"Ron Paul flip flops" info please.

[Tonewah]

Reagan said 'libertarianism is the heart and soul of conservatism', so whoever calls that a 'flip-flop' is ignorant, plain and simple.

Ron Paul is the most consistent person I've ever even heard of. Seeing innocent people killed made him take a second look at how the death penalty is handled. No one wants to see innocent people killed, I would HOPE.

If a person is consistently for the preservation of innocent lives, that isn't flip-flopping. However, someone who changes their opinion from pro-choice to pro-life from one campaign to another, like Romney, et. al., or, in Herman Cain's case, changing his position within a few moments when he was on the Stossel show, IS flip-flopping.

With regards to DADT, it amazes me how so many chicken-hawks can be so concerned with the sexual orientation of people they NEVER CHOSE TO SERVE WITH ANYWAY. I was never in the military, so I have no right to tell them who they can and can't be around. That should be a matter for the military, not wing-tipped soapbox riders, IMO. I don't know if RP would agree with me or not on that, but that's my two cents.

 

[Elwar]

On evolution he says that he sees it as a theory. Which it is.

 

[MaxPower]

Some people say Paul flip flops on the following issues:

gays in the military
being a conservative..liberterian..then conservative...then lib again
death penalty
evolution


I have a pretty good idea about the above, but wanted more input from this forum. Can some of you elaborate on this? Always interested in learning new stuff.

cheers,

The term "flip-flop" is generally taken to carry the connotations that a change in position was made out of political expediency; Ron Paul hasn't made any flip-flops in this sense. To address the issues you've raised:

1. He has, in fact, changed his position on the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy, which he supported in its early years but turned against after more thorough investigation and consideration, but this was not an act of political expediency; clearly, if anything, opposing "Don't Ask Don't Tell" hurts him with the Republican base.

2. Libertarianism and conservatism are not mutually exclusive terms; it is entirely possible to consider oneself both.

3. Again, he has changed his mind about the death penalty, but I do not believe this would qualify as a "flip-flop" as I believe the term is commonly-understood. If anything, once again, the fact that he opposes the death penalty is harmful to his standing in the eyes of the Republican voting base.

4. Belief or disbelief in evolution is not a political position, and Ron Paul has never espoused a strong viewpoint either way on the issue; he said in 2007 that he simply doesn't know the truth of the matter and would not be running for office if it were the question of the day, although he appears to hint in his most recent book that he thinks the evidence favors it.

 

[Zap!]

It be better if you asked them to support their flip flop claims, and put it back on them, instead of trying to prove something that isn't there.

He admits he used to be for the death penalty, but realizes government makes too many mistakes, too many innocent people are put to death, and that it unfairly is disproportionately used against minorities.

That last part will surely hurt him most. Republicans do not like hearing about how bad minorities have it. Paleo-cons never mention it.

 

[Guitarzan]

That last part will surely hurt him most. Republicans do not like hearing about how bad minorities have it. Paleo-cons never mention it.

Sometimes the truth hurts.

 

[centure7]

Really this whole "flip flop" charge is nonsense when you think about it. Most politicians change positions because of what the voters think. When Ron changes a position it's in spite of what the voters think.

This is a great point. When a politician changes his opinion to one that is more unpopular with his supporters, then that is shows honesty of that politician rather than against. If a politician flips to a popular perspective from an unpopular one within his support network, then that is something questionable.