Random Political Thought Of The Day...
I am getting absolutely pissed off at my party...The Republican Party (gasp!).
The reason is John McCain. Several Republican pundits and commentators including Rush Limbaugh, Laura Ingrahm, and Ann Coulter have said they would either vote/campaign for Hillary Clinton over John McCain. Even though I'm a Republican I tend to lean moderate. When professed conservatives were winning all of the primaries or made up most of the primary field in the last few presidential elections they touted the "big tent" Republican Party that could contain the John McCains and the Rick Santorums of this world. We had an intellectual diversity and a respect for one another that rivaled the Democrats that seemed to "eat their own" through such organizations as MoveOn.org, Daily Kos, and other fringe/single issue groups. Sure, there were those Republicans out there for only narrow issues, but they tended to be out only during election years to promote their own causes - not to take down members of their own party.
(Editorial Note - I do realize that Republicans, sometimes deservedly, have a reputation for being extremely rough and tough general campaigners, and there might have even been some "dirty tricks" in the 2000 South Carolina Primary, but I've never seen this level of downright hatred for a Republican from other Republicans)
Now, I realize John McCain has his faults. First, and biggest for me, was McCain/Feingold. This really didn't do anything to help any of our campaign finance problems and created some big free speech concerns, but before lambasting McCain on this look at the intent this bill had. Is campaign finance a problem in our country - absolutely - and McCain took the lead on the issue in a bipartisan way - while the execution was poor the example was actually a good one of what politics should look like.
Secondly, and this is bigger for the Pat Buchanan wing of the Republican Party, is immigration reform. I'm of the opinion that the only way you fix the immigration problem in the country is the "comprehensive" solution that Republicans seem to hate. First, open up legal immigration and make the process less bureaucratically intensive for people wanting to simply become Americans, encourage (if not mandate) English classes and assimilation, find a path to citizenship for the people already here (because they aren't going away and while they're underground they cost more money - but no amnesty as that sets a bad example for people trying to come here the right way) and hammer the current illegal immigration by going after businesses who hire new illegals and beefing up the border. Conservatives merely want to deport the problem away - possibly the worst of all solutions because it doesn't help our neighbor to the south (who we need to be strong as the only long term solution to illegal immigration is a strong Mexico - think about it - do we have a problem of illegals from Canada?), and hurts the American economy at the same time. Not to mention the fact that a simple historical analysis of the backlash from other historical immigration booms put Republicans on the wrong side of this issue and the wrong side of history as those immigrants and their decedents form the backbone of the great America we have today.
Lastly is McCain's record of voting against the Bush tax cuts of 2001 and 2003. Wow, I wonder if anyone remembers the Republican Party that had a strong debate over whether to add a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution or have a modest tax cut that would keep the surplus we had at the time. Someone needs to remind the Republican Party that fiscal responsibility doesn't just mean tax cuts - fiscal responsibility means spending responsibly (I'm looking at you Uncle Ted), smart tax cuts that result in economic growth, and getting rid (not just paying down) the national debt. Republicans have been spending money like a freshman sorority girl at the Gap with her father's credit card and the one candidate that has been for real fiscal responsibility consistently in his career in Congress is getting lambasted for it.
Plus, for heaven sakes he is a war hero in a time of war going against the equivalent of a the rich kid trying to buy the student body election. Romney is a very nice man, and bless him for being a Republican that won is Massachusetts, but he simply can't hold a candle to McCain in terms of his record. Especially with this reinvention as a "true conservative" I just can't see him being the savior of conservatives of the Republican Party.
At the end of the day, however, that's what Romney is being touted as simply because McCain wasn't in lockstep with the same crazy conservative wing of the party that brought us the neocons, huge deficit spending, an election strategy that completely destroyed any credibility the Republicans had with the middle of the country, a party completely getting trounced on environmental issues, and most importantly - a party in the worst position to win an election since the Republican party after Herbert Hoover.
Maybe John McCain is exactly the man that wing of the party should be listening to...
Ok, I know that isn't as sexy as me making out with cougars, getting hit on by married people, getting set up with a local news anchor, going to gay bars, getting stalked, or any of the host of other things I've blogged about, but I just had to get these thoughts out somewhere...
Next up, back to the sexy times...
AirForceKush - aka - The Arctic Fox
The reason is John McCain. Several Republican pundits and commentators including Rush Limbaugh, Laura Ingrahm, and Ann Coulter have said they would either vote/campaign for Hillary Clinton over John McCain. Even though I'm a Republican I tend to lean moderate. When professed conservatives were winning all of the primaries or made up most of the primary field in the last few presidential elections they touted the "big tent" Republican Party that could contain the John McCains and the Rick Santorums of this world. We had an intellectual diversity and a respect for one another that rivaled the Democrats that seemed to "eat their own" through such organizations as MoveOn.org, Daily Kos, and other fringe/single issue groups. Sure, there were those Republicans out there for only narrow issues, but they tended to be out only during election years to promote their own causes - not to take down members of their own party.
(Editorial Note - I do realize that Republicans, sometimes deservedly, have a reputation for being extremely rough and tough general campaigners, and there might have even been some "dirty tricks" in the 2000 South Carolina Primary, but I've never seen this level of downright hatred for a Republican from other Republicans)
Now, I realize John McCain has his faults. First, and biggest for me, was McCain/Feingold. This really didn't do anything to help any of our campaign finance problems and created some big free speech concerns, but before lambasting McCain on this look at the intent this bill had. Is campaign finance a problem in our country - absolutely - and McCain took the lead on the issue in a bipartisan way - while the execution was poor the example was actually a good one of what politics should look like.
Secondly, and this is bigger for the Pat Buchanan wing of the Republican Party, is immigration reform. I'm of the opinion that the only way you fix the immigration problem in the country is the "comprehensive" solution that Republicans seem to hate. First, open up legal immigration and make the process less bureaucratically intensive for people wanting to simply become Americans, encourage (if not mandate) English classes and assimilation, find a path to citizenship for the people already here (because they aren't going away and while they're underground they cost more money - but no amnesty as that sets a bad example for people trying to come here the right way) and hammer the current illegal immigration by going after businesses who hire new illegals and beefing up the border. Conservatives merely want to deport the problem away - possibly the worst of all solutions because it doesn't help our neighbor to the south (who we need to be strong as the only long term solution to illegal immigration is a strong Mexico - think about it - do we have a problem of illegals from Canada?), and hurts the American economy at the same time. Not to mention the fact that a simple historical analysis of the backlash from other historical immigration booms put Republicans on the wrong side of this issue and the wrong side of history as those immigrants and their decedents form the backbone of the great America we have today.
Lastly is McCain's record of voting against the Bush tax cuts of 2001 and 2003. Wow, I wonder if anyone remembers the Republican Party that had a strong debate over whether to add a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution or have a modest tax cut that would keep the surplus we had at the time. Someone needs to remind the Republican Party that fiscal responsibility doesn't just mean tax cuts - fiscal responsibility means spending responsibly (I'm looking at you Uncle Ted), smart tax cuts that result in economic growth, and getting rid (not just paying down) the national debt. Republicans have been spending money like a freshman sorority girl at the Gap with her father's credit card and the one candidate that has been for real fiscal responsibility consistently in his career in Congress is getting lambasted for it.
Plus, for heaven sakes he is a war hero in a time of war going against the equivalent of a the rich kid trying to buy the student body election. Romney is a very nice man, and bless him for being a Republican that won is Massachusetts, but he simply can't hold a candle to McCain in terms of his record. Especially with this reinvention as a "true conservative" I just can't see him being the savior of conservatives of the Republican Party.
At the end of the day, however, that's what Romney is being touted as simply because McCain wasn't in lockstep with the same crazy conservative wing of the party that brought us the neocons, huge deficit spending, an election strategy that completely destroyed any credibility the Republicans had with the middle of the country, a party completely getting trounced on environmental issues, and most importantly - a party in the worst position to win an election since the Republican party after Herbert Hoover.
Maybe John McCain is exactly the man that wing of the party should be listening to...
Ok, I know that isn't as sexy as me making out with cougars, getting hit on by married people, getting set up with a local news anchor, going to gay bars, getting stalked, or any of the host of other things I've blogged about, but I just had to get these thoughts out somewhere...
Next up, back to the sexy times...
AirForceKush - aka - The Arctic Fox
I think that closing line is the single most awesome end to a blog post EVER. Kudos to you.
I figure since this was my name for the last one... we need less Republican talk, more "sexy" talk (if that's what you consider it).
What happened to Canadian chick?? Do tell.