Tacking.....

In every election, we have grown used to candidates moving from right to center, left to center, center to left or right, or anywhere in between. This has become to be known as "tacking", a word associated with sailing where the vessel moves back and forth in a zig zag across a line of sight marked by the destination in the distance. This is done to take advantage of the wind, if the wind is not a tail wind, in order to creep toward the end point.

We have become accustomed to candidates changing their positions on various issues as the election grinds on. The problem is that we look at "tacking" as a normal, expected action. No candidate ever just takes a stand, win or lose, rather than compromise just to get elected. No one stands on principle and the public doesn't even recognize that the candidates presented to them are no more than used car salesmen, telling them what they want to hear just to close the deal.