The Flip-Flopper in Chief

People seem to make a big deal about political candidates who show any hint of changing their opinions. Candidates, they say, should be unwavering and never stray from the path they set when elected. Personally I see the ability to change one's beliefs based on the best information of the day to be a good trait.

That should hardly be surprising given my scientific background where its a matter of course to ditch bad theories as soon as they are disproved. After all, almost all things we do, say and believe in every day life are based on theories which we have either adopted based on other people work to forumuate them, or formulated ourselves to justify our own behavior.

What I really have a problem with, is people who will crucify others for their changing beliefs, while simultaneously doing the same themselves without ever admiting it. Someone who is ready to judge all others by standards they aren't even willing to stand up to themselves frankly shouldn't be in the position to be judging, and people shouldn't be listening to them.

Hence the list of George Bush's top twenty flip-flops is something to die for. While the republicans are trying to hard paint Kerry as a flip-flopper and label that as a defect, they are simultaneously sequestering the Flip-Flopper in Chief.

George, I tell you its fine to change your mind or admit errors, but when you do it just get up their on that big fancy podium and tell people you have, admit your error, tell people why you made it, and encourage people to do the same. Tell them its okay to fallible because no one is perfect and to err is human. If we can't embrace lives that include change, then how the heck do you expect anyone else to change their ways?

Just why should any of those terrorists decide to stop bombing and killing one day if the only message you preach is that its good to never change and its okay to label the entire rest of the world as wrong but never admit your own mistakes? And why should Israel or Palestine sit back and take a breather while looking for some new solutions instead of just continuing down the same old path of land grabs, bulldozing, assasinations and suicide bombing?

While I'm at it I have to say that I'm disappointed that Kerry has waffled so much around his previous flip-flops shown by this voting record.

I expect the future president of the USA to be fallible and human. I expect he or she will make mistakes and I expect he or she will admit them and more importantly learn from them and move on, distinctly wiser for the experience.