Posted on 05/15/2008 1:08:52 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
John McCain, looking through a crystal ball to 2013 and the end of a prospective first term, sees "spasmodic" but reduced violence in Iraq and Afghanistan, Osama bin Laden dead or captured and government spending curbed by his ready veto pen.
The Republican presidential contender also envisions April’s annual angst replaced by a simpler flat tax, illegal immigrants living humanely under a temporary worker program, and political partisanship stemmed by weekly news conferences and British-style question periods with joint meetings of Congress.
In a speech being delivered Thursday, McCain concedes he cannot make the changes alone, but he wants to outline a specific governing style to show the accomplishments it can achieve.
"I’m not interested in partisanship that serves no other purpose than to gain a temporary advantage over our opponents. This mindless, paralyzing rancor must come to an end. We belong to different parties, not different countries," McCain says in remarks prepared for delivery in the capital city of Ohio, a general election battleground. "There is a time to campaign, and a time to govern. If I’m elected president, the era of the permanent campaign will end; the era of problem solving will begin."
To the disdain of some fellow Republicans, the presumed GOP nominee has worked with Democrats on legislation aimed at overhauling campaign finance regulations, redrafting immigration rules and regulations and implementing government spending controls.
While that has cultivated a maverick image for McCain, the Arizona senator has also been accused of exhibiting a nasty temper _ swearing even at fellow lawmakers from his own party _ and unabashed partisanship.
In particular, McCain has clashed with the leading Democratic presidential contender, Barack Obama. After tangling with the Illinois senator on lobbying reforms, McCain questioned Obama’s integrity in a publicly released 2006 letter.
McCain wrote he had thought Obama’s interest in ethics legislation "was genuine and admirable," before adding: "Thank you for disabusing me of such notions." He accused Obama of "partisan posturing."
While calling for Congress to drop mindless partisanship, McCain also chided the media _ with whom he has enjoyed a generally positive relationship _ for fueling contention with its campaign coverage.
"Campaigns and the media collaborated as architects of the modern presidential campaign, and we deserve equal blame for the regret we feel from time to time over its less-than-inspirational features," he said.
In outlining potential achievements of a first term, the 71-year-old McCain implicitly was suggesting he would seek a second term, an attempt to mute suggestions he would serve only four years after being the oldest president ever to take office for a first term.
In particular, he sees a world in which:
_ "The Iraq war has been won. Iraq is a functioning democracy, although still suffering from the lingering effects of decades of tyranny and centuries of sectarian tension. Violence still occurs, but it is spasmodic and much reduced."
_ The Taliban threat in Afghanistan has been greatly reduced.
_ "The increase in actionable intelligence that the counterinsurgency produced led to the capture or death of Osama bin Laden, and his chief lieutenants," McCain said. "There still has not been a major terrorist attack in the United States since Sept. 11, 2001."
_ A "League of Democracies" has supplanted a failed United Nations to apply sanctions to the Sudanese government and halt genocide in Darfur.
_ The United States has had "several years of robust growth," appropriations bills free of lawmakers’ pet projects known as "earmarks," public education improved by charter schools, health care improved by expansion of the private market and an energy crisis stemmed through the start of construction on 20 new nuclear reactors.
_ Democrats are asked to serve in his administration, he holds weekly news conferences and, like the British prime minister, answers questions publicly from lawmakers.
McCain also pledges to halt a Bush administration practice of enacting laws with accompanying signing statements that exempt the president from having to enforce parts he finds objectionable.
"I will respect the responsibilities the Constitution and the American people have granted Congress," the senator said, "and will, as I often have in the past, work with anyone of either party to get things done for our country."
And he’ll catch whoever has been stealing the ward room strawberries.
Agree, his worst day; would be Obama’s starting point. That said; hope, post Mississippi; McCain realizes he needs to ‘fight’ for the entire Repub Party. . .and let the Dems have their own.
Yes. Some grave faults, but overall he would make a good President. Iraq and spending are a solid base. Anyone willing to accept Obama instead is out of his mind.
... but... but... how is this even possible, for heaven's sake? Team Juan's paid shill squadron hereabouts has been insisting, duly and dully, that their boy has (finally) "seen the light," re: immigration, and had pledged "to build the wall" before attempting any future amnesty-related boondoggles, after all.
Why... this, if true, would make John McCain some inherently deceitful sort of serial liar, wouldn't it?
Whoa. Who'da figured on that happening...?!?
With McCain's disposition.....thats like theater in the round!
Hey John, Don’t Forget Cap & Trade and Open Borders!
You go ahead.Mcnutts does;nt need conservatives to vote for him.He is going after “all” those moderates and independants dontcha know.
McCain favors the flat tax?????
It would appear so, if he is saying it'll be in place by the end of his first term.
Dubya and the GOP are so unpopular now that it will be next to impossible for McCain to win regardless of what the polls are now saying. McCain can be sure that Dubya will find a way to make matters worse before he finally slinks out of office.
While it's only anecdotal, all my friends and acquaintances who in 2000/2004 supported the GOP and Dubya have told me they will not vote for Republicans this year. Never seen such antipathy before, but I must say the GOP has earned it.
> OBL dead, ...
This is already the case. Has been for year.
The post-Tora-Bora OBL tapes are all hoaxes.
> ... Flat Tax ...
Either won’t happen or will exacerbate the
current tax law.
> ... Iraq quiet)
This is already the case. Casualty rate is
near peacetime accident rate.
I wonder what makes anyone, beside McCain, think he's suddenly going to start "respecting the responsibilities of the Constitution"? McCain-Feingold tore the 1st Amendment to shreds......
Some choice, bad(McCain), worse(Hillary) and worst of all(Obama).
McCain would be a bad president. The alternative(s) would be worse.
I am definitely for a flat tax. The current progressive tax is utterly insane to tax people more for achieving greater success in life.
He must have his own personal version of “a” constitution as written by one of his good friends, like John Kerry for instance.
As far as that one written by the founders - might as well throw that into a museum of failed experiments somewhere. It is becoming pretty raggedy from all the tromping and walking over it.
When confronted between a choice of two evils, choose neither.
Ben Laden has been dead for some time now.
While I cannot disagree that the GOP has done itself no favors, what exactly have the Dems done during that time to earn power? Actively worked against the US in world affairs? Vowed in increase taxation and government?
The GOP has lost it's way on spending, but other than that they have been far better than the alternative during this period. The media template that the GOP has failed and is corrupt really doesn't hold up. The proof is an individual Congressman that was predatory to capital hill pages and a corrupt congressman in California. Meanwhile the Dems had their own corrupt congressman in Louisiana stashing cash in his freezer, a Governor appointing his secret gay lover to run homeland security, etc, etc. There are corrupt individuals in government. Always have been. It is a PR failure that has engulfed the GOP in Washington from the top down, and the answer seems to be to move left and continue to have terrible PR.
geez. i may have to rethink my opposition...
Geez, and I thought Myth Romney was a flip flopper!
McCain is giving this as a speech now in Columbus, OH.
From the applause, it sounds as if most would rather be elsewhere. The applause seem more out of courtesy than enthusiasm.
Did you hear anything about border security????If he said anything about BS, I missed it.
Flat tax? Sounds like Huckabee for VP is a slam dunk. Oh brother.
Flat Tax? No Politician would have the balls to push for that - it would eliminate the reason for existence of half the lobbyists in DC. I really hope you can do, Mr. McCain, but I remain skeptical.
He said flatter, but all of his economic advisors or cabinet team, are all long time flat tax support guys.
Gramm, Lindsey, Forbes, etc.
Its the whole damn lot of Republicans. In my state Lugar and Bayh have just come out with a joint global warming commercial. I know both are pinkos, but Lugar is a “Dem..er Republican.
The GOP is dead to me.
the flat tax is the only fair way to tax, if done right. the so-called ‘fair’ tax isn’t fair at all, and the current system isn’t working.
I do not know what McCain himself actually believes, but his economic staff, and his all his advisors are solid and on the record flat tax guys.
McCain himself, I know has never ever voted for a tax increase, but his voting record doesn't suggest he is a strong tax cutter either, so I can't say what exactly his plan is really going to be.
Thats why I refuse to call it a progressive tax system, it really is a punative tax system.
He’s right, OBL will be dead in his first term.
Good point! I think I’ll start using that term too.
Thanks 2ndDivisionVet.
McCain campaign responds: ‘Hysterical diatribe’ [by Obama]
politico.com | 05/16/08 | bensmith
Posted on 05/16/2008 12:13:37 PM PDT by TornadoAlley3
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2017001/posts
The Number One Reason John McCain Should Be President
Townhall | May 16, 2008 | Lorie Byrd
Posted on 05/16/2008 3:09:29 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2016759/posts
McCain is our next President
The News Connection | April 17, 2008 | Bob Weir
Posted on 05/16/2008 4:03:15 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2016775/posts
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