourselves

Here's an example:

One in four Americans has an opinion about an imaginary debt plan

A new poll from Public Policy Polling found that an impressive 39 percent of Americans have an opinion about the Simpson-Bowles deficit reduction plan.

Before you start celebrating the new, sweeping reach of the 2010 commission’s work, consider this: Twenty-five percent of Americans also took a stance on the Panetta-Burns plan.

What’s that? You’re not familiar with Panetta-Burns? That’s probably because its “a mythical Clinton Chief of Staff/former western Republican Senator combo” that PPP dreamed up to test how many Americans would profess to have an opinion about a policy that did not exist. They found one in four voters to do just that. ...Sarah Kliff, WaPo

http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/2011/PPP_Release_National_1204.pdf

But we know that. Lying to others is "real lying." Lying to ourselves is "forgivable." Which makes that 25% also expressing an opinion on "Panetta-Burns" semi-forgivable. Or is it?

more:
http://prairieweather.typepad.com/big_blue_stem/2012/12/looks-like-we-lie-all-the-time-often-to-ourselves.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2012/12/04/one-in-four-americans-has-an-opinion-about-an-imaginary-debt-plan/