John McCain, Thank you for your military service.
Now, Go home to Arizona and enjoy your retirement.
No thanks.
Posted on 01/18/2008 7:28:43 AM PST by a77
Eight years ago we urged voters in South Carolina's Republican presidential primary to support John McCain. His record since then has left us even more convinced that the Arizona senator should be the 2008 Republican presidential nominee.
Not only has the senator continued to live up to the "straight talk" theme of both campaigns, he has provided the country with positive leadership in critical areas. Well known for an independent streak that has led to deviations from the party line, John McCain mainly reflects mainstream conservative values, as evidenced by his calls for less government regulation and a reduction of federal spending, his opposition to tax hikes, his advocacy of Social Security and Medicare reform, his push for an overhaul of the tax code, and his support for a strong defense.
It is in the latter area that the senator, a former Naval aviator who survived more than five years in captivity in Vietnam, where he suffered physical and mental torture, has been the most effective. His was the knowledgeable voice that got the administration's and nation's attention when he spoke out on what was going wrong with the war in Iraq. He also was among the earliest and most steadfast supporters of Gen. David Petraeus' successful 'surge' strategy.
Never one to duck the tough issues, Sen. McCain has taken the lead on a reasonable solution to the illegal immigration dilemma, which he described to us in a recent interview as one of the most heartfelt emotional issues he has dealt with in his 26 years in Congress. His state is among the most adversely impacted, and he knows better than most the need to secure the borders before any new reform legislation goes into effect. He believes the failure to seal the borders as promised in connection with the discredited 1986 immigrant reform effort is at the root of much of the current public frustration.
While political hay can be made by calling for the blanket deportation of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in this country, that's unrealistic. The senator's more sensible approach calls for deporting the estimated 2 million who have committed crimes while in this country. The remaining 10 million would be punished through fines, required to learn English and to get in line for citizenship behind all others who are here legally. He makes the irrefutable point that it is the federal government's failure to act that is giving the illegal immigrants de facto amnesty.
The McCain spur to congressional action on immigration and other critical issues would be the power of presidential persuasion coupled with his willingness to use his bully pulpit to "call the names" of those who refuse to come to the table. He would preface negotiations, he said, by offering to give all the credit to those willing to work toward a solution. "Politicians," he reminded us, "crave approval." He's also ready to play tough with those who refuse to cooperate by "telling the American people" who "won't sit down with me." That's the kind of straight talk a lot of politicians in Washington would be loath for their constituents to hear.
In fact, the senator clearly feels regular communication with the American people has been sorely lacking. He pledges press conferences at least once every two weeks and also said he would go on television once a week — even if only C-SPAN would cover it — to update the American people "on what's happened where our young people are in harm's way."
In terms of national defense, what he describes as the 'war against radical extremism' would never be far from his thoughts. While he believes al-Qaida is on the run, "it is by no means defeated," and Iraq will continue to be the central battleground. He is encouraged by signs that there is an increased recognition around the world about the nature of the struggle, and he is well equipped to make America's case in the international arena. Certainly as the victim of vicious torture at the hands of the enemy, there is no one more credible to reassure this country and the world "that we will never torture another person in American custody."
He has equal credibility on the domestic side, particularly for his opposition to wasteful spending in general and, specifically, such hot-button, pork-barrel earmarks as a $230 million Alaskan "bridge to nowhere."
The senator notes that he has never asked for an earmark for his state in all his years in Congress and rightly believes that public disenchantment with his party is due to the level of pork-barrel spending that occurred on the Republican watch. He pledges to veto every single piece of legislation that contains an earmark.
What's more, he will make sure the American public knows about such earmarks as the $3 million allocation to study the DNA of bears in Montana and promises to do so with a bit of "good natured" chiding, much in the style of his mentor, Ronald Reagan. We could use more of that kind of humor in Washington.
The 71-year-old senator's also willing to poke a little fun at himself, momentarily pretending to doze off, for example, when the media ask age-related questions, including whether he would be too old to withstand the rigors of being president. In a serious vein he points to the energy level he has displayed during the debates and campaign, noting that age questions should be balanced with those of judgment and experience.
He notes that in the eight years since he first ran, America has been attacked and currently is engaged in two wars. He rightly points out that this is no time for "on the job training."
John McCain correctly gauges the nation's thirst for a problem solver who can cross party lines. He points to Sen. Joe Lieberman's endorsement of him in New Hampshire on national security issues, despite differences on domestic issues, as a "singular" moment in that campaign and as evidence of his ability to attract independent and Democratic votes.
On Saturday, South Carolina voters will once more have the chance to give him the boost he needs to be the Republican nominee in November. Of all the contenders in that primary, he has the best chance of forming bipartisan coalitions to solve this nation's domestic problems and the most credibility and experience in international affairs.
For the good of the country, give tried and trustworthy Sen. John McCain the chance to be president with a much-deserved S.C. Republican primary victory.
That’s a large part of my point. I don’t care to criticize McCain’s VietNam experience at all but I am not happy about his S&L exposure and his positions are decidedly mixed. 21st century media manipulation will crunch him, plus he’s not all that desirable a candidate from the conservative viewpoint in the first place. IMO, which is not authoratative by any means because I am not 1/100th the political junkie that many/most seem to be on FR. Running McCain is just running a mediocre candidate and HRC will kick his butt.
McCain’s determination to “get bin Laden” places shallow political theater within the heart of his campaign. Our real enemy is Wahhabi jihadism, not the latest sociopath prophet emerging from the Wahhabi/Salafi heresy.
Wahhabi/Salafi heresy not only justifies oligarchy, but also empowers stateless terrorism. This heresy considers Jews, Christians, Sunnis, Shi’as and secularists sub-human, legitimate objects for slaughter. These terrorists suborn traditional Muslim loyalties valuing family, tribe and country, and substitute limitless murder and destruction. Terrorist converts are not all stereotypical primitives, but also university graduates accommodating fanaticism within academic excellence in sciences and engineering. Hence, frightening capabilities emerge from fifty-year-old worldwide technologies and stockpiles for weapons such as Davy Crockett missiles firing 51-pound nuclear 0.02-kiloton warheads, and Astor torpedoes carrying Hiroshima size warheads. Chemical and biological agents can now emanate from dual-use facilities, and cottage industries.
State Department reports many African, Oriental and Asian countries are becoming allies against Wahhabi jihadism. Yet they remember our pathetic responses to fifteen terrorist actions by four successive Presidents. Minimum penance demonstrating credibility obliges persistence for Iraq representative government. Credibility requires thwarting al Qaeda determination for Babylon to become the rallying point for the Caliphate.
Sustaining initiatives of African, Oriental and Asian countries brings Global War on Terror victory by frustrating plans, breaking alliances and fracturing organizations of Wahhabi jihadists into ever less effective units. Without cities, countries or armies bin Laden and successor sociopath prophets emerging from the Wahhabi/Salafi heresy live out unnaturally shortened lives as pariahs. Sun Tzu would consider mobilizing allies for repeated campaign victories and minimizing bloodshed an extraordinary achievement for the “Long War”. McCain considers accomodating slumber in the face of terrorist intentions and capabilities a winning political strategy.
You cannot spell!
;-)
McCain is not my first choice. Everyone knows he’s a hot head. He scares me, frankly. He is beyond just having an “Anger Management Problem”; I think he’s mentally unstable.
We know that, if elected, McCain will be a Rino. Romney will be a Democrat.
I agree entirely with your Post #106.
I suspect that given the knowledge some of my friends and relatives in AZ have of his family . . .
that he was corrupted toward globalism well before he went into the military.
However, given what I know of brainwashing . . . technologies of our era . . .
I think it is a very fair question as to how Patriotic is he really.
Given what he’s supported and been against, I think he’s a traitor slightly less dangerous than the Klintoons.
I think the EVIDENCE well supports such conclusions about him—the public record evidence alone.
John McCain, Thank you for your military service.
Now, Go home to Arizona and enjoy your retirement.
No thanks.
That, and 'reaching across the aisle' to communists...er...democrats, suggests a squishy committment to conservatism. A watered-down constitution benefits only those who'd waterboard their constituents and convictions.
If he wishes to end torture in the U.S., perhaps he could begin by stopping the torture of the Bill of Rights.
Libs and fascists share a common desire to concentrate power in the hands of a few--The Feds-(see Roe v Wade). Their Lincoln-est ignorance of the 10th ammendment betrays their, well, betrayal of the Bill of Rights. Communitarianists to the core, they'll forever finds ways around the concept of 'individual liberties'.
Sadly, McCain has been chosen by the Media to represent community as 'Media Boy'. Libs like him 'cause he can be beatin by 'Media Girl' (H.rottenclinton). The classic 'set-up'.
I want a candidate who will dismantle the Liviathon, not one who'll cement the web of rights deprevations currently in place.
Should '08 boil down to a Clinton vs McCain decision, we could face a meltdown. 'A house divided, will not stand', kind of collapse. "Sweet land of Liberty" has been under attack. She may fight back, though. If a media darling gets elected this time, it'll be interesting to watch what ensues. Stupid politicos and a vapid media suggest that guns and ammo will continue to be good investments. Carry on, boys and girls.
ps. This sh*t could have been avoided. Our charter provides the way. 200+ years later, it's hardly a surprise the sheep have gone astray. Get ready for the 'shearing'.
I submit that the evidence demonstrates conclusively that he has
ABSOLUTELY NO committment to conservatism nor to our Constitution.
About his only commitment is to his fractured vain ego. Perhaps secondarily to the globalists evil plans.
Are you one of the extremists that is itching for a civil war.
You got this post in just in time.
I told it as I see it.
I don’t KNOW what the composition of such forces percentage wise is of any other subgroups.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.