Political poison: Opposition to McCain shows how ideologues have distorted democracy in America

Times ONline ^ | 2/10/08 | staff

[pissant]

So-called conservatives’ hysterical overreaction to the likelihood that U.S. Sen. John McCain will be the Republican Party’s presidential nominee shows what is wrong with ideologues of all stripes.

They prefer purity to practicality.

Following the crash-and-burn campaign of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, the never-got-off-the-ground run of actor and former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson and the suspended-but-still-there presence of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the Republican Party has three candidates left — U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and McCain.

After Tuesday’s primary and caucus results, McCain is virtually unstoppable. Barring some unforeseen turn of events, he should be the party’s presidential candidate in November.

That has the ideologues who call themselves conservatives positively apoplectic. They have convinced themselves that McCain is somehow not a conservative.

But that says more about the unrealistic worlds that ideologues inhabit than it does the United States of America in 2008.

Have no doubt. McCain is a conservative. As McClatchy Newspapers has reported, the senator has an 83 percent lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union. That somehow makes him unclean — dare one say, unholy — in so-called conservative circles.

McCain does have a reputation of being a maverick and for being willing to work with Democrats on legislation such as campaign finance reform, climate change, immigration and other issues.

That has made him popular with moderate Republicans, independent voters and some Democrats. But at his core, McCain is a conservative.

But among movement conservatives, 83 percent isn’t good enough. Only 100 percent pure is acceptable.

It’s not just the right. Ideologues on the left likewise covet purity over practicality. This mindset has dominated American politics and government at the federal level for the last decade, and look where it has gotten us.

The problem with ideologues is that their shrink-wrapped worlds do not reflect America. The United States is a diverse country in terms of geography, race, faith, income, etc., and its people have views and beliefs that don’t fit neatly into ideologues’ conservative and liberal camps.

James Madison recognized this diversity via his famous “factions” in The Federalist Papers No. 10, and our Constitution fashioned a government that took into consideration the need to accommodate diverse points of view.

It’s an inclusive, not an exclusive process, and compromise, moderation and centrism, which hardliners so abhor, are absolutely essential for it to function properly. Americans don’t have to like the results, but they are more likely to accept them if they believe their point of view got a fair hearing.

The next president of the United States must be a healer, someone who understands that binding up the nation’s wounds is more important than continually picking at political scabs for ideological gain. It would be a welcome and much needed change.

[Nervous Tick]

>> More proof that not all bloggers are thought-provoking or insightful.

Notice it was written by... “staff”.

NO ONE wants to own up to this stinker.

[Lijahsbubbe]

The author is “staff”? Is that like staph infection?

[Bull Market]

I’m getting really tired of this purity bullshit. All I want is someone to the right of Karl Marx.

[BluH2o]

It’s interesting how the house organs for the ‘rats are now scolding conservatives for distancing themselves from McPain. They’re hedging their bet ... knowing in this dangerous world either the ‘beast or Obama could be a disaster as POTUS. McCain would be acceptable to them given the circumstances ... except conservatives aren’t buying into a loose cannon RINO.

[Rudder]

As McClatchy Newspapers has reported, the senator has an 83 percent lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union. That somehow makes him unclean — dare one say, unholy — in so-called conservative circles.

This author cites the wrong reasons for our rejection of McCain and then chides us for not getting it right when we reject him.

[LadyNavyVet]

“Idiots, McCain’s current rating is in the low 60s.”

And on the most important issue, which is understanding and respect for the Constitution, McCain gets a big, fat, honkin’ ZERO.

[B Knotts]

Agreed. Many political types have even forgotten what principle even is, IMO.

[tarheelswamprat]

I believe Al Bundy characterized it best: “Blah, blah - blah, blah, blah blah - blah, blah, blah - blah, blah - blah, blah, blah blah”.

[Travis McGee]

Don't listen to McCain's politically motivated promises of the moment: observe his actions.

This is the man John McCain chose to be his "Hispanic Outreach Director." Hernandez is a verified traitor. Born in Dallas he decided as an adult to become a dual-national Mexican citizen. His last "real" job was serving in Mexican President Vicente Fox's cabinet as his "American Reconquista Director." After that gig ran out, he worked (sic) for George Soros funded internationalist foundations, like the one that published his book.

The "New American Pioneers" proclaimed in his book are the illegal alien invaders he urges to become settlers in the USA. Hernandez believes all Mexicans and Mexican-Americans in the USA should become dual citizens and consider themselves Mexicans first, "to the 8th generation." He believes there should be no border at all between Mexico and the USA, ever.

And this is the man McCain chose for his "Hispanic Outreach Director." In the past week he was asked about this choice, and McCain said he chose Hernandez because he agrees with his positions. If so, McCain is supporting invasion and reconquista.

Then I read our Constitution, Article 4 Section 4, and I can only conclude one thing: Juan McShamnesty is our new Benedict Arnold.

[Junior_G]

What nonsense this article is.

[RavenATB]

Okay, let’s visit this theory logically.

The Republican party is fractured because of differences in opinion on some of the most important issues of our day, and that is “distorting democracy” in America.

At the same time the Democrat party is fractured along race lines, with the vast majority of black Democrats voting for Obama and the vast majority of white Democrats voting for Clinton.

TimesOnline staff, you’ have highlighted yourselves as complete idiots.

[Xenophon450]

He has come to rue the day he posed for that one :-D.

[truth_seeker]

“Idiots, McCain’s current rating is in the low 60s.
At that rate, he’ll be more liberal than Hillary by the first year in office.”

McCain last year was 65, lifetime 83. (I recall Fred Thompson was lifetime 86)

Hillary 9 and Obama 8.

Those who say there is no difference either don’t think very effectively, or throw around words and statements without regard to facts, or both.

[jan in Colorado]

It is time to build a new party, and while we do that we must hope and pray that there is still a place in America for those who truly believe in the founding principles of this nation.

Amen!

Welcome to Free Republic!

[LZ_Bayonet]

"But among movement conservatives, 83 percent isn’t good enough. Only 100 percent pure is acceptable.

The Document was not titled, "A Declaration of 83% Independence"

[E. Cartman]

FTA:They prefer purity to practicality.

No, we prefer principles to prostitution. I'm tired of having whored out my values for the last eight years.

[Navy Patriot]

Screw "Staff" from Times Online, I get to define who is conservative to me, and McInsane doesn't make the cut.

Still, I'm not annoyed as I'm sure the "Staff" that wrote this is the same pustule that recently appeared on a local queer's genitals, he just can't spell his name.

[Hiddigeigei]

I guess Newspeak will do the same thing to the word conservative that it did to the word liberal.

[Salvation]

Republicans need to decide to vote a straight Republican ticket and help the GOP mend its current brokenness. It will happen.

[WilliamofCarmichael]

Straight-talk for me but not for thee. . . .