Looking back?

POL 213: In “Obama's Amnesia Problem,” Peter Beinart writes about a trend among American citizens, and notably the youngest generation of Americans, toward forgetting the past. He considers this a problem that specifically affects Barack Obama’s candidacy for president. The senator from Illinois stated his opposition to the Iraq war more than five years ago, at the same time that Hillary Clinton voted for it. This should be giving him a lift in popular opinion among the denouncers of the war today, but it seems that his record has been forgotten, or conveniently swept under the rug and out of sight. In fact, the Los Angeles Times reports that, “likely Democratic primary voters who say they want U.S. troops out of Iraq "as soon as possible" choose Clinton over Obama by more than 2 to 1.”

This phenomenon is occurring partly because of Clinton’s political maneuvering to position herself exactly where many Americans find themselves: originally willing to support a war effort, they’re now looking for someone who will stand up to the Bush administration and put an end to the war. Obama, on the other hand, is attempting to focus attention on his track record. He is implying that his qualifications to lead are based on his correct judgment back in 2002, and that her dissenting opinion shows a weakness that shouldn’t be present in the Commander in Chief of the United States. Even though Hillary has no plans to immediately withdraw troops from the region, making her little different from the current administration, she is considered as antiwar as any of the other candidates.

This is the point where American indifference to the past comes most into play. Time and time again we have elected officials who were completely opposed to a plan at the beginning, but changed their tune later on instead of going with the first opponent of an idea. This speaks to our tendency to look forward rather than back. To our self-interest manifesting itself in the willingness to change sides of an idea. To make up our minds as we go along. It may also be a sign of stubborn refusal to learn from past mistakes, or to even admit them. Or of being so interested in the present circumstances that we fail to adequately plan or foresee the consequences of our actions. May this tendency to ignore the past serve as a cautious warning to Americans, and may the best possible leader be elected next fall.