Who is McCain's Base? (Vanity)

Vanity | 7/27/2008 | Wasted Potential

[wastedpotential]

I have been in sackloth and ashes ever since the end of the Republican primary season dwelling on the mess we find ourselves in. Conservatives have watched the Republican nomination process get hijacked from them while they were debating whether our candidate should be socially conservative (Huckabee) vs economically conservative (Romney). Now we have McCain, who has historically proven to be mediocre at best on both sets of issues. His only strength was his view on the Iraq war.

Now that we appear to have turned the corner in Iraq, the whole withdrawal argument may be moot. If things continue this way, McCain will be reducing troop levels and bringing the home if elected president. So what is his candidacy about? If the Iraq war is basically won before the election, what is it that will define his candidacy?

Here's another question - who is McCain's base? Who will work the phones? Who will go door to door during the 72 hour GOTV? Who will organize and fund the 527 groups that can take shots at Obama that he can't (or won't) take himself, ala the Swiftboat Vets? More simply asked - who is passionate about McCain's candidacy?

The answer, to me is, nobody. Sure, a lot of us conservatives and disaffected union democrats will vote for McCain as the lesser of 2 evils, but who will "turn out" the voters? Who will sacrifice time from work and money from their budgets to see that he gets elected?

If I am right, I think that President Barack Hussein Obama will be in office come January, killing our way of life with an overwhelming Democrat Congress. Does anyone have a better answer?

[only1percent]

I might add, that it would also be best for the Republican Party reorganization if they were to lose and lose badly. This is a key part of a rebirth. There must be a capitulation, and the sooner it occurs, the faster we can get back to the rebuilding of the core constituencies and take out the garbage.

Boy, do I disagree about this. A few years of Obama + 58 Democrat Senators will bring about fundamental and very hard to reverse changes in policy. Think about what Lyndon Johnson and similar rock-solid majorities set in motion in the mid-1960s -- the conservative "backlash" started as soon as 1966 and in 42 years since -- with 28 years of Republican Presidents -- has barely managed to trim the sails, to say the least of shift the course.

To many of us, probably the most important transformation, one that Johnson couldn't have dreamed of, is that Obama can put us over the line where the clear majority of the electorate are (or perceive themselves to be) government dependents, relying upon the power of the state to compel the means of basic security from the pockets of a small minority of business owners and professionals. When this happens, conservatism in the sense we know it basically disappears. Parties vie for the favor of the dependent majority and force the factions of the productive minority to compete against each other for protection and tolerance. If you doubt this, look at the manifestos of the "conservative" parties of Western Europe. There is little in them which Obama would hesitate to endorse.

Of course the Obama era will bring down the curtain on social conservatism as an available philosophy for governance as well. I personally think that the authoritarian / restrictionist end of that battle was lost many years ago -- see how very little any serious politician cares about Proposition 8 in California -- but the Obama regime will end the libertarian end of that battle, too -- which lets people do whatever they feel but doesn't immunize people who department from social norms from private disapproval or from paying the price if the behavior turns out to be maladaptive. Instead, Obama will extend the full protection of the welfare state and civil rights law over all variety of behavior social conservatives dislike or suspect.

[reasonisfaith]

“So basically what you’re saying is that NEITHER of the candidates have a base and more people are scared of Obomba than McCain.”

In this particular post I was saying that I don’t believe the cultish following of Obama can get him elected, and that the very things which stir that cult following are likely to turn off enough mainstream voters to bring him defeat.

Regarding McCain, yes he is a problematic candidate. But I’d rather take a punch in the nose than a knife in the heart.

[Just another Joe]

Would you rather have a knife in the heart from an enemy in front or a friend from behind.

Your choice, your vote.

Let me add that I STILL don't know how I will vote.

[Cold Heat]

Sure! All that may well happen and more.

But look at the electorate we have today and convince me that things will get better, anytime soon without a major and substantive re-learning and reeducation of the voting public who drifts further left every year.

The only way to reverse this trend is major slap down learning experiance that will stay in the minds of those who experienced it for a generation or two.

We can't win this any more. Not without proof that liberal policies destroy wealth and economies, every time it is tried. The current crop of voters have failed to learn the lessons of time. Our elderly, and that would be me, have not really forgotten what was learned generations ago, yet they have ignored it in favor of policies that help themselves and screw their children. The latest fad of reverse mortgages proves my point.

All this leads me to the realization that all is lost for now, but only for the time being. It can be fixed, but not without much pain. That pain is just around the corner and actually has been in process for a couple years. It's going to get very much worse but out of it will come a rebirth of the new Conservatives and that will guide the future.

The present is lost and has been since the Bush coalition broke up.

[Cold Heat]

Let me add that I STILL don't know how I will vote

LOL! McCain still has plenty of time to throw some more conservative and or Republican constituencies under the bus.

This should not come as a surprise to anyone, because he has been doing it for the last twenty years.

Backstabber supreme!

[reasonisfaith]

I’d rather have a bloody nose (McCain) than a lifeless heart (Obama).

[Just another Joe]

IMO, the bloody nose is not an option with the candidates we've been given.

It will be a stab in the heart, from the front or the back.

[mad_as_he$$]

Well there sparky how is voting for the bad tempered, marginally demented, narrow minded, foul word spitting McCain a “brave” thing to do? Please.

[reasonisfaith]

For some perspective, let’s remember that McCain’s life training started in the U.S. military. Admittedly, since then he has been affected by the culture of Washington politics so that he is likely to be distracted
by the temptation to put personal political gain above moral righteousness.

But McCain is neither a follower of Saul Alinsky nor a friend of William Ayers, as is Obama. These are men who desired more than anything else to destroy this country.

[reasonisfaith]

I will always stand up for this country and its founding principles.

I will never support communism, evil or the agenda of those who wish harm to the United States. I will never support Obama.

[Just another Joe]

But McCain is neither a follower of Saul Alinsky nor a friend of William Ayers

And Obomba didn't spend the last decade decrying and deserting the base that put him into office.

Does that mean Obomba is more loyal than McCain?

For some perspective, Keating 5, Gang of 14, McCain/Fiengold, McCain/Kennedy, shamnesty, do I need to keep going?

McCain will stab us just as surely as Obomba.

Right now the ONLY reason I even consider voting for McCain is the hope that him having been in the military he might not abandon our military altogether.

[reasonisfaith]

Given the nature of the Obama threat currently faced by all freedom loving people, any inclination to bring down McCain is automatically suspect.

As I’ve said before, people have the right to hate our country. But such a position is morally unjustifiable.

[reasonisfaith]

There are a lot of leftist cowards out there hoping conservatives stay home on election day.

Obama’s inability to admit his true beliefs is not pitiful enough to inspire my sympathy.

[Just another Joe]

Obama’s inability to admit his true beliefs is not pitiful enough to inspire my sympathy.

Sympathy? I have no sympathy for Obomba.

I have sympathy for conservatives because they have no one to represent them in this Presidential election.

Conservatives are going to take a beating no matter who is elected.

I have no sympathy for McCain either.
He has made, and is making, his bed. Let him sleep in it.

[reasonisfaith]

In this election there is only one immediate threat to our nation’s security—Barack Hussein Obama. Don’t help him get elected.

[Just another Joe]

I won't help get Obomba elected.

Neither will I help McCain get elected.

This country would survive an Obomba Presidency just as well as it would survive a McCain Presidency.

Will it hurt? Yes, with either of them.

[TADSLOS]

...who is McCain's base? Who will work the phones? Who will go door to door during the 72 hour GOTV? Who will organize and fund the 527 groups that can take shots at Obama that he can't (or won't) take himself, ala the Swiftboat Vets? More simply asked - who is passionate about McCain's candidacy?

The Chamber of Commerce, cheap labor lobbyists and their slave labor army are as close to a base that McCain has. The problem is that their foot soldiers suffer from "no habla Englais" and the other two thirds of their familia are lining up with the Obamessiah for a better deal. Besides, they gotta keep the cash flowing in to send back to their chain migration crew and the big boys in the back rooms are too busy making immigration reform deals with congress to put much effort into McCain. There's no time left for Pedro for calling or going door to door, even if he did speak english and is totally dedicated to getting McCain elected. Kinda hard to get the message out in a passionate way under those conditions.

[dforest]

Passionate isn’t going to happen when it comes to McCain. If you stop all the insults and quit expecting what you are not going to get, Barry will do the work for you.

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

You are making a logical explanation that they refuse to understand, or are incapable of comprehending.

Get ready for the numerous “guilt-for-helping-Obama-get-elected” rhetoric, as will I.

See you on the forum the day after election day. It will be interesting viewing all the countless explanations and accusations for sure, as to why McCain did not win.

And if McCain wins, the gloating won’t last very long, you can be sure.

[Designer]

"I have another way that you and McCain can get committed conservatives to get energized is for McCain to actually change his positions on Amnesty, the Global Warming Scam, Embryonic Stem Cell Research, and his approach at using Big Government to solve all problems."

I think that represents his whole candidacy, doesn't it?

Meanwhile, I'm not hold my breath while waiting for it.