Posted on 02/11/2008 6:15:31 AM PST by Nextrush
John McCain is a "strong conservative."
That's the message that President Bush put out on "Fox News Sunday" yesterday.
How does one define "strong conservative?"
Is it defining waterboarding of terrorists as torture like John McCain has?
Is it when one wants to close down Gitmo like John McCain does and give suspected terrorists the rights of American citizens.
And speaking of the rights of American citizens, is a "strong conservative" one who wants amnesty and a path to citizenship for people who enter America illegally.
Well, that's one where President Bush and Senator McCain have been on the same side.
And then there's the McCain-Feingold anti-free speech legislation. Senator John McCain proposed it and President George W. Bush signed it after opposing it during the 2000 election.
I just don't see how a "strong conservative" could gang up with 13 other senators to prevent approval of President Bush's conservative nominees to federal courts.
That's John McCain who did that, by the way.
Does a "strong conservative" oppose President Bush's tax cut plan like John McCain did?
If we're going to accept the definition of John McCain as a "strong conservative," then we're going to have to change the definition of "conservative."
For instance if John McCain is a "strong conservative," does that make Hillary Clinton a "conservative" and Barrack Obama a "moderate?"
And on the other hand does that make President Bush an "extreme conservative" for disagreeing with McCain on some of these issues? Heck, does that mean Ronald Reagan was an "extreme right winger?"
While we've gone through September 11th and its aftermath seeing a strong leader defending our nation, we've also seen signs of a liberal attitude from this same leader about spending billions of dollars on everything from AIDS in Africa to the Medicare prescription plan.
President Bush's self-described "compassionate conservativsm" has included all that and when it came to court nominations, the infamous Harriet Miers nomination to the Supreme Court. Fourtunately, conservatives got John Roberts and Samuel Alito for raising our voices to demand strict constructionists on the court.
I suspect that a President John McCain would require us to raise the decibels quite a bit more often than we have to now.
But getting back to my point, considering all the wasteful spending proposals from Washington including elaborate fisacos like the trailers during Hurricane Katrina and now the current election year "stimulus package" that looks like vote buying by incumbent politicians, is it safe to say that President George W. Bush has lowered the standard of what one calls "conservative" in this country.
And now we're supposed to accept John McCain as a "strong conservative" successor to him.
I guess you'll all want to pick up the theme of national security and I think that's an important one.
Many think McCain should be elected on that alone.
But what is going on in regards to national security right now.
Have you heard any speeches about the "Axis of Evil" lately? No, you haven't.
U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker is involved in talking to the Iranians right now. You'll notice violence is down in Iraq. And then there's the National Intelligence Estimate saying Iran has suspended its nuclear weapons program. Is there a quid pro quo? What's going on with our foreign policy?
The United States has cut a deal with North Korea that will supposedly end their nuclear program. Does anyone believe that?
And what about the Middle East in general. There is a push to get Israel to cut a "peace agreement" with the Palestianian Authority as Hamas rains down missiles daily from Gaza. President Bush seems bent on getting some kind of agreement before he leaves office next January.
The conflict will not end until Israel's enemies are defeated. A "peace agreement" would be folly and only compromise Israel's security.
Will McCain carry on that initiative as a "strong conservative?"
Frankly the "strong conservative" thing to do would be to allow Israel to defeat its enemies. I admit the Olmert government is weak, but still let them defend themselves.
McCain called for more troops in Iraq and it looks like the President synched with his ideas by having the surge.
Will there be anymore synching on Gitmo later this year?
The stage for the "strong conservative" McCain has been set, but does that mean we have to attend the show. For now, I say no.
I'm still looking for a "strong conservative" frankly because there's no way John McCain fits that suit.
And if all the obviously not conservative policies described above are "conservative" it looks to me like "conservative" is now considered something a lot less than "conservative."
I will vote my conscience in the Pennsylvania Primary on April 22nd.
And I hope Mike Huckabee does well tomorrow as the alternative to John McCain in Virginia and Maryland.
John McCain despises strong conservatives.
Standard FReeper Answer:
"Whatever it is, it sure ain't YOU!!"
I’ll be voting my conscience in the May 20th primary here in Kentucky, not that it matters at that point...but I won’t be voting for either Huckabee or McCain. Neither are conservative, unfortuantely. If the President caves to McCain on Gitmo, then it will be a travesty for our nation.
Delete McCain.
Where's a legitimate third party when we need one?
If Mr. McCain came out as the moderate liberal he is, I could see voting for him.
But branding himself as a “conservative”, that’s just not accurate and will lead to confusion among people as to what a “conservative” is.
So do Hillary and Obama.
McCain is not a conservative. He will kill what George didn’t when he takes office, if elected POTUS.
true,
but you’re electing a socialist.
Once again, Bush is damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t’t. I don’t know why anyone would want to be president of this country! Or at least any Republican.
In Northern Ireland, I’d vote for the Christian socialist Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionist Party in a heartbeat, considering the alternatives are worse including the Marxist Gerry Adams and Sinn Fein.
But Huckabee has been demonized a little too much. I can handle the idea that he is more “conservative” than McCain although I admit we have a way to go.
Bush (socialist lite) doesn’t have the reputation to tell conservatives that McCain IS a conservative!!
The media attacks on the President often caused us to defend him and ignore the liberal things going on in the president’s administration.
Its almost like the President-Mainstream Media conflict was a diversion from reality that incited our emotions and anger leaving our minds on hold.
I was angry as a young man when the media attacked Gerald Ford and Richard Nixon, but they were still “moderates” no doubt.
At least Pres. Bush heard and heeded conservatives on the Miers debacle. McCain is a different creature. If the Viet Cong couldn’t have their way with him, what hope can conservatives hold?
Not that it means much. On election night, he’ll be in bed at an hour appropriate to his age.
NO, the liberal insiders such as fred barns have elected a socialist by default.
He’s going to lose no matter what. Sure there will be plenty of people intimidated and ridiculed into voting for him but it’s not going to be anywhere near enough.
The sad thing is the people the media is dragging out of storage to endorse him. Frankly I don’t care what Eisehower’s granddaughter or Franklin Roosevelt the 7th thinks.
No McCain, no pain.
Least you forget RONALD REAGAN who everyone is now claiming as their guiding principle did the following.
1. Raised taxes substantial while Governor of Calif. oops there goes the fiscal conservatives.
2. Signed the most liberal abortion bill while Governor....oops there goes the the relegious right.
3. After leaving office campaigned for and made TV spots for the Brady Bill....there goes everybody on this board.
4. The largest loss KIA of a single American Unit since WW11 occured in Lebaneon where Hamas sent a suide bomber that killed over 200 Marines as they slept...what was the response ....Reagan pulled out and never went after the organization that did it....can we all say cut and run...
The point is I would definately vote for Reagan if he were on the ballot but he isn’t and this litmus test everyone is making and holding everybody to would had disqualified him as a candidate. Not to mention that everyone is breaking Reagans two cardinal rules...
1. We are all Americans after 5 oclock,
2. Speak no ill will against fellow Republicans.
You had better wake up and smell the coffe because the cult of Obama will make you long for the Clintons. A no body who can read a speech written by John Kennedy”s speech writer seems all he can do. Look at the numbers they are bringing out...
Finally McCain can’t loose the primaries....impossible even if Huck runs the table which he won’t because its proportionate.
You’re speaking of Barry O and his Magical Mystery Cult Tour, yes?
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