Marcus Tullius Cicero Quotes
Persistence in one opinion has never been considered a merit in political leaders.
Marcus Tullius Cicero, 106 BC-43 BC, Roman Statesman & Philosopher, Ad Familares, I
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
Apology and explanation for reversing his former view on an issue
See {627632} for an earlier advocy of change when circumstances warrant and {636175} for a modern view.
Although this quotation has been cited by many scholars, none has yet given a primary citation. As a result a few researchers question the attribution to Keynes and argue that the first primary source of this notion was the Nobel Laureate in Economics Paul Samuelson -- Quote {645739}. However, even Samuelson attributed this quotation to Keynes although he did not do so at this particualr interview.
Without Dirksen’s support, LBJ could not have passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, ending legal segregation. However, the conservative wing of the Republican Party had strongly opposed the idea of the Federal Government using its power to control and regulate issues that involved local practice and custom and trampled on states’ rights. Dirksen, who personally was not a racist like many conservatives were at the time, faced the dilemma and came down on the side of ending legal discrimination even if it meant violating the principle of limited federal government. When asked about his seeming inconsistency (which was often), this was his brilliant response. Producing one of the best political quotations of all time.
Most politicians would never do this. Ideologues rarely analyze their beliefs. Pragmatic politicians are fearful of being called a flip flopper with no core principles. However, some politicians follow this advice. For example, Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Delano Roosevelt were both among the rare politicians who would frequently change positions as they learned more. See John Maynard Keynes {619441} for a personal statement of this principle and {636175} for a modern view.
Referring to Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt, then contesting for the Democratic presidential nomination:
1st Earl of Beaconsfield. No matter what policies a government chooses, another government in the future might reverse that policy. Values and preferences of the people change and there is almost always pressure to change direction. As an example, President Harry D Truman first proposed national health insurance, The national policy was NO to such a health reform. But every Democratic President after Truman tried to change the policy. 60 years later, President Obama led the passage of a national health insurance system. However the Republicans immediately started repealing Obama’s plan. There has been and will be no finality on the health care national policy.
The earliest expression of this idea was by the British Economist John Maynard Keynes -- Quotation {610150}
Marcus Tullius Cicero was a Roman statesman, orator, lawyer and philosopher, who served as consul in the year 63 BC. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the Roman equestrian order, and is considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.
