Certainly, Sheldon, what you write here constitutes a good counsel toward getting back to Truth-telling. But as to finding a way to solve the problem on such a massive level, I can think of no workable solutions.

In our founding days, leaders got together in Philadelphia and composed a document that has served us well two and a half centuries.

It seems to me that we need something like that now. Perhaps it would assume the form of a third party, a centrist party, by which we discern truth somewhere and somehow between the lies that populate on both ends of the political spectrum.

Another point is that a new technology--social media--has blinded us to truth. Every tom dick and harriet can now spread lies with no consequences whatsoever.

Perhaps it is indicative of our collective role as truth-finders, that you have raised this point about honesty--and we are discussing it--on a platform called "Medium."

In the middle, we need to find a way to somehow steer the extremists on both ends back toward the medium of true discussion, true debate, true lawmaking.

And if you consider the prospect of centrist leadership, there is really only one person who comes immediately to mind, and--at the risk of slipping back into mere politics--Senator Susan Collins.

Well there's my two cents worth.