Posted by
Bullpen on Friday, February 01, 2008 6:10:40 PM
I read yet another article this morning about how Conservatives are ridiculous for not supporting John McCain. These articles usually cite the fact that McCain has an 82 percent lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union. Please, allow me to tell you now what is wrong with this argument;
1) McCain's 82 percent rating puts him in the ultra-conservative ranks of Richard Luger, Chuck Hagel, and Norm Coleman.
2) McCain's ACU rating for 2006? 65 percent. I imagine it will be even lower after 2007.
3) The entire idea behind Conservatism is the defense of liberty. McCain's ideas? See: McCain-Kennedy, McCain-Lieberman, McCain-Feingold, McCain-Edwards, and McCain's vote against "Tax Cuts for the Rich".
John McCain served honorably in Vietnam, but that doesn't change the fact that he has shown a problem with being truthful the last few months on the Campaign trail. The old man has become Bill Clinton. In fact, from this point forward I will now refer to him as John McClinton.
Another argument they have is that John McClinton is the most electable candidate. Sure he is....Despite his best efforts to prove otherwise, he still has an R next to his name. Wait until the media(including the New York Times) turns on him if he gets the nomination. Wait until Barack Obama and his energetic oratory compare to that of John McClinton, who speaks as if it is a chore to him. Wait until people decide to vote for the Democrat with a D next to their name. What people don't realize is that in a divided nation, moderates are the most divisive group in politics. Look at both President Bushes and President Nixon for example. The problem with moderates is that they anger their own base, they are disliked by the other side's base for being in the other party, and there is no such thing as real moderates. You can't get a group of moderates to agree across the board. Their views are varied from issue to issue.
It is also worth noting that nobody
has ever said "I'm mad as hell and I'm going to continue to put up with
it in return for a few concessions here and there" That's what we
would be getting with John McClinton.
McClinton's predecessor, Barry Goldwater said at the 1964 Convention in response to Nelson Rockefeller's berating of Conservatives as "extremists", "Let me remind you...Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! Let me also remind you, moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue." I would rather lose with an extremist candidate than win with a moderate. Now there is some real 'Straight Talk' for you.