One More Thing...

Let me say one more thing about the recent round of philosophical "changes" taking place in our political class these days.

I am a very strong advocate of changing one's mind.  I think it is the sign of a healthy intellect to have a point of view and then, upon the introduction of new information, have a willingness to change that point of view.

In the late 15th century most learned men, and one persuadable Queen, were of the opinion that the world was flat.  Tom Friedman thinks so, even today, but for entirely different reasons.

Then, after a series of voyages by a variety of explorers, the conventional wisdom was altered to accept the fact that the Earth was not as flat as the learned had thought but somewhat roundish after all.

No one had fallen off the edge into the abyss but, instead, had come back with tales of new and wonderful lands to plunder and exciting and interesting people to subjugate and rape.

Yay!  "The Empire expands and we all get richer", thought the upper classes of the day.  "More gold, more silver, more slaves.  A win-lose for us all!"

But the point here is that people of absolute conviction were forced to change their minds by virtue of unassailable facts not in evidence when they originally formed their opinions.

That sort of change of mind is laudable.  It represents actual thought and a meaningful analysis of facts.  It is progress, plain and simple.

But, to paraphrase the late Sen. Barry Goldwater, "Change, for the sake of political expediency, is no change at all."

The late day conversions of our "leaders" don't signal a real change of opinion or of heart.  They simply herald a tardy sense of the prevailing wind.

These cowards are just investing in their political futures by adopting popular stands on the issues of the day.

They are far from leading but simply keeping their ears to the groundswell of grassroots emotion and transformation.

If marriage equality or gay rights or immigration or drug law reform miraculously go the other way tomorrow then you can count on our wonderful representatives to change their minds and yet again.

If the issue of Gay marriage went from one of increasing acceptance to absolute rejection then we would be treated to Hillary Clinton, in a beautifully produced TV ad, standing up for traditional marriage as defined by the union of one man and one woman.

Well, if anyone should know about the virtues of traditional marriage it should be Mrs. Clinton.

Hers is one and look at that example.

"Dearly Beloved..."