Here's the Beef: Conservatives' Problems With John McCain

Conservative HQ.com ^ | 4-16-08 | Richard Viguerie

[lilylangtree]

John McCain is a hero for his service in Vietnam. Most conservatives would be thrilled to support him, if only he would give them reason to.

Why is it that conservatives have such a hard time lining up behind John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee for president? Is it, as some liberals suggest, just "pique" -- that we didn't get our way, and now we're throwing a tantrum? Or are the differences between McCain and conservatives very real, very serious matters that go to the heart of the principles of conservatism?

The truth is that the differences with McCain are real. They involve matters of policy, of personnel ("Who will make decisions in a McCain administration?"), and of insights into the Senator's thinking about conservatives and the issues important to conservatives.

The biggest complaints expressed by conservatives are these:

SUPREME COURT: Perhaps conservatives' biggest issue is whether future appointments to the Supreme Court and lower courts will be in the mold of Justices David Souter, John Paul Stevens, and William Brennan -- left-wingers appointed by Republican presidents -- or in the mold of distinguished conservatives such as Justice Clarence Thomas and Justice Antonin Scalia.

It may be that even a moderate conservative such as Samuel Alito would be "too" conservative for John McCain. According to John Fund of The Wall Street Journal, McCain, in private conversations with lawyers, "indicated he might draw the line on a Samuel Alito because 'he [Alito] wore his conservatism on his sleeve.'"

And, although McCain has promised to appoint conservative judges to the Supreme Court, that's highly unlikely, because conservative judges would overturn the Senator's proudest achievement, McCain-Feingold.

For the remainder of the article, see: http://conservativehq.com/news-from-the-front/ravonmccain080416

[dragnet2]

And no, I’m not supporting that alpha hotel either.

[kabar]

If there is an amnesty, the country is finished with a stroke of a pen. Everything else that follows is just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic I won't be voting for any who supports amnesty, including McCain, under any circumstances.

[B4Ranch]

John McCain on Abortion

Pro-life and an advocate for the Rights of Man everywhere. (Feb 2008)
GovWatch: 1999: Don't force women to have illegal operations. (Feb 2008)
Abortion issue shows what kind of country we are. (Aug 2007)
Concerned if women undergo illegal dangerous operations. (May 2007)
Supports federal funding of embryonic stem cell research. (May 2007)
Prosecute abortion doctors, not women who get them. (Jan 2000)
“Family Conference” if daughter wanted an abortion. (Jan 2000)
Abortion OK if raped; and no testing for rape. (Jan 2000)
Supports fetal tissue research; against over-intensity. (Jan 2000)
Overturn Roe v. Wade, but keep incest & rape exceptions. (Jan 2000)
Support adoption & foster care; work together on abortion. (Oct 1999)
Wants Roe vs. Wade made irrelevant, but would not repeal it. (Aug 1999)
Opposes partial-birth abortions & public financing. (Aug 1999)
Nominate justices based on experience, and values. (Jun 1999)
Restrict abortions; no partial-birth; no public funding. (Jul 1998)

Voting Record

Supports repealing Roe v. Wade. (May 2007)
Voted YES on barring HHS grants to organizations that perform abortions. (Oct 2007)
Voted YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines. (Apr 2007)
Voted YES on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions. (Jul 2006)
Voted NO on $100M to reduce teen pregnancy by education & contraceptives. (Mar 2005)
Voted YES on criminal penalty for harming unborn fetus during other crime. (Mar 2004)
Voted YES on banning partial birth abortions except for maternal life. (Mar 2003)
Voted YES on maintaining ban on Military Base Abortions. (Jun 2000)
Voted YES on banning partial birth abortions. (Oct 1999)
Voted YES on banning human cloning. (Feb 1998)
Rated 0% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record. (Dec 2003)
Expand embryonic stem cell research. (Jun 2004)
Rated 75% by the NRLC, indicating a mixed record on abortion. (Dec 2006)

http://www.ontheissues.org/john_mccain.htm

[bill1952]

Except that McCain voted YES for Ginburg...

[kabar]

McCain became the presumptive nominee of the party with 31% of the total primary vote. He gamed the system. Winner take all, open primaries resulted in the Stupid Party nominating its maverick as its standard bearer.

[donna]

Liberal Republicans are more efficient than Democrats at moving the country left.

[EternalVigilance]

Conservatives' Problems With John McCain

1. He hates us.
2. He loves the Left.
3. He gutted the First Amendment, eviscerating free political speech and grassroots political activism, and would scrape the stomach cavity given the chance.
4. He has taken actions that are a direct affront to the Second Amendment, such as trying to shut down gun shows. (Rightfully earning an "F minus" from Gun Owners of America.)
5. His funding, without which he never would have made it to the nomination, was from perhaps the biggest enemy of our republic and our Constitution in the entire world, George Soros.
6. He is the leader of those who are intent on rewarding tens of millions of foreign nationals who have invaded our territory with one of the most precious possessions on Earth, United States citizenship. This is a demographic, economic and political nightmare that is fast destroying the rule of law and our institutions - with the worst effects still just ahead.
7. He is a proponent of the globaloney warming cult, which has nothing to do with science, and everything to do with domestic and foreign elites stripping away what little is left of our liberty, our sovereignty, and our wealth.
8. He thinks states' rights trump the unalienable right to life, in complete opposition to the Reagan pro-life platform, supports the destruction of nascent human persons at the earliest stages of development, the ghoulish use of the bodies of murdered (aborted) babies for "scientific" experimentation, and has been a consistent supporter of the use of our tax dollars to fund Planned Barrenhood abortionists.
9. He has used his political power to empower the election of leftwing Republicans all over this country.
10. Did I mention he hates us?

[bill1952]

50 million abortions on his watch with two Regans and 3 Bushes show the limits of changing this in the short term, irrespective of his position.

His other MANY negatives are positively disqualifing for my vote.

[EternalVigilance]

He thinks states' rights trump the unalienable right to life, in complete opposition to the Reagan pro-life platform, supports the destruction of nascent human persons at the earliest stages of development, the ghoulish use of the bodies of murdered (aborted) babies for "scientific" experimentation, and has been a consistent supporter of the use of our tax dollars to fund Planned Barrenhood abortionists.

Just for you.

[E. Cartman]

So what's a conservative to do? I truly believe that no matter who wins this year - America loses. I don't believe that McCain would be better than Obama or Clinton & I'll tell you why. With McCain in office, republicans will go along with whatever whacko liberal thing he wants to do - with a dem president, the republicans may find their manhood again and be opposition for their whacko liberal things.

You are correct. The best thing for real conservatives and the future of conservatism in this country is for MacNutJob to lose the White House and the GOP to hold power in The House and Senate.

[M203M4]

Damn...the comedy has turned into a tragedy.

How about, “Our Ginsburg can beat up your Ginsburg?”

[Boonie]

Well, I am totally disillusioned...How will we EVER get a real conservative nominated?

[longtermmemmory]

for those of us who are not one trick voters, this is hardly conforting.

McCain is a liberal and he has been going further left each year.

[bill1952]

>The best thing for real conservatives and the future of conservatism in this country is for MacNutJob to lose the White House and the GOP to hold power in The House and Senate.

Agreed. Although we are not in large company with those who think that FR is a GOP rather than a conservative forum.

Unfortunately, the future of the GOP hangs in the balance this election.

[cake_crumb]

"It may be that even a moderate conservative such as Samuel Alito would be "too" conservative for John McCain."

Moderate conservative?? MAY BE?? McCain has ALREADY said he wouldn't appoint a justice like Alito, because Alito "wears his conservatism on his sleeve".

[MBB1984]

I want that bumper sticker!

[penowa]

Total B.S. as to your description of Viguerie. I doubt that you had any conception of what the term conservative means when Viguerie began raising $ to elect conservatives to office.

I just LOVE the way neo-conservatives (that's NEW to the cause) like to trash Viguerie, Phyllis Schlaffley, etc.

[bill1952]

I know.

Its one of the reasons that I discount the argument that McCain will succeed in appointing conservative judges.

[HappyinAZ]

same old bla-bla-bla...
Bottom line: McCain hates abortion, McCain hates pork barrel spending. the rest is just speculation on your part. Or? are you a Democrat trying to fire-up those on the fence?

[cake_crumb]

"Barrack Obama is the only reason I have (or need) to support McCain."

Yep. I'm not voting FOR McCain, I plan on voting against BHO and Hillary. And campaigning for a hostile congress of conservatives.