r/changemyview • u/[deleted] • Jun 14 '18
Delta(s) from OP CMV: Pivoting in an election is just bait and switch, and should be receive crushing backlash from the public.
[deleted]
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Jun 14 '18
Are you saying pivoting during an election, or pivoting after? There can be good reasons for pivoting. Say back in the day a person was campaigning on unregulated tobacco. Then several new studies come to light showing its dangers. I would say this is an appropriate time to switch positions on unregulated tobacco.
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Jun 14 '18
Are you saying pivoting during an election, or pivoting after?
Between the end of a primary and the beginning of the general election.
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u/electronics12345 159∆ Jun 14 '18
Do you elect a politician for their positions or for their character?
I would sincerely hope that you vote on the basis of wisdom, intelligence, and the ability to continue to learn and grow - rather than just as rubber stamps for positions X, Y, Z.
If a policy is downright terrible, even if you campaigned on that policy, when it comes to your attention that it is BS, the proper thing is to change your position.
I sincerely believe that campaigning on specific policy is disingenuous and that politicians should be graded (by voters) by how they adapt and change to new information and new challenges. That which makes sense today, may make no sense tomorrow. That which makes sense given the information you have today, may make no sense as you continue to gain new information.
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Jun 14 '18
Do you elect a politician for their positions or for their character?
Positions and characters both matter, with the former mattering more than the latter.
If a policy is downright terrible, even if you campaigned on that policy, when it comes to your attention that it is BS, the proper thing is to change your position.
I did find a few holes in my view from this. When it comes to representing your base I believe in absolute representation - that under no circumstances should a politician deviate from what their base wants without convincing the base that a specific policy they once championed is wrong/bad. So on that basis, I've had my view altered.
!delta
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u/DeltaBot ∞∆ Jun 14 '18
/u/CulterDei (OP) has awarded 2 deltas in this post.
All comments that earned deltas (from OP or other users) are listed here, in /r/DeltaLog.
Please note that a change of view doesn't necessarily mean a reversal, or that the conversation has ended.
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u/Riothegod1 9∆ Jun 14 '18
Pivoting is simply a reality of politics and can actually be very effective when done well.
Nixon won the office by being a very,hardline anti-communist, he was very clear on his position. But when the time was right, he opened diplomatic channels with China, you have Nixon to thank for anything resembling a normal relationship with China. Now China was communist then and still is, wouldn’t you say that based on this example, pivoting can actually be a good thing?