Belief, when or why it happens?

Lincoln is still right: You can fool some of the people some of the time...etc.

The state of belief in politics overall, seems to always be bordering on D to F, if one graded it.

Here's a proposal for what goes on currently.

-If you want half the population to believe something or possibly fewer people, issue it from the government.
-If you want the other half of the same population to believe something, issue it from a secret file recently leaked or stolen from somewhere or other.

The great joke may be both ways may be used by the same entity!
for different reasons. Or it could be as it seems.

Beyond that, it can really get into the "Poison scene" in "The Princess Bride" where they each are trying to guess who made the switch, and guess if there was a double switch.

I have no point. Just musing on the State of the State.