Can voters accept truth?

T. Harry Williams often shocked his class when he described Franklin Roosevelt as "the most dishonest politician."  Roosevelt lied to the American peoople when he said he was doing everything possible to  keep America out  of the war in Europe (I hate wah; Eleanor hates wah; Fala hates wah) while  he was trying to provoke Germany and take other actions to get the United States in the war.  Williams would then say he considered Roosevelt  a great president because the result saved the free world.

Williams also observed that Roosevelt had heard some place and was  convinced the America voter had the intelligence and knowledge of a 12-year-old, and he governed with that thought in mind. (That could explain why Roosevelt thought he could succeed in enacting laws that violated the constitution.) 

Yes, that's history, but do we not have dishonest politicians today?  Are we intelligent enough to see that something must be done to  save this nation?  How many people seeking office today believe they can be elected if they tell voters the truth?  Our country is deeply in debt but excessive spending goes on and the debt gets larger every day.  Many will say we should reduce spending but how many have the courage and honesty to show us how it is to be done?  So-called entitlements are head ed toward bankruptcy but every group getting  benefits says "cut spending but don't cut us."

I may be mistaken but it appears to me that Paul Ryan has come nearest to presenting the unwelcome  truth of our condition and has had the courage to recommend changes that would be painful and unpopular. Face it, there's no way this nation can be saved without pain.