General Discussion

Warren DeMontague

(80,708 posts)

9. No, but I also think we shouldn't pretend craven political calculation and expedience

Sat Apr 18, 2015, 06:10 PM

Apr 2015

is a reasonable substitute for consistency, integrity, and brave moral leadership.

Someone once said "character is what you do when you think no one's looking"... I'd also say leadership is standing up for the right thing before it becomes (or regardless whether it ever does) politically tenable.

edited to add: I think some people have genuinely "evolved" on LGBT marriage equality (personally, I went from supporting it but maybe not full realizing why it was so important, in the 90s, to absolute commitment to it as a civil rights front burner) ... I also think some politicians who, personally, knew better adopted the "marriage is between a man and a woman" stances they did maybe, 10 or so years ago because that was where their polling told them to be.

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Should we disqualify politicians who had to "evolve" on marriage equality? [View all] RandySF Apr 2015 OP

Agreed. guillaumeb Apr 2015 #1

No. But touting a candidate as a leader in LGBT issues when MannyGoldstein Apr 2015 #2

You don't have to be a pioneer to be a leader. bluedigger Apr 2015 #20

Manny supports a candidate who MUST have evolved because she was a Republican for 30 years Bluenorthwest Apr 2015 #25

+100.... N/t obnoxiousdrunk Apr 2015 #38

Never ever ever ever did I ever think I would ever see the day of gay marriage in the US. It has RKP5637 Apr 2015 #3

For many years my position was don't give me the details of your bedroom. Thinkingabout Apr 2015 #4

+1. Some get to the table later than others but I think we should welcome all who sincerely show up. pinto Apr 2015 #5

Yup. Agschmid Apr 2015 #8

Evolution is good. JaneyVee Apr 2015 #6

Nah, we all "evolved" at one time or another tularetom Apr 2015 #7

+1000 nt okaawhatever Apr 2015 #42

No, but I also think we shouldn't pretend craven political calculation and expedience Warren DeMontague Apr 2015 #9

And therein lies my main problem with Hillary Clinton - and not just on LGBT issues. Ms. Toad Apr 2015 #14

Yeah. Warren DeMontague Apr 2015 #17

you have no evidence for that on gay issues dsc Apr 2015 #40

There is a difference between people evolving Ms. Toad Apr 2015 #43

I agree with that and I'll add another "but" Jim Lane Apr 2015 #21

I dont really think the leadership of our party genuinely "evolved" on this in their thinking Warren DeMontague Apr 2015 #22

You may be right about the Democrats. I was thinking specifically of Rob Portman. Jim Lane Apr 2015 #34

No, on that, I think you're right. Warren DeMontague Apr 2015 #46

KnR Hekate Apr 2015 #10

History is a good teacher, too bad about all the sleepy, lazy, inattentive students. Fred Sanders Apr 2015 #11

TPM: In an interview with NPR last summer, she said marriage equality was a states issue. AtomicKitten Apr 2015 #12

And because of our state by state battle on the issue justiceischeap Apr 2015 #37

Many people have had "evolving" positions on many social issues. Arkansas Granny Apr 2015 #13

Of course people evolved. Many people right here on this site did OKNancy Apr 2015 #15

It's a question of timing and intention. I don't trust changes of heart at election time. liberal_at_heart Apr 2015 #16

Its what people are suppose to do as they procon Apr 2015 #18

People who criticize Clinton and Obama for jumping on this when it was politically advantageous to PeaceNikki Apr 2015 #19

But that was different... beam me up scottie Apr 2015 #23

mmm hmm. It's a *moral* issue for some, yada yada bullshit PeaceNikki Apr 2015 #24

not only abortion dsc Apr 2015 #41

I think a good example is our current President. salib Apr 2015 #26

Thread worth reading in its entirety.. AuntPatsy Apr 2015 #27

So you're saying that you've "gotten it right" on all topics from the very beginning, right? WillowTree Apr 2015 #28

I don't think that's what he's saying. beam me up scottie Apr 2015 #29

You're absolutely right. Obviously not a high reading comprehension day for me. WillowTree Apr 2015 #30

You just made mine better. beam me up scottie Apr 2015 #31

willow stopped reading at the end of the subject line Doctor_J Apr 2015 #33

disqualify? no. be highly skeptical of? absolutely. Doctor_J Apr 2015 #32

I've never understood why it makes any difference to someone whether someone else can marry or not Fumesucker Apr 2015 #35

The older I get, the less I understand people. liberal_at_heart Apr 2015 #39

It certainly beats not evolving on the position. mythology Apr 2015 #36

Refusing to rethink old ideas, gain knowledge or change is the hallmark of a Republican. nt okaawhatever Apr 2015 #44

No. Behind the Aegis Apr 2015 #45

+1 ... 1StrongBlackMan Apr 2015 #47