The flip-flop flap.
OK, the "flip-flop" attacks have got to stop. If this politician changes his mind, or that politician changes her mind, they're wafflers, flip-floppers, etc. This weak charge is then trotted out by the opposing candidate as if it were some moral flaw. It is this moronic attack that is currently being leveled against Kerry by Bush.
It's called learning, folks. When people who are guided by reason acquire new information, sometimes it changes their mind. This should be a desirable thing--we want leaders and decision makers who can broaden and deepen their understanding of issues and act in ways that takes all the information available into account.
If you never change your mind on anything (or at least, not once you've said it publically), then it seems to me that either:
1). You are of the opinion that you already know everything. This is mere arrogance.
2). You can't learn new things. This is being ineducable, and it is tragic.
3). You don't feel you need to learn new things, even though you know there is more to be learned. This is laziness and smells of duplicity as well.
Only in the modern political circus would someone hold logic, reasoning and critical thinking to be bad things. The desire to mindlessly cling to a decision--despite receiving additional information that would lead any rational actor to change course--is folly, not leadership. These cynical and mean-spirited attacks on Kerry strike one as the actions of a candidate with nothing positive to offer about himself.
Shame on you, Mr. President! While you may be proud of promoting a short-sighted, uninformed, and provincial approach to political action, the founding fathers likely would be sickened to the point of nausea.
The men who developed the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights were lovers of reason, logical thought, and open debate. It was their willingness to listen to one another, and to change direction when they saw they were heading in the wrong direction, that gave us our country.
Go ahead, Mr. Kerry--change your mind when new information calls for it. Most of us mere mortals understand how that works--we do it ourselves.
It's called learning, folks. When people who are guided by reason acquire new information, sometimes it changes their mind. This should be a desirable thing--we want leaders and decision makers who can broaden and deepen their understanding of issues and act in ways that takes all the information available into account.
If you never change your mind on anything (or at least, not once you've said it publically), then it seems to me that either:
1). You are of the opinion that you already know everything. This is mere arrogance.
2). You can't learn new things. This is being ineducable, and it is tragic.
3). You don't feel you need to learn new things, even though you know there is more to be learned. This is laziness and smells of duplicity as well.
Only in the modern political circus would someone hold logic, reasoning and critical thinking to be bad things. The desire to mindlessly cling to a decision--despite receiving additional information that would lead any rational actor to change course--is folly, not leadership. These cynical and mean-spirited attacks on Kerry strike one as the actions of a candidate with nothing positive to offer about himself.
Shame on you, Mr. President! While you may be proud of promoting a short-sighted, uninformed, and provincial approach to political action, the founding fathers likely would be sickened to the point of nausea.
The men who developed the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights were lovers of reason, logical thought, and open debate. It was their willingness to listen to one another, and to change direction when they saw they were heading in the wrong direction, that gave us our country.
Go ahead, Mr. Kerry--change your mind when new information calls for it. Most of us mere mortals understand how that works--we do it ourselves.
posted by The Malcontent at 4:50 PM
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