Posted by
Patriotte on Thursday, July 24, 2008 8:42:16 PM
Here's the deal on the flip-flop saga:
There are three (maybe four) possible reasons a political candidate changes their stance on an issue.
1. They have decided that their stance is wrong have seen the light, therefore changing their opinion.
2. They decide (or are advised) that their position is hugely unpopular and will not get them elected, so they pubically claim to have changed their mind, while most often voting their original position once in office and the opportunity presents itself.
3. They have decided that their opinion is not the will of the people, and therefore, while not changing their core belief, they change their position on the issue to accede the will of their constituents.
(4. They change their whole core belief system, often realigning themselves with a different party, but I think all the rest cover that, too.)
-Now, the first option is not uncommon. We may not believe it always, but, really, people change their minds. All the time.
-The second scenario is, of course, the most common of all, and what I believe is going on in this election by Senator Obama. He not only changes his stance on issues, he does it on a speech-by-speech basis. His advisors are idiots. They are making him look so, as well.
-The third scenario is my personal favorite. What do I mean? It is perfectly fine with me if my government representatives do not share my beliefs and stances on all issues--as long as they vote the will of their electorate, not their own personal agendas. I have yet to see a politician do this--until now. I truly believe Senator McCain may not fully stand behind personally some of the issues he has changed his mind on, but I believe that he sees the will of the people he represents, and is willing to vote their will, not his own. Hopefully, he has changed his mind on some of these issues, most notably imigration, but even if he hasn't--I think he will vote the will of the people. This is what a politician is supposed to do, right? That is what they are elected to do--represent the people.
It takes a smart man to realize he is wrong. But it takes a smarter man to accept that whether he is wrong or right, his job is to represent the people by whom he was elected.
Soon, Senator Obama will get his flip-flops full of sand and be bogged down in his own beach of propaganda.
Hopefully, Senator McCain will be allowed to continue to walk barefoot in the sand as he does the job we will elect him to do.