"it gives me inspiration making counterfeit bills..."

you know those counterfeit detector pens that cashiers often use to insure that any large-denomination bills are legitimate? well, questions of their efficacy aside, i want one... for politicians.

i often wonder what people really believe. did hillary clinton really support the war from the outset, or was she a (female)-presidential-candidate-in-waiting who couldn't risk appearing soft? i know that rick santorum, may he rest in peace, really believed in fighting poverty, but what does john mccain think of the abortion issue? he's said that he favors a repeal of roe v. wade, and that he doesn't in the short- or the long-term (maybe there's some strange time deliniation in which he would support the repeal?). when these issues come up-- when every vote, every statement in every interview is scrutinized-- i want to know what people actually think. not to try to predict their actions, mind you: just to know.

i wish there were a counterfeit detection pen that i could apply to politicians when they're answering questions, or even to transcripts of their interviews. light mark, the statement is a true reflection of the person's feelings. dark mark, it's a lie, a concession, or a campaign ploy.

it just... i don't know how some people can sleep at night, and this would help me understand. does tom coburn really think that a minimum-wage increase would be bad for the majority of people, or is he just pandering to his base? the pen would tell me, and, well, i want to know.

(thanks to bobgeiger.com.)