[published on July 26, 2006 in "The Flatland Oracles," my previous blog]
Certain Republicans managed to convince people a long time ago that revising an opinion---which they call "flip-flopping"---is invariably a sign either of weakness or of a politician's willingness to say anything to get votes . I remember a North Carolina campaign where the Democratic candidate was labelled "Senator Flip-Flop" and somehow managed to convince people that this was a sign of "pandering." Kerry spent so much time backpedalling about his initial support for the war in Iraq that he didn't really talk about the things that really matter.
So it's a relief to hear a politician---and a Republican!---say straight out that he has changed his mind about the appropriate policy, based on his subsequent experience. Everyone---even politicians---ought to be able to make adjustments to a position if the evidence requires it.
[quote from Associated Press article by Allison Hoffman begins]
Immigration is shaping up as a major campaign issue this fall, just as it was in the 1994 gubernatorial race.
Republican Pete Wilson won that race after embracing Proposition 187, which called for denying illegal immigrants many government services. The initiative passed handily but later was tossed out by the courts. It also moved many Hispanic voters to the Democratic camp.
Schwarzenegger has acknowledged supporting Proposition 187 and suggested he came to regret that vote after working with the children of illegal immigrants in after-school programs before being elected governor.
"I could be criticized for flip-flopping, but better to say I was wrong than to hold onto something that isn't my view," Schwarzenegger told reporters on his campaign bus.
The governor addressed the issue a day after he told La Opinion, a Los Angeles-based Spanish language newspaper, that "looking back, it was the wrong decision" to support the ballot measure.
Angelides, the state treasurer, seized on the governor's comments, accusing Schwarzenegger of pandering to Hispanics.
"He will do anything and say anything to get re-elected," Angelides charged.
Congress is wrestling with immigration reform and Schwarzenegger has split with many in the Republican Party - particularly in the House of Representatives - who favor a get-tough approach to illegal immigrants. His thinking is closer to that of President Bush, who has called for better border security, a guest worker program to ensure businesses have the workers they need and a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants who have been in the country for a significant period and not broken the law.
Schwarzenegger has long faulted the federal government for lax border security and praised efforts by the Minutemen to fill the gap. California has more illegal immigrants than any other state - an estimated 2.4 million.
[quote from Associated Press article by Allison Hoffman ends]
I certainly agree with Schwarzenegger that you can't deny services to people who are living here. They are people who are here. They include children and the elderly. Whatever you mistakenly think the deterrent effect of such a denial will be, the position is morally rephrehensible. I don't think that anyone doubts that illegal immigration is a problem; but a resolution that denies basic services isn't a good solution (or one that will prevent desperate people from coming here anyway).
But even if I didn't agree more with Schwarzenegger's current position than with his previous one, I have to give some [Ali G voice/] Respect! [/Ali G voice] to any politician who will stand up and say, "Based on further evidence, I have concluded that my previous position was erroneous."
I am giving Schwarzenegger the benefit of the doubt here, of course. It's possible, I suppose, that he is trying as alleged to garner a few votes, but on balance it seems sort of unlikely. Isn't it just as likely to alienate voters who support the proposition?
I wonder if voters in general are as stupid as politicians believe? History suggests that a label like 'flip-flopping' can stop people from thinking; instead of asking why the person changed position, voters just accept the "Liar/Panderer" label and go with the other person who is so consistent that he---or she---would never change position no matter how much evidence that it is wrong has accumulated since the position was first announced.
At any rate, I'm 100% behind this:
"I could be criticized for flip-flopping, but better to say I was wrong than to hold onto something that isn't my view," Schwarzenegger told reporters on his campaign bus."
More homage to Governor Schwarzenegger for once again doing the right thing rather than pandering to the most extreme voters in his party...
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