Kerry as flip-flopper

It’s so damn depressing to read stories like this Washington Post-ABC News poll about Bush having a solid lead over Kerry. As awful as the Bush Presidency has been, why are so many people planning on voting for him?

It looks like the “Kerry is a flip-flopper” meme has taken root. That idea has a germ of truth, since Kerry, like all successful politicians, has altered his positions in response to the political currents. However, it’s ridiculous to view those alterations as a major character flaw. Members of Congress routinely oppose bills they generally agree with to push for revisions, such as Kerry’s desire to rescind some Bush tax cuts to pay for the Iraqi war. Having a nuanced viewpoint of complex issues reflects Kerry’s intelligence, not his indecisiveness.

Besides, Kerry’s decision-making process is vastly superior to Bush’s, even if you put aside the destructive consequences of W’s policies. Ideally, a leader is an intelligent, well-informed person who seeks out a wide assortment of expert advice become making a major decision. Bush decided to invade Iraq without even asking the opinion of Colin Powell, who was better qualified than almost anyone to weigh in on that topic. Incidents like that demonstrate that Bush is one of the worst decision makers in US history.

It’s a shame that so many Americans only care about the “strong and decisive” image and downplay the god-awful results of those decisions.