McCain and the Bitter Conservatives

American Thinker ^ | June 15, 2008 | Andrew Sumereau

[neverdem]

John McCain is clearly the preferable option for conservative voters come November. Although liberal in his views toward immigration, government intrusion in free speech, environmental issues, campaign finance reform, health care, education mandates, and a host of other issues that run contrary to conservative orthodoxy, McCain is solid on two (alas, two) vital issues that make the difference; spending and judges. From the frustration of eight years of a Republican Administration that began with so much hope and promise it pains one to say it, but there it is.

Against the prospects of a President Obama, McCain wins.

A victim of circumstances and timing in many ways, Senator McCain carries the sins of Bush and the free-spending Republicans into the 2008 election minus any counter balancing virtues. The coming election has an eerie deja-vu feeling. The Democrat nominee is young, glib, dare one say it, slick; beloved by a media most happy to shield him from criticism. He is facing a cranky old Republican Senator with visible war wounds, famous for his temper, and viewed with apprehension by the religious right.

In addition, John McCain is detested, and deservedly so, by many Republicans of all types. Beyond issue and policy differences, and they are legion, his personality grates. His conceit of "straight-talk" and "maverick"-like independence so superficially applauded (up until now) by the mainstream media is almost Clintonesque in its narcissism. If only other politicians had his courage, he implies, things would be fixed straightaway. The big special interests have all the other elected officials in their pockets. Only Maverick-John tells it like it is! Yet the truth is that McCain could serve well as poster boy of the arrogant elitist beltway insider, friend of Hillary and Ted, foe of the unwashed. The party habit of selecting the next in line (e.g. Dole) has rarely produced such an unappealing candidate at such a critical time. In many ways he reminds one of Adlai Stevenson, who famously frustrated his supporters with his holier-than-thou ways during two failed contests against the popular broad-smiling Ike.

Despite what will surely be the focus of McCain's campaign, foreign policy and experience will not decide this election for conservative voters. One may point to the war in Iraq as the defining issue come November and see a big advantage for McCain. Not necessarily so. History will decide the wisdom of our foreign policy over the last seven years, whether the Iraq and Afghanistan invasions were a legitimate response to the threat of organized terror, or the overreaction of predisposed warriors intent on using the events of 9/11 to democratize the Middle East.

It is clear, in the short term that a McCain administration will cling to the ongoing military effort. He is a very sure bet on a continuation of aggressive and largely unilateral foreign policy. But unlike domestic issues, Presidents, as Truman said, "ride the Tiger" in foreign affairs.  They are controlled by events and often forced into moves at odds with their original intentions. Bush came into office as a critic of nation building and yet leaves committed to the rebuilding of Iraq. Johnson's Great Society fell victim to his own escalation of the Vietnam War. Clinton sent troops to Haiti. As Chief Executive of the federal branch they must protect our borders and command the military by constitutional decree. Democrats, even Carter, have found that once in office the requirements and prerogatives of military power seldom are resisted.

On domestic issues it is no better. He is with Kennedy on education and immigration, with Fiengold on campaign finance, with Gore on the environment. For the committed conservative, he speaks and acts as Bush-lite without the few rhetorical bones thrown in for appearance's sake. Each day, it seems, he appears to make a pronouncement, or suggest a policy, or chastise an enthusiastic supporter, in order to please the main-stream media and send conservatives off wailing and gnashing their teeth.   

So the question of the day is how can a candidate that turns off a large portion of his base, who will most certainly be put on the defensive by a biased media, who appears old and uncool to the great unlettered new generation of voters, succeed?

"Front Porch" campaigns put several Republicans in the White House starting with Abraham Lincoln. In the good old days Presidential candidates found it undignified and unbecoming to campaign for votes all over the country. They let their surrogates and followers go through the unending exercises so necessary yet so unseemly in the election process. Incessant bragging, boasting, and cajoling, voicing hypocritical platitudes, and bribing voters with empty promises and spending sprees in search of Utopia was not the stuff of our Founding Fathers. McCain would benefit from a restoration of this practice but in the age of 24/7 cable news and Internet blogs this is not practical.

McCain must recognize that he has some substantial advantages, chiefly his opponent's weaknesses. Also, conservatives, though unhappy, will do the right thing for the country if only through a sense of duty. Further, experience and genuine heroism are good to have on your resume.

But McCain also must recognize the depth of conservative despondency. He will not win by giving his base a reason to stay home. Unlike liberals, conservatives have lives and interests outside politics that serve as outlets for the impulse to do good and improve the world. And they are angry and demoralized, make no mistake.

For many voters and activists, thirty years of hard work in the conservative fields has produced a bitter harvest of uncontrolled spending, judicial legislation, preposterous congressional pork barrel earmarks, uncontrolled borders, and arrogance.

McCain is in a fight against the manufactured illusions of "hope" and history.  He needs every vote he can manage. Before he once again decides to berate conservatives, propose liberal policies, befriend the political opposition and (why?) laud the Clintons, he should perhaps better find a nice photogenic porch. Sit on the porch. Do this and conservatives on November 5^th will surely hold their noses and pull the lever for what is best for the country.

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

Ahhh, the single/lone reason to vote for McCain.

As opposed to the mountain of reasons not to vote for McCain.

[gogogodzilla]

Yes! I’ll go fill up my gas tank with sunshine!

[neverdem]

Thanks for the link. Not a bad idea, McCain suspending his campaign, especially if he is only going to alienate the right.

[dforest]

I totally agree with this strategy. I have also suggested the same. Sometimes it is best to shut up while one is ahead.

You should suggest this at his campaign site.

[El Gato]

There is no alternative for the foreseeable future.

That sounds just like the people who argued that Drilling ANWAR, or off the Florida coast, would not bring in oil soon enough to help with earlier "crises".

I would observe that there sure as hell won't be any alternative if we don't do the R&D now.

Drill ANWAR, drill the Florida Straits, and fund some R&D to find something better than that rich source of petrochemicals that is really too valuable to burn, although we have no choice for some years.

I'm hoping for Solar Power Satellites with beanstalks to support them, and Mr. Fusion. But I'll take what we can get.

[El Gato]

Email his campaign and tell them exactly that. Let them know you're pissed. I have, every day for the last 2 weeks. If they get enough grief, they'll change it. They want your vote.

And why should we believe such an election eve conversion? We sure wouldn't believe it if B.Hussein did it.

[El Gato]

No, he does not care if you vote for him. He is busy getting the Hillary girls.

If B. Hussein picks a female VP candidate, he won't even get very many of those. I predict a Hispanic female, there are several Hispanic female Congress Critters available out in California. I say California because that also gives him geographic diversity.

[dforest]

Yep, Barry may pick a woman to mollify the Hillary girls.

There are going to be different groups in the RAT party that will not vote for Barry at all. My bro-in-law is one of them. That doesn’t mean he will vote for McCain because he doesn’t like him.

I think turnout may surprise people. I believe it will be low. Neither candidate has his whole party united behind him.

Think about all this time and hype and the whole thing will be a crap shoot.

[roamer_1]

[There is no alternative for the foreseeable future.

That sounds just like the people who argued that Drilling ANWAR, or off the Florida coast, would not bring in oil soon enough to help with earlier "crises".

No, it is not 'just like' that. Drilling more oil is guaranteed to help allay any future crisis because that action causes more cheap and productive energy to be available- It's a no-brainer.

There really is no reasonable alternative to oil and coal at this time, nor will there be in our lifetime. the two do not compare.

I would observe that there sure as hell won't be any alternative if we don't do the R&D now.

That is correct, and that R&D is happening now, and has been ongoing for years. The bare fact is that nothing is anywhere near competitive when compared to oil and coal, nor is there anything so plentiful.

Drill ANWAR, drill the Florida Straits, and fund some R&D to find something better than that rich source of petrochemicals that is really too valuable to burn, although we have no choice for some years.

A totally reasonable proposal, except you left out the most promising: R&D into oil shales, which will yield trillions of barrels within our sovereign control, and rift exploration within the continental US which could easily offer the same.

I'm hoping for Solar Power Satellites with beanstalks to support them, and Mr. Fusion. But I'll take what we can get.

Wish in one hand... :D

[El Gato]

1) More people moving to bikes 2) More motorscooters
3) More motorbikes
5) Fewer SUVs and large cars
6) Huge spends in rail and bus infrastructure

But we don't want to do those things. Thus only alternative is alternative ways of fueling the things we DO want to do.

We had a President about 35 years ago, who wanted us to do pretty much those sorts of things. He lasted a single term, but the Skunk is still stinking up the country.

Notice I left off hybrids. Hybrids are a way of doing what we want to do, but using less oil to do it. We are now producing hybrid SUVs. :).

[El Gato]

How is rearranging the piping innovative?

It can be. Drip irrigation for example, uses much less water. Even just rearranging the sprinkler heads can reduce consumption. Using an automatic system can also reduce consumption, as you can water when evaporation will be less, rather than when you can be there, can also save water.

Drilling you own well is all fine and good, but may not be possible or practical. You might have to go too deep, there might not be any good water at drill able depths. Where I live we use surface water, (YUK), even though just a few 10s of miles away is one of the best fast recharge aquifers in the country, the Edwards, water from it even tastes good.

[Clemenza]

I have a feeling that we will go to a two-tiered system, whereby the National Health Service (Medicaid) is available to all, but the individual still has a right to purchase private insurance. I have experience with this set-up in the UK and in Costa Rica (where all of my friends and colleagues have private plans). The mandatory Canadian system is totalitarian, IMHO.

[El Gato]

McCain will ALSO not abandon our military - get it?

He won't need to. The DemonRat Congress will do it for him. And he'll "reach across the aisle to his friends" for a compromise, that gets them only 90% of the cuts his "friends" wanted.

[steelyourfaith]

 

Beam me to Planet Gore !

[DieHard the Hunter]

> The mandatory Canadian system is totalitarian, IMHO.

I would agree with that assessment, entirely. It is wrong not to have any choice, and it is wrong not to be able to pay privately to get better healthcare, if that is how you want to spend your money.

[GBA]

I totally agree with you about it being doubtful that McCain will change at this stage in his life. I voted for him to be my Senator only to see him change over the years and support things I wouldn't have believed possible, as the author notes:

"Although liberal in his views toward immigration, government intrusion in free speech, environmental issues, campaign finance reform, health care, education mandates, and a host of other issues that run contrary to conservative orthodoxy..."

If that's who he is as Senator, imagine the damage he can do as President with only the republicans to try to stop him or slow him down. Nope, not pretty at all.

[Cindy]

“...imagine the damage...”

Yep, I sure can.

[El Gato]

It is wrong not to have any choice, and it is wrong not to be able to pay privately to get better healthcare, if that is how you want to spend your money.

And it's just as wrong to take my money to pay for some else's health care.

[zeugma]

If the author considers the “right” thing to be voting for Sen. McCain, then I agree with him so far as his prediction is concerned. The vast bulk of conservatives will vote for Sen. McCain. But it won’t be enough. The 15-25% who choose to stay home or vote third party will sink any chance of Sen. McCain becoming President.

I'm part of that 15-20%, and I think you're right. He seems to think he can get elected by Hillary supporters and the masses brainwashed into believing the "maverick" label. I really don't think that strategy is going to work.

One of the most dangerous things in politics is to start believing your own press releases. He's in for some serious disillusionment over the next several months as the press he's played so hard to make love him, turns on him like the rabid dogs they are.

[neverdem]

How can the author claim McCain is conservative on judges. Didn’t he found the “Gang of 14”?

Look at it this way. Even getting another weathervane like Kennedy is better than a hard lefty like Breyer or Ginsburg.