True to his inconsistent self, Romney was against the flat tax before he was for it

Mitt Romney isn’t the first politician to change his mind on an important issue. Willingness to adapt to new circumstances or new information can be a welcome sign of adaptability. Stubbornness is not always an admirable trait.

The roster of pols who evolved over the years is a long one, from Thomas Jefferson to Ronald Reagan, among countless others.

In Romney’s case, however, the pattern of change is troubling. There are hardly any issues on which he hasn’t flip-flopped in the course of his political career. The flat tax is just one example, as Steve Benen EXPLAINS:

Timothy Noah recently did some research to find if Romney had any — literally, any— core and unshakable beliefs that he’s maintained throughout his career. The only one? The fact that Romney wants to be president. Everything else, including every position on every issue, was optional.

The result is a shameless, craven politician who’s flip-flopped like no other American politician in a generation.

I’m perfectly comfortable with a politician pondering doubts and questioning whether he or she is right about an issue. But when a politician changes his views so fundamentally that he’s adopted several different worldviews in a fairly brief time span, is it really unreasonable to question the man’s integrity?

Romney boasted last month, “I stand by my positions. I’m proud of them.” Given Romney’s record of abandoning every policy position he’s ever taken, it was among the most ridiculous political claims I’ve ever heard.

Related posts:

• Here’s why I almost like Romney
• It may be stupid, but it’s not dishonest for a politician to peddle a falsehood he believes to be true
• Obama’s the most liberal senator? Not true! Not even close to true!
• Mittster risks wrath of flat-earthers with his stated belief in man-made global warming
• Is Romney flipping on health care?