It is certainly true that a certain amount of financial success can be achieved through dishonesty. But true success (which transcends mere money) requires honesty. Without it, any success will be fleeting.
Consider the current Presidential campaign. Barack Obama was flaming hot until people began discovering some things that bring both his credibility and his honesty into question. Suddenly, he is losing ground. And Hillary was holding her own until she decided to embellish her trip to Bosnia with danger and sniper fire. Suddenly, she lost a lot of points in the polls.
For lasting success, honesty and integrity are essential. Ronnie Reagan was an honest man, and he won by a surprise landslide - twice! In fact, if you can think of a famous President, you will likely find that he was pretty honest - Honest Abe, Honest George. Teddy Roosevelt, FDR, JFK.
The same is true outside politics, as well. The people we think most highly of tend to be honest and giving. And when someone is that highly regarded, success naturally follows. People support good, honest, giving people. And that support translates into being raised up.
Our leaders would be well advised to try very hard to be seen as honest, but I guess that is wishful thinking. All we can do is try and weed out the snake-oil salesmen and vote for those who are not TOO dishonest :o)
Meanwhile, it is still a good lesson for us all - honesty truly is the best policy.
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