Look, I’m not one for political speeches or high-and-mighty talk. I like my truck, my dog, and straight-up answers. But lately, following the news about Peter Mandelson and his answers regarding Jeffrey Epstein, it’s got me thinking — are we really surprised when big shots play the “economical with the truth” card? Because to me, that’s just the polite way of saying “I’m lying to your face, but with manners.”

When a politician like Mandelson dodges questions about someone as notorious as Epstein, it’s not just some harmless slip-up or forgetfulness. Nah, it’s a calculated move, part of a game where truth is a currency to be spent carefully, sparingly, and usually in favor of protecting the powerful. The way he skirts around the answers makes it clear: The system isn’t interested in real transparency. It’s interested in keeping its skeletons locked up and out of sight.

Now, I’m not here to defend any shady deals Epstein was involved in, nor am I blindly saying the whole system’s rotten from head to toe. But when you look at these high-profile players, it feels like honesty takes a backseat to preservation. And the public? Well, we’re left chewing dust, being told what to think without getting the full picture. “Economical with the truth” is the perfect euphemism. It sweetens the downer because who wants to hear the blunt, ugly “We’re lying our asses off to avoid getting caught”?

What’s wild is how this dishonesty is almost expected. Honestly, it feels like a rite of passage — if you want to climb up the political ladder, you better be good at dodging questions and playing footsie with half-truths. The Epstein connection just exposes the cracks in the armor of supposed accountability. Sure, they’ll toss out some vague non-denial denials and hope everyone forgets in a week, but the damage to public trust is done. And guess what? It rarely leads to any real repercussions.

Trying to be “fair,” some folks insist we need to remember it’s all about nuance, context, and political spin. Maybe so. But while everyone’s busy parsing words and defending “political realities,” the everyday folks keep losing faith. They see politicians treat honesty like it’s optional, like a polite suggestion rather than a requirement. It’s a damn insult to anyone who works their tail off paying taxes, wanting a government that, at the very least, doesn’t take them for fools.

And it’s not just about one guy either. When someone like Mandelson gets called out for bending the truth around a subject as serious as the Epstein scandal, it calls into question the integrity of an entire system that seems built to protect the powerful and their secrets. Epstein wasn’t just some random bad apple; he was deeply connected to a world where money, influence, and exploitation mixed like mud in a puddle. So when officials tiptoe around questions about their knowledge or involvement, it’s clear the mess runs pretty deep.

Let me be straight — I’m not naïve enough to expect miracles from politicians. They’re sharks in a tank, competing for position. But I do expect them to at least not insult the public’s intelligence with scripted half-lies. Being “economical with the truth” sounds like it’s wrapped in a neatly tied bow, but it’s really just a polite way of saying “I ain’t telling you the whole story and yeah, you’re probably getting screwed.”

At the end of the day, the Epstein saga and the evasive answers from people like Mandelson make one thing clear: the system’s game is rigged. Transparency is a joke, justice is often optional, and accountability is more fiction than fact. The question is, how much longer will the average Joe stand for it?

Maybe it’s time we stop pretending that having a politician say the “right” words is enough. Maybe it’s time to demand that when they’re asked about serious stuff, they don’t simply dance around it politely — they come clean or get out of the way. Because playing with truth like it’s some bargaining chip doesn’t just undermine trust. It destroys it.

And if trust is gone, what’s left? A system that runs on smoke, mirrors, and the kind of “truths” that only benefit the powerful — all while the rest of us get the short end of the stick.