So why has Obama changed positions on national security issues?
We've had a lot of debate about the multitude of revelations about NSA surveillance and other national security issues in the last few months. Most of it has been on whether these programs are necessary or dangerous, and too much of it, I fear, has been driven by perceptions of whether someone is supportive or critical of President Obama.
What I want to explore here is why Obama has changed his mind so much on these issues since 2008. Whether one generally likes or dislikes Obama, or supports or disapproves of the NSA programs, I don't think anyone would deny that Senator Obama said a lot of things that President Obama disagrees with. My question is what happened to cause this?
Here are a few theories.
1.) New information: Obama genuinely meant what he said in 2008. Once he started getting briefings, however, he realized how much greater the threats were than he thought, and changed positions accordingly.
This sounds at least possible. However, as a senator, he probably already knew about these threats to some extent; further, a lot of people on the Intelligence Committees (Wyden, Udall) now presumably have access to similar information and don't agree that we need these programs. I'm not sure this explains it on its own.
2.) Good/bad advice: Obama genuinely meant what he said in 2008. However, as a relative neophyte in Washington, he found him surrounded by advisors who were able to convince him that these programs were needed, without counter-opinions from others.
This sounds plausible to me. No president can be an expert in every area, and every president relies on advisors. They probably rely on some advisors to choose the other advisors. It may be that Obama got biased or filtered advice that changed his mind.
3.) Always supported the security state: Obama never meant what he said in 2008. He only said that to get elected. For example, he promised to vote against the FISA Amendments Act in 2008 during the primary, but voted for it after he secured the nomination.
This sounds possible as well. I'm not convinced of it, but there's really no way to tell without reading his or someone else's mind.
4.) Conspiracy theory: Obama still believes what he said in 2008, but is being forced by dark elements to act against his beliefs, on threat of assassination or some other blackmail.
I don't believe this myself. Others may disagree.
What do you think? One of these, or something else?
= new reply since forum marked as read
of claiming to support a public option, oppose austerity, defend Social Security, put on his walking shoes for labor, oppose predatory free trade agreements, rein in the banks....and a host of other issues he has since reversed position on...
... I would pick choice #3.
