Who comes up with this stuff?

Question

So there I was, looking handsome as usual. When I just had to ask myself. Where did the term flip flop come from? I know what it's supposed to imply. But where did it come from and who thought of using it to discribe the stances politicians take on issues? To my way of thinking. I would rather have an official that is willing to change course on an issue after learning all of the facts. Than one that will staunchly stand for one view simply because he or she doesn't want to be labeled a flip flopper. What say ye? Someone that gets all the facts and makes an intelligent and rational decision. Or one that gets some of the facts and makes a hasty one? Bush and the rush to invade Iraq come to mind.

But that's for another question.

Just for the record. Both candidates in this election have been labeled as flip floppers. Is that even a word?

Answer 1

Don't know who came up with flip-flopper, but Kerry suffered the most from the label.  Yes, I would prefer someone who re-thinks a position and changes as more info becomes available.  Problem is that the info most politicians use to re-think their position is that they might lose an election.  It is very hard to determine a re-think of convenience from a re-think born of superior critical thinking skills.  Our current president doesn't suffer from sufficient curiosity to re-think a position, even if the result is politically inconvenient.  No matter.  He won't be important in 6 months.  

Answer 2

The prime example of flip-flop was Bill Clinton because he was well known for having a totally contradictory message for different audiences on different days selected by polls the week before. In other words he had no real position of his own, he would do a poll in the community he was planning for a speech and make it to what the poll told him the people wanted to hear. This quote fits the current campaign like a “T”.

Added

I like the suggested flipping of the coin to choose a position because that was how it was done before the opinion poll was developed to its current sophistication.

If a politician found he had cannibals among his constituents, he would promise them missionaries for dinner.

H. L. Mencken

Answer 3

Flip flop come from republiken partu

Answer 4

A coin has two sides. The flip side of a coin. Flip Flop. That's how I see it.

Answer 5

Flip-flop used to be a common synonym for a somersault. Politicians began using it (the first recorded occurrence was about 120 years ago) to highlight an opponent's change in position on an issue. The term was originally used in reference to contradictory stances, but has since come to mean any change in political position or opinion.

Answer 6

I would agree to a point. I see the difference between changing your stance based on new circumstances or new information and changing for political gain.

Take the off shore drilling issue.

John McCain was against it when the gas prices were $2.20/gallon. When they went over $4.00/gallon, CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGED...so McCain saw the need for drilling.

Obama held his stance against drilling until the gas prices peaked, and started back down. Then, after polls showed that almost 80% of Americans favored drilling, he changed to MAYBE. Why maybe? So he cannot be blamed for anything.  And he has done this on every issue...THAT IS FLIP FLOPPING.