Posted by
Mark B. on Saturday, May 31, 2008 8:04:13 PM
Conservative Purists have a point. John McCain is not a conservative despite several stances that ARE decidedly conservative. Tuning in at the right time during the McCain campaign or at the right time during a speech might give one the impression that the Republican is indeed conservative but there are at least as many times one might tune in and, come to the correct conclussion that at best the Senator is a moderate Republican.
For years already, Republicans across the board have been calling John McCain (along with several of his closest allies in the Senate) Republican In Name Only or RINO and, the 'title' is deserving. For his part McCain believes himself to be a 'maverick', a moniker bestowed upon him by the Liberal Media for the seemingly countless number of times the Arizona Senator would buck the Republican establishment in Congress by siding with the opposition Democrats.
Just a few of the more egregious examples of McCain's 'anti-conservative' behavior would include (though by no means be limited to);
Forming the infamous "Gang of Fourteen" during contentuous Senate Judicial Hearings.
Co-Sponsoring the Kennedy-McCain Bill aka Comprehensive Immigration Reform/Amnesty
Co-Sponsoring the McCain-Feingold Bill aka Election Reform/assault on the 1st Amendment
Recent talk of backing for a Cap & Trade Global Warming Initiative/Buying into a scam
Asserting he would "Close Gitmo"
His calling waterboarding - "Torture"
Sticking his finger in the eyes of Republican leaders and, by extension their/his constituency, especially at those times when it seemed to mean so much to the conservative cause, became commonplace for McCain. The Main Stream Media, liberally biased as they are took pleasure in McCain's being a 'maverick' and, may have contributed to the Senators apparent enjoyment at doing so. He was after all getting a LOT of favorable press from his actions and, making some new friends every time he 'went against' the Republican establishment. Or so it seemed.
But now John McCain has a problem. He wants to be the next President of the United States of America and, his one-time friends in the media are being no help to him, they have predictably backed the Democrat Barak Obama leaving John McCain to his own devices. At the same time, all those fingers he thrust into the eyes of those who could now be making his dream come true are coming back to haunt him.
Though at the same time the Republicans and, in particular the conservative wing of the Republican Party has at least as big a problem as McCain has created for himself with his treatment of this very inportant bloc of voters. To vote or not to vote for Senator McCain. THAT has become the question. Very many conservatives for reasons of 'purity' have decided they cannot in good conscience vote for or support the election of McCain in any way. It is noble to be sure but by the same token it is also vain.
I've yet to find a Magic 8 Ball that works well enough for me to predict the future with any accuracy and, for this reason I question those who cling to the idea that an Obama presidency will last ONLY four years, or that in those four years someone as dangerous as Obama can do ONLY a certain amount of damage and, the damage can be repaired as easily as snapping ones fingers to bring things 'back to normal'.
There are myriad reasons that Republicans & especially conservatives find themselves in this apparently untenable position and, the best remedy is to make sure it does not happen again. But now is not the time to act out of vanity for reasons of purity. It could all be in vain if the wrong decision is made by enough Right-minded people.