Topic: Presidential Campaign 2008
McCain and the Fall of the Old Right Why McCain is dangerous for the conservative movementby Christopher Espinal
(Conservative)
Friday, February 1, 2008
I liked George Bush when he ran in 2000. He really had this interesting libertarian-conservative position on the world. Bush asked for Barry Goldwater Jr's endorsement when he ran in 2000. "I'm not like my father, I'm more of a Barry Goldwater" was the line that Goldwater Jr. repeated at a discussion sponsored by the Cato Institute several years ago. Mr. Conservative's son showed much contempt for the fallacious old-right winger while speaking in front of scholars at the libertarian think-tank.
Times moved on and the neoconservatives finally gained traction within the Republican Party during Bush's administration. These economic moderates and Wilsonian foreign policy advocates, unfortunately for some, are here to stay. You may ask why.
The man that ensures the survival of the new republican sect in this Presidential Race, for so long sought the approval of the most notorious conservative member of politics. Goldwater, a straight talker, never had much use for this man also called a straight talker. In matter of fact, this man wrote about his longing desire to be appreciated by Goldwater. Unfortunately for his self-confidence, he could never grasp an understanding of Mr. Conservative's requisites.
John McCain, of all the republicans running for President, has decidedly, by the mainstream media, become the front runner. By the standards of most conservatives today, this man just isn't good enough to preserve the Grand Ole Party's spirit.
Ann Coulter claimed on Hannity & Colmes she will vote for Hillary Clinton if it comes down between Clinton and McCain. Rush Limbaugh, the cigar-aficionado conservative icon, had this to say about McCain's so called scary uprising: The Republican establishment, which has long sought to rid the party of conservative influence since Reagan, is feeling a victory today as well as our friends in the media. Bob Novak, another important conservative journalist who is the most resembling of the old right, questions McCain's conservatism referring to his opposition to the appointment of Originalist Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito.
Some people would say that these media personalities shouldn't represent the idea of conservatism to the American public. Let's take a look at the experts on interpreting voting records of Mr. McCain to decide whether or not conservative criticism is justified.
Before I move on, why should we follow what these interest groups have to say about issues? These special interest groups are very well researched and have a rather developed understanding of the issues. If one specializes on a topic they probably have good judgement on the issues.
John McCain's rankings on Issues Conservatives Care About:
Abortion:
National Right to Life: 75% = Mixed Voting Record
Business:
US Chamber of Commerce: 61% = Mixed Voting Record
Family Values:
Christian Coalition: 83 % = Pro-Family Voting Record
Free Trade:
Cato Institute: 100% = Pro ? Free Trade Voting Record
Immigration and Borders:
US Border Security: 18% = Open Border Patrol
Separation of Church and State:
American Union (Progressive Separation Advocates) = 33%
Taxes:
Citizens for Tax Justice (Progressive Tax Advocates) = 50%
National Taxpayers Union = 72%
There weren't any rankings for issues on School Choice but the Club For Growth, who characterized McCain as being "No Supply-Sider," say that he has an impressive record on voting for parents' right to choose the best schools for their children.
People looking at McCain's extremely moderate voting records for the first time with no knowledge of his selected party, may confuse him for a democrat. Although on social issues Barry Goldwater held libertarian positions, I could certainly understand why he neglected his successors' desire for attention. McCain's outspokenness, consisting of many lies and outspokenness for conservatism, while voting like a liberal, should signal to those who care about conservatism that this man has fallen astray from the conservative vector. Now, I just might understand Mr. Conservative's unwillingness to demonstrate appreciation to this not-so-conservative politician.
Linda Chavez, columnist for Townhall.com, characterized McCain as one who has a vision for the Republican Party and a dedication to accomplish his goals. These qualities lead her to positively correlate his ideas with that of Ronald Reagan. McCain and Reagan certainly demonstrate persistence, but persistence to completely opposite goals.
Although Rush and Coulter believe that McCain has not an authentic conservative blood cell in his body, he shouldn't bare the full thrust of anger. George Bush constructed McCain's revolutionary candidacy. They have such close ties and similarities in policy that would make McCain a carbon copy of the current president. Bush had the resources and support at the beginning of his presidential career to downsize government Reagan-Goldwater style. For God sakes the man had a Republican Congress. Yet, instead of eliminating the unconstitutional Department of Education, he expanded its functions and spending. Oh yes, he did much more than the Department of Education. Reagan far surpassed Bush in downsizing government with a democratically controlled congress, which was still too little for many conservatives.
Bush still has the support of many conservatives, but even they have to admit that mainstream Republicans are trying to shift the party from a Reaganesque influence, to one of a more active government. For the small government folks, or those who believe in the original intent of the founding fathers, I'm sorry to say that McCain sympathizes with the latter school of thought.
However, people love novelty and an evolution of ideas for the better. Unfortunately for those who love handouts, government control stifles just that. If Republicans officially become a party of big government conservatives, or closet anti-constitutionalists, kiss bye-bye to the original intent: Democratic Socialism just arrived.
Interesting Rebuttals:
Republicans need to keep their eye on the ball.Link to Mike Gallagher's Article.
You're damn right they do! They need to make sure that John McCain doesn't get that nomination. If McCain get's the presidency, which I believe he can against Hillary, there's no chance for Conservatives to have any impact on the future. People love gifts (like social and corporate welfare) and we need to make sure that conservatives serve as the voting block that counter liberals, not vote with liberals. The best and most responsible governments happen when opposing parties are in control of the presidency and congress. Not when two parties that entirely agree with each other can cooperate to make disastrous policies. Reverse this McInsanian movement.
He wants to cut spending. He's a real deal conservative!Link to McCain on cutting spending on an MTV forum.
He voted for massive spending in Washington. Ex: Federal Funding for Stem Cell Research, No Child Left Behind, a load of other junk. He even wanted to expand the most inefficient bureaucracy with no chance of success: FEMA. Here is the link to his "uniting" mumbo jumbo.
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2008 Christopher Espinal, all rights reserved.
Published: Friday, February 1, 2008
Last modified: Friday, March 28, 2008
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People looking at McCain's extremely moderate voting records for the first time with no knowledge of his selected party, may confuse him for a democrat.
The ratings you yourself put in your article show how untrue this statement is. He has a 100% rating from Cato on free trade, 72% from the NTU. Those are GOOD numbers on economic issues.
McCain is a traditional Republican. He's not a neocon or a theocon or a religious right ideologue who snuck over from the democratic party. If Coulter and Limbaugh both reject him, that's a GOOD thing, because they are part of what's been wrong with the GOP for decades.
Posted By: Christopher Espinal
Date: 2008-02-02 04:32:34
72% on NTU is a moderate voting record for a republican. 100% on free trade means nothing. Democrats vote positively on free trade! Bill Clinton gave, what many economists called, the largest tax cut in history, by making free trade agreements with China. Does that make him conservative? Well, if you use free trade as an indicator for conservatism. Bill Clinton had an excellent history for free trade. http://www.ontheissues.org/Bill_Clinton.htm
Coulter, maybe a bad thing for conservatism but if you listen to Rush, he is actually a very good and rational conservative. He understands the issues. McCain is no traditional republican. He voted against tax cuts which helped the economy and doesn't understand the economy. He recieved an okay rating from a liberal tax organization as shown in my section of McCain rankings. Yeah, when you have liberal organizations that have good things to say about conservatives on taxes, they are moderates on taxes, not traditional republicans!
Dave, libertarian Republicans will reject him, as well. It's not so much his voting record that's the problem. It's more his image. He's tired, old and grey. Precisely opposite of what we need for the GOP. We need a more hip libertarian-type Republican Party. Sarah Palin, Mark Sanford, Butch Otter, David Dreier. We don't need 72 year old guys as our Presidential Nominee. We tried that with Dole in '96 and it was a disassaster.
Posted By: Christopher Espinal
Date: 2008-02-02 13:44:36
I think eric forgot how old Ronald Reagan was as President. He was pretty damn old and did a fine job. Yes, his voting record matters. The fact that he lies about his conservatism is one thing, but the fact that he votes like a moderate Democrat is a whole different issue. If you want to assess someones voting habits, you always look to their voting records.
My two-cents worth (or in today's dollar 1/4 cent worth): McCain represents a spread of our empire. He is the darling of the military industrial complex and will keep us involved in the global world as the strong arm. He supports amnesty and gives no care if we formed the NAU in a march toward gloablization as long as we are the military power in that movement. He proved the other night what a skillful politician he is as well as how stubborn he is even in the face of facts. He is a typical, "Don't bother me with facts I've made my mind up," kind of guy.
His way of answering tough questions is now set, we have all seen and heard him enough. "I'm very proud of my record on 'any topic' and I've been a foot soldier for over 22 years. If I was not strong on 'any topic' X wouldn't have endorsed me, Y wouldn't have endorsed me, Z wouldn't have endorsed me. I'm just delivering a little straight-talk to the people."
He's a danger to all our grand children's future. If he is the nominee he will not win and he will splinter the party even further. Yet, he's the darling of the day, the sacraficial lamb of choice. McCain is simply wrong to lead us unless we want to be further led down the path toward a corporatocracy and world unionization, then he's the man to take us there by the most direct path, IMHO.
There are many who believe we are more than a nation, we are an empire. Although the below link is not meant as a definitive expert on the site it does discuss some of the concepts. Keep in mind, it is wikipedia;
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2008 Christopher Espinal, all rights reserved.