Should old comments/actions matter in politics

[Farnhamia]

Recently in Canadian politics it came out that Justin Trudeau wore brown face at a party in 2001. This of course has set off condemnation from the other parties while the liberals have been forced into damage control. Before this happened they had also been playing the same game doing what they could to find and drag up anything offensive their opponents had said in the past to try and tarnish them.

This leads me to my question, should there be a time limit on how old something could be to be considered politically relevant today? If someone said something homophobic 20 years ago, is that reflective of them now, or if they apologize and say their views have changed since then and they are sorry do we accept that?

Personally I dislike the fact we seem to not let politicians grow as people or change their mind. In my own life I am aware of people who had homophobic or racist views in the past and since have changed their thinking. So why don’t we think someone in public life can do the same?

How come if a politician becomes more progressive in their views we see that as nothing more then a facade, or if they change their mind on policy after refection they get railed as flop-floppers?

[Evil Dictators Happyland]

IMO, the biggest factor is how the politicians react to the skeletons in their closet. If they apologize for being stupid in the past and their past actions would seem to be very out of character for their platform, then I'm fine with forgiving their mistakes. It's difficult to determine the intent behind actions from several decades ago, and nobody isn't kind of stupid when they're in their 20s. That's why most crimes have a statute of limitations.
Therefore, if they're genuinely apologetic and they take steps to do better, then it's unfair to say that their past mistakes are representative of who they are now. They learned their lesson and moved on, and we should do the same. On the other hand, if they don't seem to be sorry or they don't intend to turn over a new leaf, then they probably didn't think it was a mistake at all, and we should react accordingly. This applies to blackface, sex scandals, petty crimes, and various other practically harmless but image-destroying actions.

[Nakena]

Everyone is sometimes wrong or does stupid or bad stuff.

I wouldn judge people too harshly unless its serious shit.

Nobody is perfect.

[Andsed]

Depends on if they still believe in and defend those comments.

[San Lumen]

No. We should judge elected officials on their records not stupid things they did in their past. If everyone whose ever said something dumb or done something stupid had to step aside fairly soon you'd have few left in elected office.

[The Huskar Social Union]

Depends on if they still believe in and defend those comments.

I agree.

I think overall people should focus more on the track record and voting history etc and compare their previous votes and actions against their current and more recent ones.

[The Grims]

Depends on what it was. Dressing up like a nazi at a party and making a heil Hitler salute for the photo 20 years ago.. fine. Tying a black man to a cross and setting it on fire with your KKK buddies.. still not fine 20 years later.

[Nakena]

Depends on what it was. Dressing up like a nazi at a party and making a heil Hitler salute for the photo 20 years ago.. fine. Tying a black man to a cross and setting it on fire with your KKK buddies.. still not fine 20 years later.

You mean like Prince Harry?

[Agarntrop]

Depends on what it was. Dressing up like a nazi at a party and making a heil Hitler salute for the photo 20 years ago.. fine. Tying a black man to a cross and setting it on fire with your KKK buddies.. still not fine 20 years later.

If you did the latter you wouldn't be a politician you'd be in jail or would have got the jab of death.

[New Avalon]

Tying a black man to a cross and setting it on fire with your KKK buddies.. still not fine 20 years later.

Hey now what if he's in on the gag too?

[Nakena]

Depends on what it was. Dressing up like a nazi at a party and making a heil Hitler salute for the photo 20 years ago.. fine. Tying a black man to a cross and setting it on fire with your KKK buddies.. still not fine 20 years later.

If you did the latter you wouldn't be a politician you'd be in jail or would have got the jab of death.

Actually quite a number of politicians are former left or right-wing radicals. Moreso in the 1990s and 2000s though this was the case when the babyboomer and 1960s revolution generation moved into power. Some even implicated in criminal or terrorist activities.

[San Lumen]

Depends on what it was. Dressing up like a nazi at a party and making a heil Hitler salute for the photo 20 years ago.. fine. Tying a black man to a cross and setting it on fire with your KKK buddies.. still not fine 20 years later.

You'd be in jail for the latter so no the best analogy to use.

[Kavagrad]

Depends on what it was. Dressing up like a nazi at a party and making a heil Hitler salute for the photo 20 years ago.. fine. Tying a black man to a cross and setting it on fire with your KKK buddies.. still not fine 20 years later.

If you did the latter you wouldn't be a politician you'd be in jail or would have got the jab of death.

Or you'd be living off of your police pension.

[San Lumen]

If you did the latter you wouldn't be a politician you'd be in jail or would have got the jab of death.

Or you'd be living off of your police pension.

What?

[Nakena]

Or you'd be living off of your police pension.

What?

In Mad Dog County, Texas.

[The Grims]

Depends on what it was. Dressing up like a nazi at a party and making a heil Hitler salute for the photo 20 years ago.. fine. Tying a black man to a cross and setting it on fire with your KKK buddies.. still not fine 20 years later.

If you did the latter you wouldn't be a politician you'd be in jail or would have got the jab of death.

Or you become president of the USA. If you are rich.

[Earthbound Immortal Squad]

No one is perfect so everyone will make mistakes when they are young and if they apologise sincerely then they should be forgiven (depending on the severity of the offense of course). What I am more concerned about is why would anyone go digging back 20 years ago just to find a bit of dirt on somebody? I doubt it was politically motivated but more some selfish journalist wanting a quick paycheque.

[San Lumen]

No one is perfect so everyone will make mistakes when they are young and if they apologise sincerely then they should be forgiven (depending on the severity of the offense of course). What I am more concerned about is why would anyone go digging back 20 years ago just to find a bit of dirt on somebody? I doubt it was politically motivated but more some selfish journalist wanting a quick paycheque.

That;'s exactly what this is. Its someone seeking revenge or a journalist looking to play the gotcha game. He apologized and that should be the end of it. Move on.

[Agarntrop]

If you did the latter you wouldn't be a politician you'd be in jail or would have got the jab of death.

Or you become president of the USA. If you are rich.

However bad Trump is I don't recall him commiting racially aggravated 1st degree murder.

[The Emerald Legion]

No. We should judge elected officials on their records not stupid things they did in their past. If everyone whose ever said something dumb or done something stupid had to step aside fairly soon you'd have few left in elected office.

I don't see how that's a downside....

[San Lumen]

No. We should judge elected officials on their records not stupid things they did in their past. If everyone whose ever said something dumb or done something stupid had to step aside fairly soon you'd have few left in elected office.

I don't see how that's a downside....

Why wouldn't it be a downside?

[The Emerald Legion]

I don't see how that's a downside....

Why wouldn't it be a downside?

Fewer politicians means there are less of them fucking us over.

[San Lumen]

Why wouldn't it be a downside?

Fewer politicians means there are less of them fucking us over.

You do know if someone resigns someone new takes their place either by succession, appointment or special election?

If you think you can do better go grab a clipboard and run for office next year. I am so tried of this everyone sucks argument.

[Charellia]

In general I am prepared to give politicians the benefit of the doubt on past bad behaviour. People's views can change. However, for somebody as holier-than-thou as Trudeau this kind of feels like poetic justice.

[The Emerald Legion]

Fewer politicians means there are less of them fucking us over.

You do know if someone resigns someone new takes their place either by succession, appointment or special election?

If you think you can do better go grab a clipboard and run for office next year. I am so tried of this everyone sucks argument.

And then they get kicked out for having done something stupid.

I don't think I can do better. I don't think the job should exist.