Thoughts on flipfloppery
By xParanoiax
@xParanoiax (6987)
United States
September 3, 2008 11:54pm CST
First theatrics:
WHYYY must so many of you buy into the talking points? "Flipflopping is negative, changing your mind is not"!
Oh, the shame..the shame..to think we're all the same species. *tears*
[Now that I've gotten that out of my system];
Okay, I'm actually not that bothered but I've decided to put logic into how flipfloppery might actually matter/not matter (at all).
Alright, lessee...people, being human...naturally form opinions throughout their lifetimes, very few people get everything right the first time, and life never stays the same so obviously stuff happens to make people change their minds.
Sooooo;
While consistancy is to be desired, one must then ask if flipfloppery is always bad.
My conclusion? No, it's not always bad.
*cue shock, horrified faced*
It's not that simple, is what I'm saying. Like with anything, the variables must be weighed into the fact that they changed their position on the subject.
Here's the basics;
(1. How many times have they changed their position?
(2. Could they possibly benefit from said changed position?
(3. Why did they change their position?
and last but not least...
(4. Are you sure you're not angry just 'cause you don't agree with their new position?
Some changes of heart are understandable, some aren't a big deal, everyone feels differently, and when in doubt...follow the money.
Did I forget anything? Can you further my train of thought in a rational direction?
Am I crazy for trying to use logic on politics?
Please discuss!
P.s. a bonus! What're your favorite flipflops of 2008?
2 people like this
2 responses
@ClarusVisum (2163)
• United States
4 Sep 08
Just compare how the two candidates handle a position change:
When Obama changed his position on the FISA issue, he deliberately wrote out a detailed description of this thought process, what was going through his head, his reasoning. You could see exactly why he changed his mind, what he was thinking, and why he had changed positions. And if you disagreed with him, fine. But at least there was an understanding of where he's coming from.
When McCain flip-flops, he acts like he never held the previous position in the first place. That is EXTREMELY fishy/suspicious. When McCain's own comments about his lack of expertise on the economy were quoted back to him as a way to basically ask "don't you think it's an issue that the economy is the #1 issue for voters this cycle, but you admit a lack of knowledge of economics?", do you know/remember what his response was?
His response was (literally accusing the questioner of dishonesty) "I don't know where you got that quote from."
Here's another example: McCain was one of the staunchest supporters of invading Iraq, and in fact was advocating for it mere months after 9/11. But presently, McCain claims that he was the "biggest opponent" of Rumsfeld's strategies, an obvious lie.
It's just a difference in character. It's okay to change your mind, but there is a difference between a mature, thought-out change in position, and a pandering flip-flop. The difference is like night and day.
1 person likes this
@piasabird (1737)
• United States
4 Sep 08
"McCain was one of the staunchest supporters of invading Iraq, and in fact was advocating for it mere months after 9/11. But presently, McCain claims that he was the "biggest opponent" of Rumsfeld's strategies, an obvious lie."
As I remember it, he was against Rumsfeld's strategies. It doesn't mean he wasn't for attacking Iraq it just means that he didn't like how Rumsfeld handled it. Many people thought that they didn't send enough troops in from the very beginning. There were several things that Rumsfeld did with running the war that McCain didn't agree with but he still was in favor of the war. You can be for the war and still not agree with the strategies. It's two different things.
1 person likes this
@xParanoiax (6987)
• United States
4 Sep 08
*applause*
I'm not sure people give you the credit you deserve for being so well thought-out, dearie ^_^
I largely agree with you, as well.
@ClarusVisum (2163)
• United States
4 Sep 08
But he did think Rumsfeld was doing a good job at first--he only started claiming to have "always been" the "biggest opponent" of Rumsfeld's strategies four months after "Mission Accomplished".
And thank you kindly, Paranoia. :)
@ZephyrSun (7381)
• United States
4 Sep 08
I think that I have to agree with the OP in response 1. But, I think to put it more simply, sometimes I think conservatives need things put simply for them to understand it. The person that flip flops may become better informed and then changing their mind or flip flopping whichever you would like to call it. I see and hear a lot of people poke fun of Obama because he thinks before he speaks, since when did that become a bad thing? Is it bad that a person doesn't want to stick his/her foot in his/her mouth? Maybe if more people put some thoughts into their words, they wouldn't look so foolish. Being the first to respond doesn't make you the smartest.
1 person likes this
