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Rather than pretending Beto/Kamala/Booker/etc have an ideologically consistent track record that isn't there, why not just say 'yeah my views changed because the world changed'? It's not hard, it's honest, and it's where most people are.
There's something weird about a demand that politicians remain static in their views when the world doesn't. China is a very different problem today than it was 10 years ago. So are tech monopolists. And banks. Etc.
In 2008 the avg insured family of four paid $15k/year for health care. Last year it was $30k. It's ok to say 'I thought Obamacare was worth a shot but I realized it didn't get the job done.' The world is different. Surprise billing didn't really exist in 2008. It's ok to change.
Not really, no. FDR screwed up all the time. One key difference between FDR and Obama is FDR was willing to learn and change. Obama's view was, and this is a direct quote: "Our policies are so awesome. Why can't you guys do a better job selling them?"
It's bad to attack a problem with an old solution. We should not act like China is a low wage country seeking offshoring of goods made with low skilled labor when it is a dangerous expansionist high tech fascist state. Or see the problem with Amazon as low wages of its workers.
Also, it's important as citizens to recognize that we change. I have different views today I did ten years ago. I've read different books, had different experience, recognized new problems, lived more of life. We do not have to know all the answers or be right all the time.
Obama was driven by his pathological fear of embarrassment, which he wrote about in Audacity of Hope. FDR lost the use of his legs, and found an emotional security and depth few leaders have.
I'm all for this. I think getting things right and being ideologically consistent is powerful. I also think being to admit error is a sign of strength and being unwilling to admit it is a sign of dangerous weakness.
Let's not pretend Bernie is the same as he was ten years ago. He isn't. The #BlackLivesMatter protests and videos brought home to him the extent of the problem of racism, just as it helped teach many of us. We have to allow for our political leaders and ourselves to be flawed.
