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Flip-flopping about flip-flopping

John Cole
© John Cole

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15 Comments

  1. Jolly Sapper wrote:

    FINALLY!!!…

    Tuesday, July 15, 2008 at 4:20 pm | Permalink
  2. Anonymous wrote:

    I am tired of people legitimizing the term ‘flip-flopper’

    Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 10:08 am | Permalink
  3. Juan S wrote:

    I didn’t get it :/

    Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 11:39 am | Permalink
  4. Anonymous wrote:

    The only people who shouldn’t change their minds are history teachers

    Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 2:16 pm | Permalink
  5. Anonymous wrote:

    and math teachers

    Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 4:42 pm | Permalink
  6. iron wrote:

    I used to be indecisive, but now I’m not so sure.

    Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 4:53 pm | Permalink
  7. Anonymous wrote:

    Don’t you think there is a difference between analyzing the best strategic option and simply saying whatever you think voters want to hear?

    Yes Bush was wrong to make a strategic decision and stick with it despite all incoming evidence, but McCain changing his position on Immigration simply to appeal to voters is just as wrong. The change in position had nothing to do with new evidence or strategic information and everything to do with getting elected.

    Obama is the same way on the public finance issue and the Iraq war issue. He stated that he would utilize the public finance if his opponent agreed to it, since then he decided he has a better chance at getting elected by not using public funds. Is that a change in position based on evidence, or is that a flip-flop?

    The cartoon makes a fallacy of equivocation: using two or more meanings of a key word in the same argument. Flip flop in the sense that it is bad is when a politician changes a stance based on what he thinks will get him elected. Flip flop when it is good is when he changes based on the best information of the time.

    To equate the two to mean the same thing is wrong and misleads voters.

    Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 4:58 pm | Permalink
  8. ClearSight wrote:

    Well this really comes down to what is truly viewed as flip-flopping. We all go through life and have beliefs only to change them through experience or reanalysis. And I’m willing to get behind someone who truly has that moment of seeing the light. But if that moment comes at time when you’re taking flack for your original position your motive for switching views comes into question especially when there is something major on the line, like an election. I’d rather know that someone I vote for really believes in his/her convictions instead of being carried along by the political winds. At least I’d know that person really has a spine. Which goes to my second point. since when id this country become so spineless. What happened to ‘finishing what we started’, ‘if we fail try,try again’, ‘if we fall off the horse, get back on again’. Staying the course didn’t meam keep doing the same thing over and over again whether it worked or not, it just meant finishing what we started. Yeah the reasons we went to war aren’t that strong, but we did, and we need to take responsibility for that and finish the job.

    Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 5:25 pm | Permalink
  9. chill pill wrote:

    lol wow cool it, it’s just a cartoon meant to give a few people a cheap laugh … enjoy it
    ;P

    Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 7:36 pm | Permalink
  10. Anonymous wrote:

    Bush has reduced the entire American electoral system to a cartoon and it’s giving the rest of the world a cheap laugh.

    Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 7:49 pm | Permalink
  11. to chill pill: wrote:

    political cartoons are not JUST meant to be funny. the purpose of them is to, in fact, make a point about current political situations in a comical, lighthearted way. so these people are totally warranted in discussing it and projecting their respective views upon it.

    Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 10:12 pm | Permalink
  12. Mike wrote:

    The problem is they’re polliticians instead of politicians. Changing you mind is not necessarily a problem, it is why you change your mind. Credit to Switchfoot

    Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 8:43 pm | Permalink
  13. bh021552 wrote:

    Not ………………………………..Still Not
    Working: ………Working: …………..Working:

    Never changing …Persevering, ……Never making
    one’s mind. ….. Considering, ….one’s mind up.
    …………….. Adapting,
    …………….. Honoring agreements

    Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 9:51 pm | Permalink
  14. Escobar Driver wrote:

    There are no absolutes in politics. Everything is up for discussion all the time. As the mood in the country changes, politicians have two choices; stick to whatever core beliefs they have or find a way to adapt to the new reality. Since we elect politicians to be our proxies, shouldn’t they bend to our will?

    Saturday, July 19, 2008 at 3:27 am | Permalink
  15. ubidubi wrote:

    Honest to God, I can remember a time when the United States of America had a constitution that somehow seemed to work, even if it took some time. What has happened to America? Its the Big Lie, you know, the War on Terror, and you’ll vote for fascism the same way the Germans did. Good luck!

    Saturday, July 19, 2008 at 3:38 pm | Permalink