The Oldest Trick in the Book

 The Oldest Trick in the Book — Lying by Omission in Payson Politics

There’s an old trick in the liar’s handbook: don’t lie outright, just leave out the important parts. It’s subtle, it’s slippery, and it’s exactly what’s happening here in Payson.

We’ve all seen it — people in power telling just enough of a story to seem truthful while conveniently leaving out the parts that might change your mind. It’s like bragging that you won a football game — at halftime. Technically, you were ahead. But anyone with an ounce of honesty knows that’s not how the game ends.

Right now in Payson, this tactic is being deployed not just occasionally, but systematically. From Mayor Steve Otto to Councilmen Paul Fromelt, Charlie Bell, and Gary Morris — we’ve got a roster of public figures who seem to have mastered the art of the half-truth.

Want an example? Let’s talk town finances. When the subject of a new community pool comes up, we’re told the town just “can’t afford it.” What’s left out? The millions spent elsewhere with little scrutiny, or the fact that a modest bond measure could fund the pool at a cost of just a few bucks a month to the average taxpayer. That context changes the story entirely — which is why they leave it out.

Or how about public safety and protests? When people gathered peacefully to express concerns about national and local issues, some leaders painted it as a threat, fueling paranoia about “outside agitators.” What they didn’t mention? The protest was organized by locals, attended by hundreds of concerned citizens, and completely peaceful — until a diesel truck deliberately rolled coal on senior demonstrators. That part somehow got left out of their version.

These aren’t harmless omissions. They shape public opinion. They distort reality. And they erode the trust we’re supposed to have in our leaders.

The people of Payson deserve better than halftime spin. We deserve the whole story — the messy, complex, inconvenient truth that democracy depends on. Half-truths are still lies. And those who spread them have no business calling themselves leaders.

Let’s stop settling for the edited version. Let’s demand full disclosure. And let’s remember that when someone tells you they won the game at halftime — they’re probably trying to hide the final score.