Kerry's alleged flip-flops

Kerry’s Alleged Flip Flops

The Truth About Kerry, # 22 in a series of a 1,000!

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Bush’s campaign provides a list of 37 alleged Kerry flip-flops.

Of these, six appear to be legitimate reversals that can justifiably be called pandering.

He went from pro to con on ethanol issues. He first criticized affirmative action before later embracing it. He initially favored gasoline taxes but then later reversed himself. The others had to do with corporate stock options and employee health benefits.

However, the vast majority of the alleged flip-flops are fantasy.

Consider that in 2000, Kerry called for a reevaluation of the Cuban embargo. When asked last year if he’d lift the embargo, he said, “No, not now.” Inexplicably, this is seen as a reversal, or flip-flop.

Additionally, Kerry never altered his stance on Iraq, despite the histrionics of a few Republicans. Kerry favored a tightened inspections scheme and recognized that only the threat of unilateral action would spur the UN to act. Bush sold the act to the Congress and the country simply as a negotiating tool. That?s what Kerry and Congress voted for, the authorization to use it as a threat.

Kerry (and millions of others) simply objected to the way Bush used the authority.

Still, Bush keeps saying that Kerry “voted for the war.”

The most famous alleged flip-flop concerns the 87 billion dollar defense appropriation bill. The 87 billion that Kerry voted was supposed to be paid for by either a reversal of the Bush upper-class tax cuts or by making it a loan to Iraq. That’s when he voted for it.

Later, when it was determined that the US would simply borrow the money and add to the deficit, he voted against it. Hence the “I actually voted for the 87 billion before I voted against it” line. Granted, he explained it stupidly, but the truth is in the facts.

Other phony “flip flops” include the time Kerry voted for Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act. He later opposed it when Bush failed to deliver promised funds. Same thing for the missile systems. He voted for their development but was against their immediate deployment because they didn’t work yet.

These are not “Flip Flops,” but the actions of a rationale, fiscally responsible man.

Conversely, Bush himself has Flip Flopped 30 times.

Bush favored abortion rights, but then flipped.

He opposed McCain-Feingold but later signed it.

Bush insisted on holding a final vote on going to war at the UN Security council in 2003 but later dropped plans to do so.

Bush opposed the creation of a Homeland Security Department before embracing the idea.

The list goes on and on.

In closing, this paragraph from “The New Republic”:

“You could debate which man has flip-flopped more. But one thing is clear: if a stranger unfamiliar with the campaign examined the two men’s records, he would never conclude that Kerry is a serial flip-flopper and Bush is the embodiment of consistency.”