Conservatives for McCain (if Necessary)
By Michael Patrick CarrollI confess to a significant degree of puzzlement over (some) conservative attitudes toward John McCain. Who would ever have thought that a staunch pro-lifer who understands the need for unequivocal victory over our enemies in war and who strongly supports Second Amendment rights would ever secure the blessing of The New York Times and the enmity of so many conservative commentators? Alice, please call your office; it’s through the looking glass time.
As I write this, I support the candidacy of Governor Mitt Romney. Executive experience – whether as Vice President, Governor (even of a backwater state such as Arkansas), Mayor of a big city, or a high ranking general – constitutes an important factor in a successful presidency, especially early on. Romney ran a fairly substantial state and, with obvious caveats, ran it well. I believe Romney to be the best qualified candidate.
But I would not be overly unhappy with McCain. As noted above, he’s been a long-time champion of the unborn. He paid a huge personal price to defend freedom and appreciates the dreadful consequences resulting from the weak-kneed defeatism of the Left. He supports the Second Amendment. And, if his present assertions of policy are to be accepted as heartfelt, he seems fairly conservative on most items.
Some commentators – quite properly – hold McCain’s profoundly anti-freedom views on political speech against him. Some – reasonably – question his temperament. Many strenuously object to his unsettling tendency to reach across the aisle seeking accord with the likes of Ted Kennedy, which – as with any Kennedy-influenced proposal – tends to produce bad results. They question his devotion to conservative principles, especially on economic matters, given that he repeatedly demonstrated ignorance of the seemingly self-evident benefits of a low taxes and economic freedom. And they react nervously when he spouts off with rhetoric which sounds just a tad too populist for comfort, especially when the "us" he purports to support includes many conservatives among the "them" he seems to oppose.
But why are conservatives will to forgive Romney his trespasses, but not McCain? If we take Romney at his word – that he now understands the fundamental value of innocent, unborn life and abjures things like forcing folks to purchase health insurance – why should we not take McCain’s campaign conversion seriously as well?
Consider: McCain once joined with Ted Kennedy to propose something akin to amnesty for illegal aliens. Now, stating that he "got the message", he proposes to secure the border and require a tamper-roof biometric identification system for employment. That’s essentially perfect: if people can’t work, they’ll go home.
McCain caught grief for his decision to join the "Gang of 14" which attempted to resolve the judicial nomination logjam by preventing filibusters absent compelling circumstances. But that got several top-flight Bush nominees confirmed and essentially precluded a Democratic filibuster of Alito, a seemingly sterling nominee. At the same time, it preserved the ability of Republicans – not bound by that rule – to oppose "living constitution" types appointed by (shudder) Hillary or Barack.
Once an apostate on tax cuts, McCain now promises to make the Bush tax cuts permanent, supports a proposal to require a 60% super-majority to increase taxes, and to repeal – entirely – the execrable Alternative Minimum Tax. McCain supports some measure of parental choice in education. As noted above, he’s a staunch supporter of the Second Amendment. He proposes to essentially wipe out earmarks.
And – appealing to this trekkie – McCain supports a vibrant space program.
In other words, what’s not to like?
Well, he’s wrong about drilling in ANWR – a misbegotten nowhere suitable only for oil drilling and blood-sucking insects – and about a profoundly silly "cap and trade" system of carbon emissions control. But no candidate’s ever perfect.
But, it seems to me, that much of conservative animosity to McCain rests on his belligerent style. He seems to enjoy being a curmudgeon and, alas, seems, on occasion, to actually care what The New York Times thinks about him. He’s possessed of something of an acid tongue, which might better be kept in check. He’s employed some very unfortunate rhetoric in the past, when "plain speaking" and "foolish speaking" went hand in hand.
THIS conservative is certainly willing to take McCain at his present word. When I consider his record and his present policy positions, I find much more to like than to opposes.
Make no mistake: I’m about to cast a ballot for Mitt Romney and believe that, of the candidates running, he offers the best chance for a great presidency. But if McCain wins the nomination, I will enthusiastically support him, and not merely because any Republican who stands between Hillary or Barack and the White House deserves unreserved support. But because, although not without flaws – who amongst us will cast THAT stone? – McCain presents, on balance, a good, solid, conservative vision for America.
Contributors
Wally Edge
Governor Jon Corzine might help himself get re-elected by taking on state employees with a call to give back a 3.5% raise next year and possibly ... >
Bob Torricelli
There's nothing more difficult to see than the history before your eyes. It sometimes takes generations to understand the significance of ... >
Michael Patrick Carroll
OK, he didn't say precisely that, but when the Chairman of the Budget Committee informs us that governmental spending is the key to prosperity, ... >
Debbie Holtz
The Star Ledger got it right last April when it gave a thumb's-up to the NJN management plan to wean “the state's only public ... >
Steve Lonegan
The sub prime mortgage melt down and its ensuing financial “crisis” has tested the mettle of all of us who believe in and support the free ... >
Dr. Joseph Marbach
I am pleased to report the results from the first national poll conducted by Environmental Studies Program in the College of Arts and Sciences at ... >
Rob Tornoe
To view a larger version of this cartoon, click here. >
Michael P. Riccards
The media, which loves headlines and knows little history, is trying to sell President Elect Obama as another Franklin Delano Roosevelt. But that ... >
Joey Novick
Whenever I get the chance to visit my parents in Florida when working a comedy gig down there, it’s like living in a “Seinfeld” episode. They ... >
Juan Melli
In an election year driven by a hemorrhaging economy and an electorate hungry for an end to divisive politics, 7th Congressional District candidate ... >
Carla Katz
A couple of weeks ago, my mother, Angelina Katz, did her second debate on behalf of Barack Obama. A debate? My mother? If you knew her, you’d be ... >
Patricia Quattrocchi
A press release on the official Union County web site admittedly made me snicker just a bit today because it brought back to mind something my late ... >
Poll
PolitickerNJ Partners
Hot Topics
| Politicker INTERACTIVE | |
 |
Lawmaker Profile Follow the funding of your representatives |
 |
270 to Win See how Obama got to the magic number |
Most Active Stories
- Bramnick backs Christie for governor; urges GOP to use Lance as a model
- Christie to resign effective Dec. 1
- Pennacchio calls on GOP state chairman to resign
- Bryant guilty on all counts
- Lonegan gubernatorial announcement coming next month
- Spadea: Crowley decision won't hinge on Christie's plans
- Wilson not certain whether he’ll stay on as GOP State Chairman after June
- Governor reacts to Christie news
- Quinnipiac: Corzine 42%, Christie 36%
- Merkt calls for Wilson's resignation
- Correction: Weiner departure was not his own idea
- Torricelli on COAH
- Two N.J. super delegates go to Obama; Norcross backs Obama; key Clinton supporters endorse Obama
- At energy policy meeting, Rose fights with cabinet and walks away
- Sixteen Democrats are on Norcross' short list for Andrews House seat
- Roughneen in court today on signature challenge
- Jackson will be Corzine's new Chief of Staff
- New Jersey's Most Powerful Law Firms
- Jersey City councilman makes it rain in Washington
- Torricelli on deer hunting
Recent Posts From Inside Edge
Quote of the Day
"Those who hold the power and corrupt the power are the ones that we're after. You know in Hudson County, is it shocking to know that most of the people we've indicted and convicted were Democrats? A Hudson County Republican would love to be indicted. It would show they were relevant." -- U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie, on WGBO, "the world's premier jazz radio station."
Recent Press Releases
In the News
Read the expanded Wake Up Call, our summary of today’s news media coverage.
Today’s Must Reads:
Christie's legcy― THE BERGEN RECORD
Corzine for Treasury? Don't Bet on It.― WASHINGTON POST
Immigrants still in New Jersey― THE BERGEN RECORD
Now it's the Dems' chance to be dumb― PAUL MULSHINE
Corzine likely to go nowhere― THE DAILY RECORD
SILENT ON CHARGE; LIPSKI TELLS OF ALCOHOL BATTLE― STEVEN LIPSKI
Reclaiming the narrative of an enlightened nation ― CORY BOOKER
Syndicate
Has Nothing to Do with His Attitude
Feingold , Kennedy etc - He has slept with the enemy - Nobody belives or trusts him. We've been betrayed.
He's a conservative's "fools gold" Looks good until you scratch the surface.
Sleeping with the enemy
And I guess Bush didn't do the same thing when he schmoozed Teddy K as he pushed the most expensive, utterly unproductive federal educational plan in the history of Western Civilization? I think it was called the no dime left unspent or child left behind act. Somethiing like that.
Then you have good ol' Mitt, the king of 50 buck abortions. His mandatory health care monolith was a testament to just how far a Republican is willing to bend over to compromise core conservative values in order to placate Dems.
People don't like McCain because they allow their world views to be shaped far too much by the Limbaughs and Coulters of the world. Here's a hint for you Limbaugh lovers - Rush is an entertainer. He has said this repeatedly. He is extremely talented. He is also morally challenged to the point that his lifestyle would make Caligula blush.
This excellent role model for the youth of America is a college drop-out, declared bankruptcy rather than honestly pay off his debts, has been married three times, got hooked on prescription drugs, takes "fishing trips" with his buddies to the islands loaded up with Viagra (I wonder what el-Rushbo was fishing for - I can only imagine), never served in the military, and never served in public office. What he has done is get mega-rich by pimping a conservative agenda that his personal life and deeds completely belies. Like most talk show heroes, conservatism is a commodity, not a matter of character.
As for Coulter, little miss strange actually dated Bill Maher once upon a time. Enough said.
Carroll is dead on in his assessment. While I support another candidate, I would fight like hell to keep Hillary out of the Oval Office and elect McCain. Anyone who says there's no difference between these two needs to put down the crack pipe and read their ratings issue by issue according to reputable conservative organizations. It's been a long time since I went to grad school, but I still think a C+ is better than an F-.
Real True Conservatives for McCain ?
Late Breaking News to YOU:
There aren’t any………..- long-time champion of the unborn
- huge personal price to defend freedom
BullS_ _ _ !!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Gang of Fourteen the worst piece of GARBAGE of representatives that this country has had since the dark day's prior to WWI & II.
So have MILLIONS of others but they aren’t here to tell about it, except only on the Wall……………………
And yet he sleeps and supports the Socialist Pigs.
You a Liar and you know it. – Here is some quotes from a 2006 news article -
“McCain has a very big problem with the pro-gun vote. They think he's a weasel and a turncoat”.
"McCain's "gun problem" stems from two issues: his successful campaign to enact the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform package and his failed Congressional efforts to regulate all sales at gun shows (conducted in a high-profile partnership with Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman and backed by a group called Americans for Gun Safety".
My only comment is that you have to live with yourself.
Yeah, McCain is so terrible,
Yeah, McCain is so terrible, I think I'll vote for Mitt Romney, a flip-flooping, left of Kennedy, "lifetime member of the NRA", Ronald Reagan wannabe.
Hope his magic underwear survived last night!
Conservatives for McCain - NOT
That’s right the answer is “ZERO For All”
I on the other hand, as a true Republican - Christian - Conservative will sit this one out in November and let the rest of you suffer with the results and hope YOU ALL FEEL THE PAIN down to your boot straps for FOUR LONG YEARS because you deserve it…………………
Mad Max
Ever consider switching to decaf?
Neither Necessary Nor Proper
Good thing it's not necessary, Mike. Nor is it proper to ask any limited-government, constitutionalist GOPer to support liberal, big-government, Joystick/Neoconnutjob bigot John for POTUS.
If Joystick John wants limited-government conservatives (sorry for the redundancy, but the Bush presidency has made this qualification necessary) to back him, he's going to have to be one of us . . . and he just isn't, I don't care how you spin it.
John is a big-government liberal in the wrong party. A vote for John is a vote for AIPAC and Joe Lieberman (you remember him, don't you?).
If I wanted to support a big-government liberal, I'd support Hillary or Obama. At least they're consistent and believable.
MadMax EXPOSED!!!
"Your name say's it all - Go for it Kate
Your Mom did and I was proud to support."
Posted by MadMax in SUPPORT of BOTH Christie and Kate Whitman.
MadMax is NOT a conservative!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No CONSERVATIVE would ever be PROUD to have supported Christie Whitman, let alone her completely unqualified spawn.
Tell me Max, how does it feel to be de-pantsed publicly as the biggest hypocrite on this site? You are a bad joke and should never claim the mantle of conservatism again, lest I again hang this quote around your neck.
Professing to detest McCain while kissing the former Governess's backside (not to mention her progeny) is like claiming to be a vegetarian while chowing down at the Sizzler's all you can eat baby back ribs night. Chew on your duplicity and remember to swallow hard Maxxy boy!!! As far as comparative ideology goes, Whitman makes McCain look like Pat Buchanan.
And speaking of having to live with McCain, we're all still living under the cloud of the Whitman legacy. You remember Max ... her pension bond shell game that put our state billions in a hole ... allowed the Dems to recapture state government by running as the party of fiscal restraint. Then when the going got tough, she ran away to DC to hide ftom the repercussions of her actions and left those of us in the NJGOP to clean up her mess.
As the title states - MadMax has been EXPOSED!!!
MadMax and TheBullhorn
MadMax, your brand of conservativism died with this presidency. No voter is going to trust it again for a very long time, you probably won't live to see the day of its reemergence since you are undoubtedly older than dirt. Do the nursing home attendants know the havoc you wreak on this board from the Day Room computer? Don't choke on your room temperature gruel and welcome to 2008.
TheBullhorn: Ron Paul lost. Get over it.
Both of you: Stop getting your talking points from pill popping AM DJs and pandering Ann Coulter rags. You're embarassing yourselves.
No favorite of mine
You can only lose if you were ever actually allowed to contend. The MSM dropped Ron down a dark hole about four (4) days before the Iowa caucuses. A virtual media blackout (with the exception of some libel and slander) against Ron Paul.
Now that Romney is gone and $50 million dollars poorer for all his flip-flopping, duplicity, lies and deceit (ah, there IS SOME JUSTICE, AFER ALL), let's see what Joystick John (the darling of the MSM) can do against Huckleboob. Romney really lost . . . I doubt he'll ever get over it.
Ron Paul will probably hang in there because he feels it necessary that a true conservative constitutionalist stay in the race and allow the resmainer of the GOP an opportunity to vote against Joe Lieberman (again) and in favor of a Republican in the remainder of the primaries. I'm guessing that he'll do it just so that the GOP can save face (not that it really has much left to save).
Thanks Chicken Little
In spite of your claims of uncompromising conservativism, I am sure I'm not the only one who sees what you have in common with Al Gore: A penchant for alarmist BS.
Hey!! TheBullS_ _ _
Obviously, by your Lack of Intelligence and Stupidity, if you think this “conservativism died with this presidency” was Conservativism then you are dumber than dirt but I suspect it is less than that.
Or maybe you’re just a product of this great state’s educational system, less a few extra marbles, and I will be here in this state just long enough to collect my money that your tax dollars will be paying me for the REST OF MY LIFE and that will be for a LONG – LONG - LONG – LONG - LONG time, tells you something of my age HUH!! You MORON.
Stop reading from the script because I know you can’t read so you accept all the spoon fed cow manure that is given to you to believe, so you can’t possibly even remember or know how the so called Pension money scenario went, only what the SOCIALIST PIGS, CRIME RIDDEN, UNAMERICAN COWARDS called the DEMOCRAT PARTY want you to believe, so to HELL with you and them.
And now for Ron ”Wack Job” Paul, he was not even the person I was supporting, much less than that, I don’t give a Damm what you think nor do I care.
Wow.
I'm not a product of this states edumacational system. Considering a statement like "Stop reading from the script because I know you can't read" it is obvious that you are a fellow Exeter grad. After all, what is easier than stopping what I already can not do. Trust me Max, we have already been paying for you for a very long time because you are what is referred to as a "ward of the state". Can you say ward? I know it is hard since you have to use your mouth to breathe too, but just give it a shot. In closing, it's pretty typical for people who don't care what I say to read what I write and then take the time to respond. Maybe if you spent less time "not caring" on this board you could better concentrate on not burning my fries.
I may disagree with TheBullhorn (who you took an unwarranted shot at, probably mistaking him for me. But hey, whiskey will do that to ya) but at least he makes sound arguments. Somebody get this guy a bib. I am actually embarassed for him.
BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH!
BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH!
That’s right you'll need the BIB to go with your choking while you just keep paying and paying and paying and paying and paying -
That's your kids paying and paying and paying and paying and paying
You Grand Kids paying and paying and paying and paying and paying.
And I Still Will Be..............Receiving and Receiving and Receiving and Receiving and Receiving and Receiving FOREVER.
"I'm Laughing On The Outside All The Way To The Bank You Losers "
And Oh by the way, don't try and find me, as I will be in warm climate Sipping Cool Drinks and Sunning on my Cruiser getting sun tan thanks to you and you kids and you grand kids as you keep paying and paying and paying and paying…………….
It doesn't sound like your
It doesn't sound like your the product of any educational system at all. They should really make people take breathalizers before posting on here.
BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH!
BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH!
BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH!
BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH!
BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH!
BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH!
Listen up.
We can all learn a lot from this person.
What we learn from Mad Max...
If you drink coffee, switch to decaf or you'll end up like him.