McCain on offshore drilling: For it before he was against it before he was for it again; Update: McCain’s astounding flip-flop on windfall profits tax, plus a new global warming alarmist ad
Scroll down for updates…McCain now bashing Obama on windfall profits tax, releases new global warming alarmist ad, Dems support nationalizing oil industry…
Just a recap: McCain was AWOL on the windfall profits tax debate in the Senate (a failed Carter relic that he says he’d be “glad to look at”). He had nothing to say about Rep. John Peterson’s effort to lift the offshore drilling ban when it was up for a vote last week. And as I noted back on May 22, he has channeled the entire Democrat presidential field’s class warfare rhetoric and repeatedly referred to the oil industry’s “obscene profits.”
Now, he’s announced he wants to lift the offshore drilling moratorium and will give an energy speech tomorrow. He was for it before he was against it before he was for it again. Positively Kerryesque:
With the price of gasoline surging past $4 a gallon in many parts of the country, Senator John McCain called today for the lifting of the federal moratorium on offshore oil drilling for states that want to permit it.
He said that he also favors giving states incentives to allow exploration, part of an energy proposal that he said would be “very helpful in the short term for resolving our energy crisis.”
Mr. McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, said the impact of high fuel prices was hitting Americans, not only at the pump, but also in the form of rising food prices and threats of inflation.
“We must embark on a national mission to eliminate our dependence on foreign oil and reduce greenhouse gases through the development of alternate energy sources,” Mr. McCain said, adding that he continues to support a summer gas tax holiday.
Mr. McCain has a mixed record on the issue in the Senate. In 2001 and 2006, he voted in favor of offshore oil drilling in Florida, but in 2003 he voted against it in Florida and other states. Mr. McCain has consistently opposed drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Oh, and if you thought for a moment that McCain might back off his Hillary/Edwards/Obama-esque bashing of profits, think again:
McCain is set to give a speech about energy to oil executives in Houston Tuesday, where he is expected to chide the industry for the huge profits they have made during a tough time for gasoline consumers.
Flashback: Reagan vs. McCain on profits, business, and the free market
***
Update: More speech preview here.
Update: McCain supporters say I should give credit to McCain for changing his mind.
Well, I certainly give him credit for whiplash-inducing political expediency.
Via Allah comes word that McCain is now bashing Obama on the failed windfall profits tax.
I remind you again of what McCain was telling voters about it less than a month ago.
Transcript:
MCCAIN: “Um, I don’t like obscene profits being made anywhere–and I’d be glad to look not just at the windfall profits tax–that’s not what bothers me–but we should look at any incentives that we are giving to people, that or industries or corporations that are distorting the market.”
Straight Talk Express, meet Google and the Internets.
McCain’s also got a new global warming alarmist ad out now, bragging about how he “stood up to the President and sounded the alarm on global warming.” This screen shot says it all:
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Trackbacks
- If This is Monday, John McCain’s Energy Policy Has Probably Changed | The Sundries Shack
- Monday Links : Stop The ACLU
- Don Surber » Blog Archive » It’s the oil, stupid
- John McCain = Disaster | The TIW Blog
- Neocon News » McCain: Our only hope for cheaper gas or is he just full of the stuff?
- McCain Is All Over The Place On Offshore Drilling « Beltway Snark
- Does He Mean it? | The Hinge Of Fate
- Hot Air » Blog Archive » Rasmussen: Plurality of Democrats support … nationalizing America’s oil industry
- Orange Punch » Blog Archive » Malkin documents McCain’s drilling flip-flops - OCRegister.com
- Born Again Oil Man: John “spud” McCain–Praise The Lord and Start Drilling « Pronk Palisades
- Pro Cynic
- EckerNet.Com » Blog Archive » For Crist’s Sake Why??
- The Dan Lee Report » Blog Archive » Democrats stall for time on your dime with Offshore Oil Drilling Bill
- Left Flank: Yet More Political Nonsense about Drilling
- Michelle Malkin » Obama, Paris, Britney, and Brangelina
- Michelle Malkin » Rock the House: What should Republicans do now?
- What did I tell ya? Lindsey Graham signs on to cap-and-tax « In Thru The Out Door
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Categories: Enviro-nitwits, John McCain
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Since you seem unable to read even the things you quote, let me reiterate and explain the word “most”. It means more than half, but not everything. Abortion, in case you hadn’t noticed, has not been an issue in this campaign. If it were, it would be an issue of judicial appointments. Or maybe you’ve missed the last 30 years of debate. Since McCain has recently expressed approval of judges like Ginsburg and reservations about judges like Alito, you can expect that his nominations, despite any promises to the contrary, will be closer to the former than the latter, in which case his personal approval or disapproval of abortion is moot. Likewise, his support or non-support of the war in Iraq is essentially irrelevant, because neither he nor Obama is going to be responsible for pulling out troops and leaving the area to chaos for which they would have to answer in four years.
I don’t care if McCain was your first or fifty-first choice. He is your choice, and your language definitely puts you in the category of McCainiac. I reiterate. If you want to vote for McCain, that’s your right. It is also my right to abstain.
It would appear that the division in the ranks of Republicans between the “moderate” and neocon wing and the conservatives is deepening. It would not surprise me that this is the last election in which the Republican Party is a factor.
Likewise, I’m sure.
Ahem – Order in the sandbox.
As I am guilty of expanding the scope of this thread – with the help of a few others, I would like to ask we get back on topic and off the attacks.
The murder of unborn children IS ALWAYS a issue in America. In case you have not noticed, there are many organizations who work to reverse Roe v. Wade, and you must have been sleeping for the past 30 years if you think it is over.
Thomas Jefferson said that it is “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”, which are inherent rights of all people. If we cannot protect the right to life for the smallest and most vulnerable members of our society, then we have lost the way. Apparently, you don’t care about that. Why are you here, anyway? If abortion is not an issue, then what is? If we Americans have lost the ability to see that if we do not protect “life”, then we have NOTHING ELSE TO PROTECT. Life is first and foremost.
And your insistence on calling me a McCainiac is just your being an asshole. So I will continue to call you one if you want to play that game.
Yes, and the barbarians have invaded conservatism with their callous indifference to the deaths of millions of babies in this country.
Shame.
Anybody think John Kerry might launch his own Swift-boat to attack McCain’s adoption of his last campaign’s flip-flopping?
If the feds are going to give states a say-so in how land 50 miles off of their border is handled can we have some of that here in Washington?
Vancouver Island has has really nice parks that we could use.
atheling
it is indeed a shame.
he’s a McCainiac, McCAINiac for sure..
and he’s talking straight like he’s never talked before..
Okay.. got that off my chest..
Maverick is a clown talking about Anwar is a pristine wilderness.. not sure if he’s seen what a Tundra is..
as for the off shore drilling.. I think He will embrace that as far as the election then drop it.. if anything to show a difference between him and BHO.. because there isn’t much of one at this moment..
Actually abortion is about property rights. The fetus is, by current law, the property of the mother to do with as she sees fit.
But this isn’t germane to the current thread topic. I believe that the changing positions of Senator McCain indicate a willingness to do whatever is necessary in order to become the figurehead of the government. In that regard he isn’t much different than Senator Obama. Campaign promises during an election year do not necessarily reflect actual performance in the oval office.
# 100 atheling
You are so right on!
If a conservative candidate would have the nerve to declare an
Emmancipation Proclimation for the Unborn:I could guarantee that that person would win.
Which is the point I was trying to make about judges. McCain’s promise to appoint conservatives runs aground on the reef of his professed admiration for Ginsburg, not to mention his “gang of 14″ gambit that cost us many more conservative jurists. And as long as the left controls the courts, the debate about abortion is moot, because no ban will pass their version of constitutional muster. It continues to amaze, and to some degree dismay me that those who profess to be pro-life are willing to compromise their beliefs to back a candidate of either party who will not advance that belief.
A thorough misinterpretation of my post, and a misunderstanding of my position on abortion, unsurprisingly, since analysis doesn’t appear to be your strong suit. You do have a way with insults, though you tend to be repetitive.
One of the issues I see advanced on this thread is the issue of voting vs. not voting.
I am coming to believe that the underlying issue is the endorsement of support of a failed system vs. support of the individual freedom.
REALLY leaning toward not giving my personal endorsment of the game that’s in play by Washington, D.C.
Pardon me…”support rather than endorsement”
McCain’s campaign is adrift. He cannot be taken seriously now, if he ever could. His record says all that we need to know. Same for Obama. Yes, either will say anything to get elected, but Obama’s bulljive goes down smoother, which is why he will win.
It’s interesting to me that while McCain has been such an effective candidate when it comes to running against Republicans, particularly conservative ones, he is utterly lost when it comes to running against democrats. Obviously, the man does not like running against his own kind (if you pardon the expression — am I a racist for saying that?). What else is there to say?
I’m still voting for McCain.
Obamaboy said:
I think I understood quite well what you said. Abortion is an issue, despite your cavalier dismissal of it.
Don’t vote for McCain. Sit on your hands and let Obama win. And for the next four years, I will blame you and the other obamaboys who supported him indirectly.
My conscience will be clear for voting for the man who does not believe in killing the unborn.
So was Dred Scott. Still think of blacks as property, Tom?
lol..so now I’m a racist?
I am amazed that so many of you haven’t figured out that if we do not elect McCain then we are going to have Obama.
Say good by to our status as superpower and say hello to capitulation to islamist terrorists.
Ill take McCain, who has demonstrated that he loves the United States over Obama who has demonstrated that he resents it.
That is the choice. That is the ONLY choice at this point. We need to get on the same team here or the consequences will be catastrophic.
Ya know, Atheling?
I am the single parent of two teen-age daughters.
My personal abortion stance is that it is wrong….not only in relationship as to what my daughters MIGHT do….but also as far as to what my daughters CAN do. My ex-wife terminated a pregnancy without asking me before we were married and I will always wonder as to who that person might have been.
So frankly…piss off..
the current Roe vs. Wade standard IS about whether or not the fetus has rights inherent to itself..and my personal opinion is that according to Roe V Wade it doesn’t..
That doesn’t mean I agree with it..or that I endorse it’s supposition where my daughters are concerned…
but the legal stance is that the fetus is property of the mother…
and your supposition and , might I add, your failed attempt to tar me with a racist brush…..doesn’t count.
My daughters have always been introduced to other alternatives
And your knee-jerk reaction merely reinforces what I teach my daughters….that they need to ignore influence from absolutists….
How dare you equate my stance with racism.
If you can’t figure out that honest disagreement as per individualism as opposed to the values of herdthink is valid?
Then I have to reject your opinions as just the staus quo…
Pardon me….I meant to say “Status quo”
I guess the oceans are not “pristine” areas like the frozen tundra – maybe because fish crap in the ocean. Same reason WC Fields claimed he drank alcohol instead of water.
You’re wasting your time. He’s fairly representative of a small group of self-described reluctant McCain supporters who will go to any lengths to justify themselves. I think it derives from a guilty knowledge that they’re sleeping with the enemy and the frustration that comes from knowing they lack the intestinal fortitude to just say no. There is no logical or reasonable argument that will change them, because they have built a wall of self-justification that can’t be scaled by mere common sense. His inability to admit, even to himself, that he is unable to square his own personal principles with his support for a man who denies those principles drives him to hysterical rants and name-calling instead of reasoned debate.
And too many of you pragmatists haven’t figured out that McCain will be at least as much of a disaster as Obama, except that Republicans (more precisely conservatives) will be blamed for the ensuing debacle. You also don’t seem to realize that conservatives made more gains under the presidency of Bill Clinton than they did under either of the Bushes. Be that as it may be, I still say that if you want to vote McCain, fine with me. But note that McCain has pursued a deliberate strategy of campaigning for independent and Clinton Democrat voters, and ignoring or dismissing conservatives. He won’t be able to change that later, even if he were so inclined, which given his history, I think is fantasy. And finally, if he loses the election, it will be because of his own and his campaign’s failings and faults, and not any fault of mine or those like me. After all, he’s not seeking our votes.
There are a number of things I disagree with McCain on. But, the reality is that there are going to be two Presidential candidates in November… John McCain and Mr. Marxist arugala. Which do you think stands a better chance of protecting this country from Islamofacists? Which candidate do you think we as conservatives have a better chance of pressuring? Obviously the answer to those questions is McCain, because Obama doesn’t give a tinkers damn what conservatives want. McCain — to an extent — has to in order to get elected or re-elected.
That being said, if we stay home and don’t vote in November, or write in a candidate, or vote for a third party… that’s a vote for Obama. And, I can’t live with that.
Jim C
That seems to be the spin that is being eaten up by some of you. I can guarantee that little gem was thought up at the DNC.
Firstly, Obama is no Clinton, he is a hard core socialist that is going to institute ruinous entitlement programs that you are going to never be able to take away. Secondly, by your logic the best that republicans can do is to lose elections…. Again, that “reasoning” probably originated at the DNC.
Presumably someone with a 95% conservative voting record should be able to count on conservatives during an election.
It will be because “conservatives” have embraced a decidedly un-conservative idea that simply voting is the end of their responsibilities toward government. It seems that many here want a “conservative” version of a nanny state that does their bidding unquestioningly. The other side isn’t taking ANYTHING for granted. Republicans need to get off their rears and help elect someone who we can at least work with. Is that person Obama? Hell no.
Pay attention. McCain doesn’t give a tinker’s damn what conservatives want either – that’s why he’s been sticking his finger in our eye for the last 7 years. Conservatives have no more influence with McCain than with Obama, and I guarantee you conservatives will be his whipping boy every time he needs to shift blame from himself – never the left. That’s his pattern, and he won’t change.
You don’t have any choice. You have one vote, so do I. You can use yours as you see fit, and so will I. You will act according to your conscience and so will I.
I challenge you to produce the source of this claim.
You mean like a prescription drug benefit?
No, by my logic the best Republicans can do is nominate conservatives.
I won’t bother with the rest of your post. It’s just as misguided as the quotes above.
82.3% from the American Conservative Union over his lifetime for whatever that is worth. In the past 2 years he has voted with the republicans 95%-100% of the time. Whether or not that is technically “conservative” is up for debate.
Here is the real question, and excuse me for being a “pragmatist”, but what is Obamas rating? The National Journal called him the most liberal senator in 2007.
Sure, I also mean like SOCIALIZED MEDICINE… With a 10 trillion dollar debt we can’t even begin to afford this craziness.
We did, they didn’t get nominated. Now it is a choice between a good man, a genuine hero and a loyal American who happens to have some policies that I disagree with but that I think I can have a fighting chance of influencing in the unlikely event they go anywhere…. OR Obama. Come on, on the capitulation to islamist terrorism alone means he would be a disaster for the USA.
I think you have been spun by some DNC flacks in to believing the best thing for the republicans is to lose elections. We need to win this one to prevent a very real threat to our national sovereignty and the dignity of the country from taking office. In doing that we need all the help we can get. Even yours.
“I think what the Republicans have done in past elections is brilliant. Because, they’ve convinced a lot of people to vote for them against their own economic self-interest, and they’ve done that by skillfully manipulating a handful of social issues, primarily abortion and gay rights and sometimes gun control, and the Republicans have used those to scare a lot of people into voting for Republican candidates. It’s skillful manipulation.”
- John Grisham
McCain, I was for him before he became McAmnesty.
Actually God was very good to me. I live in a state where the sheep will pull the lever (figuratively) for Obama by a 2 to 1 margin. Given the electoral college process, my non-vote for McCain won’t matter one iota. Therefore, my presidential vote does matter. I will vote for a CONSERVATIVE. If we have a President McCain, he will not have the “satisfaction” (mandate?) of having counted my vote. If we have a President Obama (heaven help us – though nations do get the gov’t they deserve), Obama also will not have had that vote. My not voting for McCain will not put Obama in office.
McCain says he loves his country – but he does the opposite in supporting open borders, gang of 14, McCain/Feigold etc. Overt cooperation with “the enemy” does not tell me by action you really love this country.
Mixer,
Will do. I’ll definitely vote – I almost always vote, even for the small local elections (NJ can have 4 in a year – it’s one of many ways that the corrupt try to sneak things through).
I will not, however, cast a ballot for either candidate. I’ll either write in, or simply leave an uncast ballot.
Dang. Is he trying to one up Kerry?
Operation Drill Bit
McCain is a lost cause who doesn’t understand the economics behind the US drilling its own oil and taking a proactive stance on energy. Don’t expect him to start appearing reasonable any time soon. He has put himself in the “maverick” position and now we have to live with it.
sausage, nice to see you have an original thought.
/sarc off
I am forced to agree. Earlier in the thread, you said:
And you’re correct.
But around here, saying “well, i’ll vote for someone other than the those two” is enough to get you verbally lynched. The same people who fuss about voting party lines and how much they hate McCain will hold their nose and vote for the “lesser of two evils”.
Some of us chose “no evil”. Whether that means writing in a candidate, voting for an independant, writing in Mickey Mouse, or putting “none of the above”…whatever the preference, some people clearly are unhappy with the Dem and Rep choices, and want something else.
Before the naysayers come along and give the redundant “writing in a vote is the same as voting for Obama”, i would note that statistically, a vote for someone other than Obama is just that…a vote for someone else. He doesn’t get that vote. Common sense.
In breaking that argument down though, in the spirit that its made, voting for someone other than the party nominees is the legally given rights I have in relation to voting. While some may consider voting for anyone else “throwing away your vote”, I don’t feel my vote is squandered by voting for someone other than Tweedledumb and Tweedledumber. By voting at all, regardless of who it’s cast for, I’m exercising my right as a citizen to participate in the process, regardless if you agree with the fact I would vote for someone other than you.
If nothing else, I can walk away from the polls that day, knowing I voted for what I believed was right, and not what I believed is “less evil”. And to me, that’s the better principle. Apparently, others are willing to cave on theirs.
Sorry, I’m not.
NB: I used Atheling’s statement as a jumping-off point, but re-reading it, I find that it applies more generally…
Atheling:
“Absolutely not! McCain is not for demilitarizing America.”
What else is:
(1) closing Gitmo
(2) burning the strategic oil reserve
(3) giving illegals more rights than citizens. (and before unwise_man chimes in with “MDS”: what do you call forgiveness for [a]illegal entry, i.e.tresspass; [b]identity theft;[c]fraud;[d]use of forged documents to commit the aforementioned; [e]I could go on, but you get the point…) which has the effect of giving the enemy free access to the homeland & unarmed civilians
I could list the lack of substance in McCain’s Strong On Defense™ and McCain’s Strong On The War On Terror™ positions.
But whats the point? Some people only see to the next election, not ever beyond.
The Left is playing a game 2steps out. They’re trying for an inverse JimmyCarter/ClintonCongress deal. Give such a stink to Conservatives that they’ll have all 3 branches for a generation. Don’t you think that when McCain goes off the Left cliff, they won’t play that “I was a Reagan footsolder” & “I’m a Reagan Conservative” 24/7? Conversely, McCain winning will show conservatives as toothless. If you are Conservative, let McCain lose: just vote your principles — that’s all it will take.
If you can compromise them, they ain’t principles.
As Rush has said, if you want to grow government, or vote for anyone who would, you aren’t conservative.
For those who talk (disparingly) about “ideological” purity: you are exposed: you aren’t Conservative. You don’t even understand it.
So, go ahead, say I have MDS, I’ll wear it proudly. of those who insist one needs to vote McCain, NO ONE has answered my question from a previous thread. No one answers the caviats that are put up. Just namecalling & accusations.
It isn’t paranoia when there are people out to get you…
It in’t MDS when you are right.
- musculus
Speaking of Windfalls profit taxes…
How about a Windfall Profit tax on Planned Parenthood…(They are swimming in dough). Also, how about the Carbon Offset business??? I think Al Gore is making way too much money in that venture..
¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ I HAVE A QUESTION ??????????
Surely this is easy for the big brains, the Vote McCain™ among us. (I was going to list people like wise_man, who when he’s not “FU”-ing random people enjoys the sport of calling them stupid… but I didn’t think it nice to point it out… :-p
BUT it applies to all those who talk about Conservatives p*ssing away votes & influence…)
Oh well, you probably just can’t see it…. Let me make it easy for you:†
†
the above quote has been edited by the author for readability and to place emphasis for ease of understanding in consideration of the McCainanites obvious inability to read and/or comprehend English
Anyway, Lets press this home. We need to insist on an answer to this! This question relates **directly** to the credibility of these people who insist that we *must* vote for McCain!
The response of these McCainites will tell us if these people are serious or are simply agent provocateur for The Mighty McCain™ .
BTW, make sure to watch The Mighty McCain™ ’s interviews… Always a fun slap-in-the-face for citizens of the USA!! A man who’s mastered talking out of both sides of his mouth — his actions are the only way to see who he really is!
**** REMEMBER, JOHNNY SAYS:
DRAIN OUR STRATEGIC OIL RESERVES **NOW**!©‡
What’s NOT to love about The McCain™ ?
‡ © : McCain Campaign 2008
I feel like McCain is teachable but he should be the teacher instead of the student.
On June 16th, 2008 at 5:55 pm, wise_man said:
Well stated and I agree.
You know, it’s one thing to be in disagreement regarding some of McCains’ policy decisions… I don’t like some of them myself.
But many of the dreamy idealists on the right are waiting for some kind of “miracle candidate”, their own spotless, ultra-conservative version of the Obamessiah.
They can’t seem to get it through their heads that there will never be a candidate who is perfect across the board… ever. And all the bullying, badgering, whining, name-calling, hand-wringing and pseudo-religious posturing in the world isn’t going to produce one for them.
It’s nothing less than idealism in its’ most virulent form, completely detached from reality and common sense… and its’ exactly the same type of detached idealism that is displayed by those on the far left who are still dreaming of world peace via a socialist utopia.
It’s more scary coming from far-right, though… because it’s indicative of a unique type of insanity that is based upon hyper-religious fanatacism (as opposed to the garden variety psychosis of the long-term substance abuser).
The truth, for those who are actually interested in such minor things: John McCains voting record leans strongly conservative on abortion, gun control, the military, national defense, etc.
Its’ incredible how many anti-McCain folks here are so propped-up, stupified and hypnotized by blind hatred and arrogance that they can’t even be bothered to factcheck.
The McCain animosity here from both the hostess and the participants is defeatist, childish, petty and frequently irrational to the point of nonsensical. And, my opinion, it damages Ms. Malkins’ credibility.
Ms. Malkins’ stubborn, inflexible and even childish anti-McCain bias is displayed to the world over and over and over again on threads like this one, to the great delight of the similarly childish and inflexible here who can’t make a point without SCREAMING and collectively make this blog look like an excercise in fundamentalist insanity. It’s very disturbing visually, and it’s driving rational and reasonable people away in droves.
It comes primarily because the members of the Republican party who lean far to the right – those who persistantly self-identify as the “true conservatives” and label everyone who disagrees with their rigid and inflexible interpretation of conservatism and the Republican party in general as “liberal” – feel angry and disenfranchised because John McCain doesn’t give them the special interest status that they feel they’re entitled to.
I’ve taken a lot of heat for criticizing Ms. Malkin on this issue, both here and elsewhere but clearly I’m not the only one here who feels this way.
I’ll continue to speak up until the Republican party is reclaimed by rational, reasonable adults who understand what it means to be an American citizen, don’t adhere to the mantra “free speech for me, but not for thee”, understand that politicians are public servants who are obligated to all of their constituents (not just a select few), and are capable of understanding the very adult concept of “bipartisan cooperation”.
More proof that McCain is a liberal imbecile. Is this constructive enough?
Please don’t waste your vote on an imbecile.
I don’t care if he flip-flops as long as he lands on the right side of an issue.
At this point, that might be the best we can hope for.
Irish Rose,
Your post is well written, and I can tell you’ve thought it through.
But be assured, i’m not some hand-wringing idealist that is waiting for some magical, mystical candidate to come save us from the evils of McCain and Obama.
I simply, as Rob had mentioned earlier, refuse to keep voting for the same old people, doing the same old thing, and screwing us the same old way.
My post above stands accurate, and to quote myself:
That’s as plain as I can make it without using sock puppets or something along those lines.
You may dislike that people like me, who are clear-thinking and specific, aren’t voting for your hero, but, that’s how it is at present.
Yes, McCain has done some decent things. But even a broken clock is right twice a day. I refuse to continue voting for the “least evil” in a race. And I’m basing decisions of who to vote for, if at all, based on the information at hand and not because I want to send some message or because I want to be some rebel.
That is my principle. That is what I stand for, regardless of the political wind and its direction.
And that, Irish, is how you run a Straight Talk Express. You tell it like it is, and not what someone else wants to hear.
I voted for Maverick twice in my life.. once for Senate when I lived in AZ. the other time was in the primary in 2000 against W.
this time.. I can’t bring myself to do so.
I understand the concept of ‘lesser of two evils’ and I’m not waiting for the perfect candidate. I voted for Mitt in the Mich. primary because he represented what was closest to my own beliefs and principals. He was not my ideal or perfect candidate.
Maverick is even less so.. far from ideal..
everyone here knows the issues.
maybe I’m tired of the ‘lesser of evils’ but I can’t throw my one vote for Maverick. whenever I see him in the senate regarding his bills (campaign finance, Amnesty, Gang of 14) it all points back to Maverick. Not for the country.. not even for the GOP.
Maverick is for McCain only. everything else is a tool for him to achieve his goal of POTUS.
I won’t be his tool.
If elected, Obama the socialist and sympathizer/supporter of Islam and its’ agenda for the West (Shariah law, religious subjugation and domination, and the destruction of the State of Israel) will be making multiple lifetime appointments to the supreme court, and pulling our people out of Iraq prematurely… a move that will with 100 percent certainty, trigger such a horrendous bloodbath in Iraq that Vietnam will look like a picnic in the park by comparison.
And this is the only thing that matters to some people.
Un-freaking believable.
/spit
Right. Waste it by staying home instead. Brilliant plan.
Someone will still get elected, no matter if you vote or not. Difference is, if you DON’T, the person elected is more likely to be Obama . . . and he’ll be worse for this country than McCain for certain. I take it as my duty to cast my vote for the candidate I think will best safeguard my nation’s future. At this point, despite my disagreement with McCain on some issues, that candidate is McCain.
One more reason I am voting Libertarian.
To add to the words of my presidential candidate, martin.musculus, while I don’t feel like again getting bombarded by those few who support McCain and want to only rant about who I must vote for with no reasoning behind their rant except that supposedly he is the lesser of two evils or is “not as bad as Obama” you miss a large amount of logic.
First and foremost, I would be naive to think everyone on this board is truly who they say they are and not just some antagonist liberal. I actual prefer to think this as it would excuse some of you for your incoherent thought process.
Secondly, lets look at our current President, who is not a conservative, but I believe he truly thinks he is. Thus, I have no problem voting for him, as he can be swayed by conservative thinkers and I know he is not lying to me when he says he is conservative, he just doesn’t know what that means (and he joins millions of republicans in this as well). McCain on the other hand, hates conservatives and has for years and blames conservatives for his inability to win in 2000. His record may be 80% conservative, but most alarming, is his inconsistency on single issues. To be conservative on one issue and not another is one thing, that is like many of us at times. But to be conservative on a single issue on one vote and be liberal on the next vote, is quite another, as is saying a conservative thought and voting liberal, or vice versa.
All of this to get to the point. Even if EVERY conservative votes for McCain, he will never recognize this fact. Thus, if he wins, he will attribute it to his “reaching across the aisle” and NOT to you “conservatives” who voted for him. Thus, the only voting that will be in vain will be yours, not those who didn’t vote for McCain, because he will continue to move left, making the conservatives in the party nothing more than the “black vote” of the right. No matter what he does, he knows he will get 95% of the vote, thus no reason to help them out.
But I think many of you who are voting for McCain know this as well. You are actually hoping to get on board with the loser, and then have what you think is an upper hand of blaming the rest of us for the lose. It gives you a certain inward morale superiority to think it wasn’t your fault. You know he is going to lose and you know he is no good, but this way you can join him in blaming someone else. But if you think that is going to further the conservative agenda as well, you are greatly mistaken.
Who said we were staying home? Surely there is someone who is not an imbecile running in November. Chuck Baldwin and Bob Barr come to mind.
On June 16th, 2008 at 6:39 pm, atheling said:
Oh, brother.
Another sterling example of the blind, arrogant conservative who relies on other people to interpret John McCains’ voting record because he’s too lazy to read it himself (or herself).
Your statement here is so ridiculous that I just have to say it: if you honestly think that Mccains’ voting record is “indistinguishable from Obamas’”, then you’re either completely clueless or you’re being willfully ignorant.
Whoops, sorry Atheling… the above comment was directed at txvet2.
Clearly not awake enough to do html edit this morning, must have more coffee.
Irish Rose, if you are trying to convince people to vote for Mc Cain, you are doing a bad job of it.
On another note, for those voting for McCain, again, I have no problem. But for those of you who are and can’t make a valid point when you decide to attack those who aren’t voting for McCain, what are you trying to accomplish. Is this your idea of winning hearts and minds to your side? If it is, may I advise you to never, ever do a debate.
Second, while there are some who are not going to vote at all, the majority of us not voting for McCain are still going to vote. You know that and we know it, so cut out the pansy, 3rd grader attacks of us not voting, when most of us haven’t said that. I expect manipulation in an argument with a liberal, but for some reason I would expect more from people on here.
And finally, have any of you answered Martin’s questions from above???
Rose: Please defend this:
John McCains record if YOU would look is not strong on the above.
Further – as has been pointed out many times here, either you have absolute principles or you don’t. Your point of compromise is different than mine.
Irish Rose:
And McCain understands which one of these?
On June 17th, 2008 at 10:34 am, Donut44 said:
Thank you for displaying with such glaring, unvarnished accuracy the arrogant mindset of many far-right leaning conservatives who believe that they are the only true conservatives (nobody else), they define the party, and their definition of “conservatism” is the only valid one.
Yeesh.
I see you’re willing to argue with people, but not willing to discuss your view with someone else who is being levelheaded on the matter.
Sad.
– Donut44
I think I have a tinfoil hat around here that’ll fit you.
Your tone belies the statement you make:
You claim to know an awful lot about the mind of a man I assume you’ve never even MET, much less talked to. Then to top even that, you claim to know what many here think or are going to do, in spite of never meeting us. You even posit that those who disagree with you aren’t conservatives at all, but are liberals in disguise. Delusions of omniscience and paranoia all in one series of comments! Very entertaining.
In fact, many here have said that in November they are indeed “staying home”. That’s a clear indicator that they don’t intend to vote.
I’d answer Martin’s question, if he had asked one. He didn’t. His answer of his own question made it clear he was making a rhetorical statement about the man and any who would vote for him. . .NOT asking a question.
As a point of mention, as is updated on the article here in question, that McCain is again flip flopping because the political wind is blowing lightly in another direction.
THIS would be why people like me don’t want someone like McCain.
If I had said what you claim, you’d be right. Unfortunately, I didn’t, and you aren’t. As usual. It seems others have already addressed the rest of your rather thoughtless rants, so I’ll abstain except for the last. I don’t see many people on this board claiming to be the sole authority on conservatism, except for you McCain supporters. It’s clear from your rants that you are not conservative, have no liking for conservatives, and wouldn’t support one if he/she were nominated.
Oh, great response and exactly what I am talking about. Is this your defense of McCain? You want to get mad at everyone not voting for McCain, but your attempt to belittle us is quite impressive.
Unfortunately, it is the same from so many of you. Call names, call more names, take words out of context,maybe try to paint them as crazy, and finally, stay away from trying to win support and stay away from facts altogether.
Plus, I love the liberal attack strategy. “if you weren’t there, you can’t talk about it” or “if you don’t know him personally, you can’t talk about him” or “if you haven’t served, you can’t talk about it”. Really?
I know what certain people are going to do, by what they say, just like McCain. If what I am saying doesn’t apply to you, then you shouldn’t get offended, and yet you have to almost everything I said, so it must apply to you (no I realize this logic is not paramount, but I am more or less asking, not stating, you tell me).
For those who said they are staying home, you are right, just like I said in my post and I agree with you that they are poo poo heads (is that a legit term?) but most of us are not staying home, including the person you quoted.
And lastly, again, more poor tactics of argument from people I would expect more from. How disingenuous of you to say I said those who disagree with me aren’t conservatives at all. Have I implied some are not, yes and rightfully so, but not all. Refusing to take context, implied meaning, or actual language when trying to make a point is really sad.
So why should I vote for McCain? What will it do to further the conservative cause? Is selling out one’s principles a legitimate reason to vote for some one?
We see that there are those who will not vote for McCain for partisan issues, and those who will (while holding their noses) because the alternative is more dreadful.
I vote for what’s best for America. Obama is not good for America. Obama would be disastrous. McCain would be crap.
I vote for crap over disastrous.
Ah, ain’t fascism grand?
Partisan issues? How about due to principles, beliefs, and core values?
They Poll everything now. There’s no Reaganesque courage to any of the candidates we’ve had to choose from.
I’m afraid this country is about to commit “Obamacide”.. But maybe that’s what it needs to wake up.. Four years of Jimmy Carter & Gas Lines Part Duex.
Unfortunately, I’m not so sure it would ever fully recover from an Obama Presidency. The supreme court is bad now, so just imagine if Obama is elected? He’ll send those poor downtrodden Gitmo boys to college & try to reform them.
McCain may win, but he’ll come up with excuses for NOT drilling after he’s elected. It’s the same old sorry song and dance. It won’t change until people stop voting for liberal candidates both Republican & Democrat. There’s no question that they are eroding our sovereignty, & chipping away at the moral values that made our country strong..
As for me, I’ll write in Michelle Malkin for President this year. I hope a lot of others do the same, or at least someone of character. I would love to see a sane person like her get 1 or 2% of the vote without even trying, & embarrass all these career traveling medicine peddlers in Washington. The only change they are interested in (including Obama & his big mouth Mamma) is the kind of change that eventually makes it into their pockets & bank accounts. Now there’s some truth for you to come to grips with. I wish I knew how to change it by myself, but it will take most of this country to finally get fed up & stop voting for Nimrods. Babel on…
~Dan Lee
On June 17th, 2008 at 10:19 am, abstractmind said:
I understand the point you are trying to make.
But look… this is where we are.
We are at a crucial, critical point in our Nations’ history here… the outcome of this election is – with absolute certainly – going to determine the future course of our Nation globally, the health of our military, the state of our National security and indeed, our very way of life here in the West.
Those of you who deceive yourselves into thinking that well, we’ll survive Obama for a few short years and he’ll screw it up so bad that the American public will learn a valuable lesson about liberalism and the Democrat party and thus insure that the virtuous ways of Republicanism prevail, are being incredibly ignorant.
This nation is NOT GOING TO SURVIVE 4-8 years of a liberal Supreme court, a full Democrat majority and a socialist, anti-Israel, pro-Islam President in the White House who has absolutly no checks and balances in place to prevent him from pushing an agenda through that will permanantly alter the fabric of this Nation and destroy the American way of life.
Obama is the dream candidate of Islamic leaders and clerics worldwide… they are salivating to put this man in the White House, and its’ why they are funneling millions of dollars into his campaign. Why do you think that is? Are you blind? Are you even paying attention?
Aside from a few differences in ideology, those on the far-right are rapidly making themselves almost indistinguishable from the far left as their ignorant arrogance drives us all closer and closer to the cliffs’ edge.
If Obama wins this election, those on the far-right who could have voted to protect the future of this Nation and choose to waste a vote or sit it out, are in my opinion going to be directly responsible for pushing us all over the abyss. DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE.
People like to talk a lot about principal here: well, this is MY principaled stand.
I am not going to sit here and watch this country and the future of my children and my grandchildren, be driven off the deep end by clueless elitist fundamentalists who have allowed religion to trump reason. I’m going to continue to call people on this irrational behavior and the inherent danger of such an apathetic mindset. Yes I know that people here will once again attack me for being a “liberal”. Fortunately, I don’t give a flying * what they think.
There is absolutely NO room for apathy and ignorance in this election cycle, and NO EXCUSE.
The stakes are simply too high for political gamesmanship. It’s utter folly, and we CAN’T AFFORD IT.
Excuse the caps, I don’t usually use them but months and months of irrational, childish anti-McCain fundamentalist insanity in the face of issues of such terrible importance have made me mad as hell, and from now on I’m going to say what I think.
If Michelle doesn’t like it, she can ban me.
He isn’t “trying” to make it; he’s made it very clearly. You, however, fail to understand it.
I will say this. I find it odd that some here will not vote for McCain because of “conservative principles”, yet see no problem with killing the unborn, like Obama.
They cavalierly dismiss the abortion issue as non relevant, yet consider themselves “conservative”???
True conservativism is PRO LIFE. Liberals advocate killing the unborn, not conservatives!
I venture to say that the swathe of men here who are anti McCain and call him “undistinguishable” from Obama refuse to see that McCain has been consistently pro life in his voting record. What is wrong with you?
A true conservative man does not support the murder of unborn babies. Hell, no real man would condone the murder of those weaker and smaller than himself. A real man protects those who are weaker than himself!
Those of you who do not care about abortion, or in some perverse way rationalize the murder of the unborn babies as “personal” (a la Ted Kennedy) are not conservatives. For all your high falutin principles, you would prefer to put a man in the White House who sees no problem with letting an abortion survivor die in a cold, dirty laundry room.
You “men” have no conscience. You are merely pseudo conservatives, more concerned with your selfish aims and motives than those who have no defender and no voice in protecting their own rights.
SHAME ON YOU!
see comment #141
No, we don’t make McCain **anything**! Out of his own mouth he is convicted! All we’ve been doing is quoting the man, and supplying reports of his actions!
IF it makes it seem we’re creating an “anti-conservative bogyman”, complain to the originator of said actions, not the messenger!
Abortion? Obvious you can’t read/comprehend what you read, Irish Rose…
I say again, specifically to you Irish Rose:
Google: Wisconsin McCain
THEN tell me again he’s strong on Pro-life.
I quote the following because I know the McCaininites are too lazy to click
Ya, he's **REALLY pro-2nd Amendment....**
Well, ROSE: what about bill S.1805? I'm sure you are familiar with it, right? McCain sponsored that bill.
or, look where his "view evolves",(that's his own words)" here
If you don't want my word for it, what about the: Gun Owners Assoc. of America?
But, what can you expect from a man who cares NOTHING for the 1st Amendment?
Military: not a peep during the decimation of Clinton... Why not?
Defense: see comment #139.
Oh, and Irish Rose: maybe we'd not scream if you'd stop lying, avoiding, making us repeat the same information every few days...
I guess your just an A+ student...
... of the Alinski school of discourse.
Too strong? Look, I could believe your "good intentions" if you'd (even occasionally) throw a fact out for us to latch onto... If you'd substantively answer the McCain Warnings instead of just telling us: "Vote McCain&trade or the world will end!"
Just like the Left's: "Are you questioning my patriotism" refrain, I see your tactics as the same type of trick: an inoculation against future action. (I called every talk show I could, at the time warning them that the Left was inoculating themselves against future perfidity...)
You are so consistently wrong, it must be purposeful... or stupidity.
And you don't strike me as stupid.
You accuse us of acting infantile: since when is uttering fact infantile? If by what you say you mean immovability in the truth... or refusing to "nuance" fact into false, then YES, I am. And proudly so.
The convention hasn't happened yet... must we nominate The McCain™?
My apologies to Ms Malkin for the space this took, but I think these McCain's Strong On...™ canards must be put to rest once and for all...
-- martin.musculus
re: khan
CORE VALUES?
re: khan
CORE VALUES?
That’s the problem. They’re voting for McCain out of what they believe is expediency, and resent the fact that we will not based on principle. I doubt that a single one of them approves of the fact that blacks support Democrats at a rate of over 90% just because they’re Democrats, but they think we should vote for McCain just because he’s a Republican.
beautiful strawman, atheling. *golf clap*
Sirrah, I have NEVER said that!
If you’d research your love-child candidate a little better, you’d see The Mighty McCain™ isn’t pro-life either!
I guess his actions aren’t important to you, just his words….
– martin.musculus
On June 17th, 2008 at 11:14 am, txvet2 said:
Oh, is it now?
Look: its easy, even you, atheling, can do it!
Just go to google & type:
W i s c o n s i n [space] M c C a i n[enter]and you’ll see how pro-life he is….
– martin.musculus
On June 17th, 2008 at 11:35 am, atheling said:
Believe me, atheling, you’re not the first one here to ask this question.
Another poor argument strategy. McCain is pro-life, thus if you don’t vote McCain, you are pro-choice. Trying to guilt someone into voting McCain may work on a limited amount of people, but is this really a good, winning strategy. Surely there is another way than through manipulation?
And again, how will voting for McCain further a conservative agenda? The court already leans left, McCain doesn’t like the “conservative” judges we have and the ones to soon retire are all liberal, so nothing will change there. Moderate judges from McCain and liberal from Obama will produce the same result, especially on the abortion issue in which we aren’t even sure where Roberts would side.
And I say it once more, if McCain wins, he will not attribute it to conservatives and will not look to us to build a base.
atheling: I agree with you completely about abortion. I fail to see though how McCain will be better than Obama on this issue. While it is true, McCain has voted on the correct side of this issue SOME of the time in the past while Obama has NEVER voted correctly, I can take no comfort that McCain will do what is right in the future. He is just like many many here, willing to bend any which way the wind blows for political expediency. He’s already stated both by word and deed what he thinks are appropriate SCOTUS choices (those that Ted Kennedy approves).
Further, he’s already stated what he thinks of the rule of law (amnesty among others). He’s stated what he thinks of capitalism. And the list could go on.
Just a reminder.. Don’t listen to Obama. You’re definitely gonna need your Guns & Bibles because:
“A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury.”
“From that moment on, the majority always vote for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship.”
“The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years”
“During those 200 years, those nations always progressed through the following sequence:
1. from bondage to spiritual faith;
2. from spiritual faith to great courage;
3. from courage to liberty;
4. from liberty to abundance;
5. from abundance to complacency;
6. from complacency to apathy;
7. from apathy to dependence;
8. from dependence back into bondage”
It’s simple.. Go back to being a Republic, or fail.. There’s no other way.
~Dan Lee
Why will no one play with me?
Irish Stinkweed, Atheling:
==============================
Answer comment #141
==============================
Awww come-on…
…Atheling, after a speech like that — teaching us “manly-ness” — man up!
Irish Stinkweed: what’s it like to be a McCain sockpuppet?
NB:
I’m still looking for McCain Points™ for my friend on the SayAnything board…
Don’t you two have any you can spare?
– martin.musculus
…another kind of being “pro-life”:
…is voting for the candidate who will best protect America against the Iranian nuclear threat.
That’s why I see McCain as the sensible choice this year (and for the next four…), even considering his other detractions.
#184:
what about nuclear threats that come across our southern border?
Irish,
I can appreciate your passion on the issue, and the candidate. And i’ll respond in kind, and appreciate you sticking to what you have stated are your principles, despite what others say. That is, if nothing else, a demonstration of character.
I believe you are absolutely correct when you say we’re at a crucial time for our nation. The election of a President is something that does indeed have global connotations and effects. And you are correct to state that people who think we can just press through an Obama administration are delusional and not seeing things for how they are in reality. And I completely can relate that the friend of our enemy is likewise my enemy. When terrorists overseas want to see someone like Obama in power, it makes me pause and examine why.
But.
I am not incredibly ignorant. I am not “throwing away” my vote, as you have said several times previously, by wanting to find another candidate or write someone in. I’m not voting for Obama. I’m not voting for McCain. I’m not going to vote the lesser of two evils, no matter the outcome.
That is me sticking to my principles on the matter.
Does that mean I have some magic candidate or some inside knowledge to save the GOP? If I did, I’d be famous. Do I have some magic pill, or a “silver bullet” for the party to keep Obama out of the White House? No. Nor do I pretend to have anything of the sort.
But in being clear, this is what I hear from McCain.
First, the update on this article. He’s already changed his mind on this issue.
He’s all for military…but he wants to shut down Gitmo. To me, that doesnt wash.
He’s all pro-life…except where Wisconsin is involved (hat-tip martin).
He’s all for saying how he wants to limit “obscene profits”, but he’s all for collecting the taxes associated with it.
He’s all for that “d@mned fence” conservatives have been railing over for a while, or is he? He’s showing up at La Raza events as a keynote speaker. The very enemy of our sovereingty, and he’s over making nice with them. These are people trying to turn our country inside out from within, and he’s opening the door and welcoming them to do so.
These are just a few of the points I dislike the man for…but there’s one more that is the deal breaker.
Reaching across the aisle.
Let me qualify that statement. Compromise is key in any relationship, and politics is no different. But McCain has demonstrated (McCain/Feingold, as well as other well known examples) that his definition of reaching across the aisle, and mine, are rather different. Should we be willing to work with people who think differently, to establish a fair compromise. Sure.
But he’s not reaching across the aisle. He’s getting up, and going and sitting in the gallery with them every chance he gets.
And *that* is what I have a problem with, Irish, overall. I don’t want someone who is willing to compromise -their- -principles- just to get a vote.
Who am I going to vote for? I have no idea. But it won’t be McCain.
And no, i won’t be directly responsible for it. That would be people who vote for Obama that are directly responsible. Let’s face it. Most people are sheep. They’ll follow his Pied Piper song about “Hope and Change”, because people just want something new to hear. They are tired of the same rhetoric. That’s not to say he’s not doing the same old thing as before. He’s just got it wrapped in a pretty package and has a MSM Seal of Approval.
But again Irish, I’m not being ignorant OR apathetic. I am reading, researching, and eventually will settle on a vote. But right now, its just not the same person you’re going for, and that’s ok. But I don’t want to sit home and waste the vote I do have, regardless of its recipient.
And keep voicing your opinion. It’s your right, and its why these boards are here…otherwise, our gracious hostess would yank them and we’d have nowhere to post.
My 2 cents.
#185 khan, I fully agree and have addressed this concern earlier elsewhere. Good point and agree the border/illegal alien issue is in my upper priorities; all I meant to put forward the notion (like the old joke “it’s hard to remember that your objective was to drain the swamp when you’re up to your *ss in alligators”) that being pro-life (vis a vis abortion) becomes a rather moot issue if you’re being fried by a dirty bomb. – But thanks for bringing up the point!
The increase in Global Warming stopped in 1998. The decrease is well into the 17th month. Has anyone told McCain yet, or does he plow on in spite of facts?
Why is it that when McCain says that he is for offshore drilling, it is “pandering” and “lies”, but when he says to close Gitmo, it’s the Gospel truth?
Which is it, boys?
BTW, I’m no “sir”. It’s ma’am.