After his idiotic sponsorship of the McCain-Feingold Act, we already know what a low opinion McCain has of the First Amendment.
As for this "conservative rating," I challenge you to back it up with solid facts. To that end, answer the following.
What's is McCain's stance on illegal immigration?
What's his stance on abortion?
What's his stance on honoring Second Amendment rights?
What's his stance on the War on Terror?
What's his stance on the liberation of Iraq?
What's his stance on artificial "exit strategies"?
What's his stance on cutting welfare and other socialist programs?
What is his stance on securing America's borders?
What is his stance on NAFTA and similar trade agreements?
What is his stance on Unions?
What's his stance on tax cuts?
Now for each of these, reconcile those professed positions with his voting record.
Go ahead. Lay it all out. I'm sure everyone here would love to hear it.
As for this "conservative rating," I challenge you to back it up with solid facts. To that end, answer the following.
What's is McCain's stance on illegal immigration?
McCain sucks on immigration, as does Bush. He is currently proposing a bill with Ted Kennedy to give 'em "earned amnesty". Next.
What's his stance on abortion?
McCain is pro-life and has run as a pro-life candidate and vote accordingly from the start of his career (unlike Zell Miller "discovering" pro-life at the age of 73) According to NARAL, McCain voted their "preferred position" on legislation precisely 0% of the time in 2004, 2003, 2002, etc. Ditto with planned parenthood. He was once again endorsed by Arizona Right to Life in his 2004 re-election campaign.
What's his stance on honoring Second Amendment rights?
McCain is mildly pro-gun and has voted for many pro-gun bills, but also occassionaly voted for some sucky legislation. The most pro-gun organization, Gun Owners of America, gave him a "C" rating. He voted with the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence 0% of the time in 1999-2000. He voted with Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence 14% of the time 1988-2003 (a failed rating, since it means he's opposed them 86% of the time, again not bad and clearly leans pro-gun)
What's his stance on the War on Terror?
McCain has consistantly supported the War on Terror in his votign records, including Afghanistan and Iraq. He's voted for their liberation, troop funding, combat missions, you name it. He has been a very strong supporter of the White House's foreign policy proposals in general, though he has criticized the Pentagon several times, most notably concerning troop strength in Iraq, and has more recently been calling for a diversification of Iraqi national forces to better represent the multiple ethnic groups contained within the country.
What's his stance on the liberation of Iraq?
McCain has been a strong supporter on the liberation of Iraq and contiually defended Bush's policy. Nutcase "peace" mom talked to Senator McCain and called him a "warmonger", complaining "He tried to tell us what George Bush would have said".
What's his stance on artificial "exit strategies"?
He has consistantly taken the position that we need to stay there until the job is done and that he feels the United States government must do more to keep public support high for the war, stressing that "America, Iraq and the world are better off with Saddam Hussein in prison rather than in power...and we must honor their sacrifice by seeing this mission through to victory."
What's his stance on cutting welfare and other socialist programs?
McCain has urged welfare and other giveawys be taken out of the hands of the federal governemtn and distributed "through religious, community-based or other non-profit organizations". He has pushed for requirements that that unwed teenage mothers live with a parent or guardian and attend school to receive welfare benefitsm and legislation to transfer homeless housing programs to states through block grants. McCain frequently denounces "pork" on C-SPAN, federal buecracy, and out of control spending. He has been known to vote down certain bills just because he doesn't like certain entitlement programs attached to them. On the votes that the Americans for Tax Reform considered to be the most important in 2004, Senator McCain voted their preferred position 90 percent of the time. Simularly, he voted with the interests of Citizens Against Goverment Waste 80% of the time last year.
What is his stance on securing America's borders? ?
I'd say his stance is simular to the Bush adminstration's stance, that is, ignore the problem and say we're good neighbors with Mexico and Vicente Fox is our best amigo.
What is his stance on NAFTA and similar trade agreements?
McCain has been in favor of NAFTA, CAFTA, GATT, though more mildly and with less entheusiaism than the Bush adminstration. He opposes "fast-track" trade authority. He has said: "The President gave Chile and other countries in the hemisphere good reason to hope that they would be our next free trade partners. But, in the end, asking Congress for fast track negotiating authority was too high a price to pay to realize this grand vision." He also noted "Risks to the security of our vital interests or egregious offenses to our most cherished political values should disqualify a nation from entering into a free trade agreement with us" Reflecting on NAFTA, McCain said "It is a careful balancing act. NAFTA has had unambiguously positive impact on US While the effects of the NAFTA are being closely monitored by supporters and critics of that pact alike, it has become clear that NAFTA represents an important component of our international economic policy, contributing to the creation of 300,000 new American jobs since its passage. It will likely be several more years before its full impact can be determined." On the votes that the USA Engage considered to be the most important in 2003-2004, Senator McCain voted their preferred position 60 percent of the time.
What is his stance on Unions?
McCain has a distain for most of their agenda votes the preferred position of labor unions around 10-30% of the time. Most unions have denouncing McCain as a "corporate crony" and endorsed his Democrat opponents. At the 2004 Republican National Convention, he referred to corporation-hating Michael Moore as "a disingenuous filmmaker" in the audience. This was met with thunderous applause from the GOP attendees, after which he repeated the phrase. McCain knew Moore was in attendance that evening. After McCain's statement, Moore was caught on camera forming an "L" on his forehead with his thumb and index finger.
What's his stance on tax cuts?
McCain initally opposed the Bush tax cut proposal in 2001, but realized the error of his ways and reversed his stance to support renewing the cuts after Hurricane Katrina struck. At that time, McCain went on national television and told Chris Matthews he realized the Bush tax cuts were helping the economy recover and must be maintained. On cutting taxes overall, McCain has been pretty good. On the votes that the Americans for Tax Reform considered to be the most important in 2004, Senator McCain voted their preferred position 90 percent of the time. He also supported the interests of the National Tax Limitation Committee 80 percent in 2003-2004.
You didn't ask, but I will also note that "RINO" McCain McCain campaign for Bush's re-election, voted to convict Slick Willie on both impeachment counts (making him better than ANY Senate Dem), anounced his support for a strict anti-gay marriage ballot initiative in Arizona in August of this year and recently told the Arizona Daily Star that he supports the inclusion of intelligent design teaching in schools. (this would put him to the right of me on this issue, I'm no creationist) He also has endorsed many conservatives in GOP primaries, such as recently issueing an endorsement to Ken Blackwell in the OH GOP primary for Governor
As I noted, I would vote for McCain in the GENERAL election, NOT the primary. There is NO Democrat candidate alive that would be "with us" on as many issues if they were nominated for President, and that EVEN includes the much overrated Zig Zag Zell Miller (must be nice being ziggy though, being a "conservative Democrat", he got a free pass from freepers when HE voted for campaign finance "reform" and for "hate crimes" legislation)
McCain over Tancredo? Never.
McCain over Hillary? I'd beat down the door to elect him if kept that witch out of the White House!
Everyone except YOU, evidentially. How DARE I list his ACTUAL record on these issues!