Gingrich Flip-Flop

When No Means Yes

On the GOP side of the stimulus isssue, senators, governors and congressman slammed President Obama’s recovery and reinvestment plan. But some are now singing a different tune since Obama has signed the bill into law.

ThinkProgress pointed out that several Republican lawmakers who voted against President Obama’s economic recovery package are now touting its benefits to their constituents. The New York Times picked up on the phenomena, writing that “the temptation to take credit for at least a few of those billions” has proved “irresistible” to the anti-stimulus lawmakers.

So who are these flip-flopping lawmakers?

ThinkProgress has found at least 22 lawmakers who voted against the bill, but have spoken positively about what the money will do for their constituents.

Below is a list of senators and congressmen who criticized and voted against the plan but now will gladly accept the money.

House Of Representatives

Congressman Frank Lucas (R-OK)
Congressman Heath Shuler (D-NC)
Congressman Greg Walden (R-OR)
Congressman Glenn Thompson (R-PA)
Congressman Leonard Lance (R-NJ)
Congressman John Mica (R-FL)
Congressman Don Young (R-AK)
Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO)
Congressman Ken Calvert (R-CA)
Congressman Pete Hoekstra (R-MI)
Congressman Adam Putnam (R-FL)
Congressman Cliff Stearns (R-FL)
Congressman Bill Posey (R-FL)
Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL)
Congressman Tom Rooney (R-FL)
Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL)
Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL)
Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL)

Senate

Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID)
Senator Kit Bond (R-MO)
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
Senator Bob Bennett (R-UT)

Find out more details here.

Remember When the GOP Counted Flip-Flops?

John McCain -- 61 Flip-Flops and Counting

McCain argues that flip-flops are an example of a political leader who can't be trusted -- so he might as well drop out of the race.

Via Alternet: Writer Steve Benen has graciously compiled a comprehensive tally of John McCain's flip-flops on issues ranging from national security to energy. The following is Benen's list of 61 clear 180-degree switches by McCain on the biggest issues of the day.

National Security Policy

1. McCain thought Bush's warrantless wiretap program circumvented the law; now he believes the opposite.

2. McCain insisted that everyone, even "terrible killers," "the worst kind of scum of humanity," and detainees at Guantanamo Bay, "deserve to have some adjudication of their cases," even if that means "releasing some of them." McCain now believes the opposite.

3. He opposed indefinite detention of terrorist suspects. When the Supreme Court reached the same conclusion, he called it "one of the worst decisions in the history of this country."

4. In February, McCain reversed course on prohibiting waterboarding.

5. McCain favored closing the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay before he was against it.

6. When Barack Obama talked about going after terrorists in Pakistani mountains with Predators, McCain criticized him for it. He's since come to the opposite conclusion.

Foreign Policy

7. McCain was for kicking Russia out of the G8 before he was against it.

8. McCain supported moving "toward normalization of relations" with Cuba. Now he believes the opposite.

9. McCain believed the United States should engage in diplomacy with Hamas. Now he believes the opposite.

10. McCain believed the United States should engage in diplomacy with Syria. Now he believes the opposite.

11. McCain is both for and against a "rogue state rollback" as a focus of his foreign policy vision.

12. McCain used to champion the Law of the Sea convention, even volunteering to testify on the treaty's behalf before a Senate committee. Now he opposes it.

13. McCain was against divestment from South Africa before he was for it.
Military Policy

14. McCain recently claimed that he was the "greatest critic" of Rumsfeld's failed Iraq policy. In December 2003, McCain praised the same strategy as "a mission accomplished." In March 2004, he said, "I'm confident we're on the right course." In December 2005, he said, "Overall, I think a year from now, we will have made a fair amount of progress if we stay the course."

15. McCain has changed his mind about a long-term U.S. military presence in Iraq on multiple occasions, concluding, on multiple occasions, that a Korea-like presence is both a good idea and a bad idea.

16. McCain said before the war in Iraq, "We will win this conflict. We will win it easily." Four years later, McCain said he knew all along that the war in Iraq war was "probably going to be long and hard and tough."

17. McCain has repeatedly said it's a dangerous mistake to tell the "enemy" when U.S. troops would be out of Iraq. In May, McCain announced that most American troops would be home from Iraq by 2013.

18. McCain was against expanding the GI Bill before he was for it.

Domestic Policy, 19-30;

Economic Policy, 31-38;

Energy Policy, 39-43;

Immigration Policy, 43-46;

Judicial Policy and the Rule of Law, 47-49;

Campaign, Ethics, and Lobbying Reform, 50-52;

Politics and Associations, 53-61.

Read the complete list HERE.