Friday, August 8, 2008

Flip - Flop, Flip - Flop, FLIP - FLOP !!!!


FLIP -FLOP MANIA


The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines "flip-flop" as follows:


flip–flop
Pronunciation: \ˈflip-ˌfläp\
Function: noun
Date: 1600

1 -- the sound or motion of something flapping loosely
2 -- a: a backward handspring b: a sudden reversal (as of policy or strategy)
3 -- a usually electronic device or a circuit (as in a computer) capable of assuming either of two stable states
4 -- a rubber sandal loosely fastened to the foot by a thong
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Did you ever play one of those insane drinking games in college where the divas and dorks of the dorm would be sitting around the television enjoying some refreshing carbonated barley-hops concoction and for a little fun the throng would agree before watching a television program that every time a character said the magic word, all the attendees would yell the word, and take a cold refreshing gulp of beer?
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Warning to today's college youth, whatever you do don't select "flip-flop" and then watch any cable news station particularly Hannity & Colmes while enjoying your Budweiser or Colorado Kool-Aid. Alan Colmes alone could cause massive panic at the campus health clinic as student after student is carried in with chronic liver failure from excessive alcohol consumption.
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Alas, flip-flop has become perhaps the most overused and misapplied media cliche as we endure the massive overproduced coverage of Democracy 2008, You Decide '08, or whatever each network calls it's coverage. For NBC and its bastard child, MSNBC, I'd call it, Obama-Vision as even senior correspondent, Andrea Mitchell is truculently bashing John McCain while conveying royalty on "The One."
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Flip-flop became popular in the media and RNC mocking John Kerry during the 2004 election cycle as he had an uncanny ability to sway to and fro on number of issues as best exhibited by his infamous, “I actually did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it.” His behavior was also called waffling which would figuratively outproduce the annual production of the venerated southern hangout, Waffle House, by at least a ten to one margin. Flip-flopping was supposed note the constant oportunistic changing of political positions to please the candidate's ever changing "squeaky wheel" constituency groups. This one today, another one tomorrow, but for God's sake, tell the people what they want to hear.
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Ever notice how even the most dovish candidates are all gung-ho military when trying to snag veterans votes or trying to attract military spending in their districts?
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This year, any time a commentator or panelist observes the slightest change in a candidates position, "See, see, look, FLIP-FLOP, FLIP-FLOP." The suggestion seems to be any time a candidate changes his or her position on an issue, that's a flip-flop. While many might never know for sure where Barrack Obama stands on any issue because he's jumped around so many times on various issues, his attempt to use negation and nuance, reverse and rehearse, taking a position, changing it, denying he changed it, scolding his adversaries as trying to scare the public by being racist for pointing out his contradictions and then taking another tact for another audience is classic flip-flopping at its finest. There is something pathologically, psychologically, intellectually, spiritually, ideologically and morally hateful and inferior about anyone who would have the "audacity" (one of Obama's favorite words) to criticize "The One."
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Many candidates have changed their position on energy matters. Some elected officials who might have once been against increased drilling for oil and favor it now would be correct to note that the political reality of $1.50 gasoline is very different from $4.00 gas. Along with continued dependence on our supplies from adversaries in the Middle East and Venezuela, especially Iranian sabre rattling makes American addiction to foreign sources of fuel all the more intolerant. If every candidate who has changed his or her position on energy policies recently is guilty of flip-flopping, we're in big trouble. Meanwhile, there are folks on Capitol Hill who supported the resolution to send troops to Iraq then claimed they were duped into supporting the war. The war is wrong, and now are speaking more favorably of our Iraqi involvement thanks to the surge, they're flip-flopping.
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Your Right Minded Fellow would appreciate his audience monitoring what the candidates are saying about various issues and reporting to us when they change their positions. The reference source of that material would be appreciated too. RMF will work hard to be a clearing house on vital issues with the single-minded mission of doing everything possible.
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Yes, there are many ugly flip-flops out there this summer. Though RMF must confess, the worst flip-flop sighting he has ever seen was a comely looking lady with a horribly anemic complexion wearing cheap, bronze-shaded, grocery store pantyhose with the cheapest basic rubber dime store flip-flops as marginal footwear. Yes, she looked like something that fell out of a John Waters movie. For Baltimore readers, no this sighting was not in Hampden or Dundalk, hon. This is the reason for worn out flip-flops to be sure.
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RMF respectfully signing out. DON'T FORGET TO INFLATE YOUR TIRES.
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