Yes, we can.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Why would a senator flip-flop more than any other elected official?

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by Cadaverous Pallor

Why would a senator flip-flop more than any other elected official?

I think it's a character issue more than anything else. I don't think it's an issue of office.

Obama is starting to wear really thin on me. He claims fear mongering when it comes to talking about terrorists, but he told a gathering of little old ladies that their social security is at risk if McCain gets elected. That's not fear mongering? He may genuinely believe that, but those who talk about Obama saying he will talk with terrorists (and he did, as noted in an earlier post) also believe it is a a genuine risk.

[Tom]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

I think it's a character issue more than anything else. I don't think it's an issue of office.

Actually, I think that being a senator (or member of the House) does make one much more vulnerable to flip-flopping charges.

Legislators vote on a huge number of bills - I don't know how many exactly, but I would certainly think that there are thousands or tens of thousands in a single senatorial term. And many bills will have multiple versions, of which a senator might choose to support one version and vote against other stronger or weaker versions, thus opening himself up to charges of voting against something he is putatively in favor of. Additionally, many bills become huge monstrosities with dozens of clauses possibly unrelated to the original subject of the bill, so that in order to vote for a bill that you favor, you has to accept provisions that you would not support on their own. It is a common legislative maneuver to try to attach amendments to a bill that would make it politically embarrassing for your opponents to vote it up or down.

When one examines charges of flip-flopping made in recent elections, these are frequently where they come from.

[sleepyjeff]

Originally Posted by Cadaverous Pallor

Why would a senator flip-flop more than any other elected official?

Several reasons that I can think of off the top of my head.

1) They are only up for re-election every 6 years....removing them from accountability(unless they plan to run for President).

2) Old boys(and girls) network.......many of them are Senators first and Democrats/Republicans second; often changing their votes to help out an old friend across the aisle. The Senate is far less partisan then the HoRep.

Most of all though...

3) Senators, with a few exceptions, have been around for a lot longer than most other national level politicians......you are just more likely to contradict yourself the longer you have been around; situations and even personal views change.