I reject the notion of 100% orthodoxy. That would terrify me. I like McCain’s independence, even when he skews in a direction I don’t like. I don’t expect anyone to agree with me 100%, and I don’t trust the ones who tell me they do.
I get accused of being a party hack for supporting McCain, but what is the Conservative principle at play in handing out no bid, no oversight contracts to Halliburton, Parsons etc, that derailed our war efforts, helped wreck our economy, and delivered a raft of talking points to Dems? If that reconstruction money had been well spent, maybe this war would have gone better. The Dems would certainly have fewer talking points.
I never understood this part of Movement Conservatism, where no bid contracts and corporate welfare are favored over competitive markets. I guess that’s why I’m a conservative and not a Conservative.
I understand that McCain is not, and never will be, one of you. But while you’re pointing out McCain’s flaws, I wish you’d also demand that the genuine Movement Conservatives stop enabling bad behavior that hurts the country and Conservatism.
But none of this changes the fact that neither Conservative Republicans nor Movement Conservatives have the votes to do anything without an alliance. Some of you guys are positing this scenario where Movement COnservatives reject Conservative Republicans in 2008 so you can recapture everything in 2012.
That assumes Republican Conservatives will be ok with that, after the price the moderate wing paid to support Movement Conservative policies.
McCain did not wander, he rejected everything. Tax cuts, bad on environment, illegal immigration, campaign finance etc. He sided with the Democrats in all the important votes - including judges. No way, I will support McCain.