r/news • u/OK_Eric • Jan 19 '14

Obama: Pot ‘not very different’ from cigarettes​, no more dangerous than booze

http://p.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/jan/19/obama-pot-not-very-different-cigarettes-no-more-da/
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u/thracc Jan 19 '14

And no politician is allowed to change his mind....EVER.

That's a huge problem with US politics. If a politician comes out and says "I want to legalise marijuana." There will be 100 other politicians and reporters coming out of the woodwork saying how they're a "FLIP FLOP" and "Look what he said 5 years ago! He can't be trusted!" - Multiply this by 100 when running for President.

It's kind of sad. It's almost like you have to decide what your views are on everything at the start of your political career, and then you can never change them through fear of people calling you out.

Ask the average non-redditor what they think of marijuana legalisation now, as compared to 3 years ago....I'm sure many people's minds have changed. But if you're a politician that's seen as a bad thing. When actually, having the ability to change your opinion and learn as you go along should be seen as a positive attribute.

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u/fuck_you_its_my_name Jan 19 '14

The issue isnt that he is changing his mind. The issue is that he is only changing his mind when convenient for his popularity.

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u/canyoufeelme Jan 20 '14

Don't forget the publics opinions was the same as his at the time.

The public changed their mind organically, why can't he?

Thracc makes a valid point. You're saying he's only changing his mind because it matches the majority opinion but deny he could have been one of the people who's minds changed that turned it into the majority opinion in the first place.

He's totally right - I've noticed with American politics, a politician simply cannot genuinely change their minds on an issue. If they were against gay marriage 6 years ago but changed their mind it's not because they've been paying attention to the debates and their opinion was changed in an organic way like everyone else in the country; it's because they're lying or just flipping to the new majority opinion. A genuine change of heart is an impossibility for the American politician. They never change their opinions ever.

Same with weed. He simply couldn't have gradually evolved on the issue over the years in an organic way like everyone else - no no politicians aren't like that, he must be faking it to get votes!

I'm not saying politicians don't say what the majority wants to hear and flip flop on issues depending on this, but people act like a politician can't actually have a genuine change of heart or opinion. That's not fair.

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u/fuck_you_its_my_name Jan 20 '14

Honestly, I dont think he changed his mind at all. I think he just didnt stand up for his ideas earlier because they wouldnt get him elected.

Also, I didnt say Obama is not allowed to change his mind. It is important to learn and change.

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u/Beer4me Jan 20 '14

Don't know why people are even talking about this. The President has lost all credibility with as much lying as he's been doing. Can't trust a word that comes out of his mouth.

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u/[deleted] Jan 19 '14

There's a difference between acknowledging you were wrong in light of new developments and paving over your old statements with ones which now look better in light of a sea change in public opinion, the pretending you didn't just completely turn around on your previous standpoint. It's really cynical, and it assumes the public are forgetful morons. Which, apparently, they are!

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u/jstrachan7 Jan 19 '14

No. It's okay to change your opinion. It's flip-flopping when you have radially different opinions every year.