How come when a Democratic Candidate flip-flops on an issue, it will cost him the election, but when a ?
Republican candidate flip-flops on an issue, it does not hurt him very much and yet they still win? Why is it always like this? How come the Democrats don’t put up much of a fight when they are attacking the Republicans? How come they don’t make enough attack ads against them?
July 18th, 2010 at 1:03 pm
Because he’s a Democrat.
July 18th, 2010 at 1:32 pm
life’s not fair… you repubs always have something to complain about.
July 18th, 2010 at 2:08 pm
try reversing that because barack’s not stable on one single issue besides raising taxes and infanticide
July 18th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
it’s because some people are desperate and overlook things others will not let slide. The bottom line, though, when you cut all the crap: they’re all liars.
Partisan politics is filling the airwaves with deceitful half-truths and finger-pointing. It’s not just candidates; it’s their parties and any political action committee with cash for airtime. It’s also these mysterious groups that put issues on the ballot. I don’t like the fact that any schmuck who gets the signatures can bypass the General Assembly, alter the state constitution, then flat out deceive voters in the interest of their avarice. These immoral people are trying to take advantage of us and it’s just flat wrong. At least politicians have to come into the light to lie to us; these people do it from some dark, smoke-filled corner somewhere without even telling us who they are.
Words cannot express how important it is for us to take charge of our
education. We must seek out information from credible and objective sources. Most importantly, we must apply critical-thinking. The propaganda warriors are everywhere, using information as a weapon. We don’t always know who to trust, but we often let our guard down with those who share our opinions. We should think twice about this. Liberal, conservative; right, left. For every good point either of them make, there is a valid counter-point. No issue is simple enough that one perspective has the whole truth. We should think “outside the box” so we can gain understanding of a topic from within each vantage point. Only after we have considered every interest from within, are we ready to make decisions that affect the whole. Only then are we ready to vote.
The liars have to be held accountable and it’s up to us. If every American were non-partisan, candidates would have to fight for every vote – just like they do with independents and “swing voters.” Unpredictability in the electorate is one of our best sources of empowerment. It keeps them on their toes, so we need more of it. We give it to them cheaply when we vote according to party affiliation or because the candidate’s name is familiar. They don’t deserve to have it so easy. Nor do they deserve to get away with practicing deceit.
It’s up to you to hold them accountable. It’s up to you to make them truly earn your vote.
July 18th, 2010 at 3:54 pm
Republicans like to confront things
Democrats negotiate
July 18th, 2010 at 4:06 pm
People expect Republicans to be shady, so it’s not really a shock for them to flip-flop.
July 18th, 2010 at 4:12 pm
Because after Bush, Bush, Nixon, Reagan and Ford, people have just got lower expectations of Republicans.
July 18th, 2010 at 4:14 pm
I am all ears historian. “Always like this”, start talking. In God we trust, all others bring data.
July 18th, 2010 at 4:38 pm
Isn’t it enough that CNN and MSNBC are brainwashing Americans in Favor of Obama? You make no sense.
July 18th, 2010 at 4:39 pm
My friend, you’ll have to ask people who support the democratic party this question. Maybe their supporters are fickle and change their minds as soon as they hear that they were possibly lied to. Maybe people who support the republican party stick by the side of their candidate even if he/she changes their minds on something.
I’m not sure where you’ve been but there are attack ads coming from both parties all over the place. I see then every day on TV and hear them on the radio. Just heard one from Obama attacking McCain on the radio earlier today. From what I’ve seen the attack ads are fairly equal in quantity on both sides that are run here in the state of VA
July 18th, 2010 at 4:58 pm
I do not see a question
I see only a complaint
filed under number 255,
stamped
thank you
next please
July 18th, 2010 at 5:57 pm
Uh, Hello. Have you not been watching tv. Have you not seen the attack ads on the republican party. Plus nine times out of ten when the democratic ticket opens their mouth lies come out and they can’t back them and half the time when they accuse republicans of flip flopping that isn’t true either. Just like Biden saying Obama warned of the whole fannie and freddie. WRONG. Prove it. That’s right they cant because it didn’t happen. Why would he call them out when he was the 2nd highest Receiver of funds. Mccain can prove it there was a written bill that was shot down by democrats in the house. JUst like Palin saying she will call them out and you will know their names. She ain’t lying. Did you know there are 2 people in jail because Palin called them out on dirty politics and all that good earmarking and stuff. They were brought to the light and now they are doing the time.
July 18th, 2010 at 6:03 pm
The issue is and likely has long been a huge moral issue for the democrats. Now, it is true that the republicans flip-flop on many more issues, and yet each hurts them less. Yes, democrats do not make as many harsh attack ads.
This is where the dillema comes in. On one hand, they can refuse to make the same volume of attack ads, because they want to take the high road and not engage in the same partisan politics and mudslinging that republicans, namely John McCain, do (incidentally, while McCain is making many attack ads which are not even true, he is claiming that Obama is the partisan and divisive one). It is morally wrong to make attack ads which divide the country, at a time when we need unity most. However, taking the high road may cost them the election, and so the country would be deprived of the better leader, and the country would recieve none of the change they want to bring.
On the other hand, they could engage in the attack ads, and although they could claim some larger degree of nobility, because unlike the republican attack ads, which are largely false, democrat attack ads, namely Obama’s are largely true; though on the larger scale they would become the very thing they seek to raise themselves above. This could help them win the election, yet this is only a maybe, as they would lose credibility, as they would become partisan like McCain, and so may end up with a net loss of votes.
If there was a clear answer to this problem, Obama would have chosen it long ago. Perhaps his unwillingness to stoop to McCain’s level and engage in divisive, partisan politics is evidence of his choice of the former. Only the results of the election can tell if he made the right choice, because it all means nothing if he loses, as the American people will not recieve the change they so desperately need.
July 18th, 2010 at 6:41 pm
Here’s the answer. You live in fantasy land. I see this happen on both sides.
July 18th, 2010 at 7:36 pm
oh, didn’t you know that god forgives republicans, so it doesn’t matter what they do wrong? And if god is gonna forgive the republican candidate his constituency will too! But for some reason they are convinced that god doesn’t like democrats… church people get that way sometimes.
July 18th, 2010 at 7:43 pm
Just pay better attention to all of the TV commercials about the mud slinging. They both do it. They both have attack ads. They both flip flop on issues. That is American politics. Now it all who do you belive will stay trus to the issues they are preaching now before the election AFTER the election. You will see from the past that a lot of issues change again after the person is voted for President.