Why Do Conservatives Hate McCain?
John McCain, despite spouting his conservative credentials, is not well liked or respected among many conservatives. McCain has been a pain in the side of conservatives on key legislation, often siding with the likes of Ted Kennedy and other liberal Democrats. Basically, he slapped the conservative face over and over again. Here are six issues we still have not forgotten.
- McCain-Feingold campaign reform. That “reform” was a joke. It was intended to stop the flow of money into political campaigns but it never stopped it. It also hurt Republican fund raising and free speech more then it did Democrats.
- The Gang of Fourteen. During that time, he stopped the nuclear option of Republicans trying to end the repeated filibusters of conservative judges by Democrats. He stood with moderate Republicans and Democrats and took control of the senate. As a result, Democrats can still filibuster conservative judges.
- McCain’s environmental tree hugging. He admitted that we needed to seriously address the environmental issue siding with the most liberal of Democrats. This put a stop to drilling in Anwar and, therefore, made us dependent on foreign oil and higher gas prices.
- The McCain-Kennedy bill on comprehensive immigration reform. It is bad enough he sided with Kennedy but it is worse that he promoted this Amnesty bill. It was another in-your-face middle finger to conservatives.
- He voted against the Bush tax-cut bill. Enough said! He again sided with the liberals in wanting to keep our money with the government instead of giving it back to us.
- He sided with terrorists over security. In denouncing waterboarding and Abu Ghraib as torture, he showed more respect for terrorists then the security of his own fellow countrymen.
Yes, many of us conservatives can’t stand John McCain. He still has not reached out to us except for the usual lip service. However, actions speak louder then words. This conservative, for one, can not stand John McCain.
UPDATE, also see:
- Crooked Timber: Prediction Markets in Republican Spin
- National Review Online: It’s All Over
- Michelle Malkin: John McCain vs. the Right - No Easy Peace
- FHK: The NYT Endorses McCain…
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He’s a RINO. He’s not a conservative. Period. I’m trying very hard not to “denounce” any of the Republicans, because I know good and well that I’m going to have to turn around and support whichever of these guys gets the Republican nomination (obviously, I’m not voting for Hillary or Obama). But it’s a pure and simple truth that McCain is not a Conservative.
I for one will sit this one out if McCain is the nominee. I don’t care who he selects as a Veep either. I believe a lot of other conservatives will do the same. Its going to be a long, cold, 4 year winter for Conservatism. But who knows, in 4 years we could get Newt Gingrich as a candidate, and bring some sanity back to Washington.
C’mon, Tim…I appreciate the sentiment. Everyone I respected in the Republican race has dropped out, too. I’ve actually considered writing in “Batman,” on the ballot.
But let’s say McCain gets the nomination. We can allow ourselves a period of mourning for a few hours, perhaps…but who can do that for 4 years? (And chances are pretty good it would be 8 years.) This is still the president of the United States of America we’re talking about. Are we going to let that be Hillary (bought and paid for by communist china) or Obama (who is and would put our country at the mercy of muslim radicals because of his family history in Islam and his perception in their eyes of him as an apostate)?
Or, would we rather at least have a man in office who has actually served in our military and actually loves America in his weird little demented way. (Yes, I’m still talking about McCain, here…Ron Paul still doesn’t have a chance.)
I’m going to take McCain over the (D) choices. I will not be happy. You’ll hear a lot about it on this blog AFTER we win. But I’m not willing to watch my country fall to the hands of it’s enemies simply because I’m pouting about not getting my way in the Republican primaries.
I am always amazed that so-called Patriots diss a guy like
John McCain. Check back after YOU have done five years in
a Viet Cong prison, boys. Until then, zip it.
I am always amazed that someone like McCain is given a lifetime pass on everything because he spent five years in a POW camp. Yes, he was a war hero. Yes, his actions were beyond anything I could even imagine. That does not make him a conservative and it does not make him a good choice for President of the United States. I have no intention of zipping it because I was never a POW and I am bewildered that anyone would suggest I should. I suppose only former POWs should ever have anything to say about our political process.
You are absolutely right, Ron. I do find it frustrating that our service personnel are
sent to war by guys who avoided service with some cushy assignment that their rich dads got them, and would never allow their own children to enlist.
And what did Romney reply when asked about that? That his kids were serving their country by helping him get elected. Oh, yeah. That’s just the sort of guy we need sending poor kids off to war.
Dear Jenn:
You’re right about the zip it thing. It’s a classic ‘Logical Fallacy’
It would follow that only dentists can talk about teeth, teachers about education, and nutritionists are the only ones who can discuss food etc.
It’s an invalid grounds for disqualification for speaking on any subject.
I’ve spoken about the moon and even the Sun, though I’ve never been to either personally!
Colonel Neville.
How does denouncing waterboarding translate to “siding with terrorists?” Numerous military and intelligence personnel have argued that such techniques impair our ability to garner good intelligence.
I do not understand your logic.
You guys are rediculous. You right wing freaks. I am NOT an Obama supporter but please, your ignorance is unbearable. He is NOT muslim, he is a christian. But you guys have never heard of separation of church and state anyway. Get your facts right before you try to tell the rest of us what to do. Some racist put false information out there trying to bash Obama. Personally, I don’t want another inexperienced candidate in office (Bush has ruined this country) to run it farther into the ground. Good luck living under a Democrat, or Democrat friendly President.
“Until then, zip it.” No, I don’t think I will, John. The service that Mr. McCain gave to his country is one that I, thank God, never had to make. It doesn’t make him any more deserving of the Presidency than any OTHER P.O.W. from that era. Nor does my never having been asked to make that kind of sacrifice make my opinion any less relevant.
“Numerous military and intelligence personnel have argued that such techniques impair our ability to garner good intelligence.” …and many others argue that it DOES garner good intelligence, the L.A. Library tower plot is a prime example. On this one issue, I actually UNDERSTAND McCain’s feelings on it. I don’t agree with them, but I understand them.
Look, if he wins, what can I do? I can hope he doesn’t raise our taxes, doesn’t ignore the border issue, doesn’t stop our use of tactics such as water boarding. I wouldn’t be able to stomach punching that chad, however. He doesn’t have my vote.
Matt - You’re actually pretty ridiculous yourself.
“Some racist put false information out there trying to bash Obama.” - oh, you mean Mrs. Clinton and her machine.
“But you guys have never heard of separation of church and state anyway” - and you would just rather we outlaw religion, right?
“(Bush has ruined this country)” - Well, there’s the door…See ya…enjoy your stay in (insert socialist country here). If you would rather stay and join in the discussion without name calling, wild exaggerations, and blanket statements of victimhood, I’ll be glad to debate you.
HA!
You don’t like John McCain because he is a real conservative and not an Authoritarian or Neoconservative. Mad at him for voting against a Tax-Cut bill that increased our deficit? Mad at him for trying to clean up the flow of money from special interests so that the peoples voice is actually heard? Mad at him for being occasionally moderate instead of just creating an atmosphere where nothing gets done in Washington?
Oh please, the only reason that you don’t like him is because he is exactly what a stereotypical conservative really is: Honestly, fiscally conservative, not beholden to special interests, and with a resume that says, “been there, done that” instead of “found a way out”.
Brian, you wouldn’t know a conservative if he bit you. While McCain’s record is conservative in a general sense, on the important questions he regularly sides with the Democrats. McCain-Feingold is not conservative. McCain-Kennedy is not conservative. McCain-Kennedy-Edwards is not conservative. McCain-Lieberman is not conservative. On issue after issue, when it’s really important, McCain is on the wrong side whether the issue is taxes, immigration, the environment or freedom of speech. That is not conservatism.
“If you would rather stay and join in the discussion without name calling, wild exaggerations, and blanket statements of victimhood, I’ll be glad to debate you.”
Tim–Thanks for your comment. In one sentence to Brian, you have summed up why political deliberation geared toward successful policy as the Founders intended it is so difficult to achieve in this day and age. If you equate protecting American values with making verbal attacks that are as ill-reasoned as those you think you are refuting, please do so, as it’s your right. Or you can step away from the straw man argument and engage your fellow American on the complexities of each and every issue. There is much, much more to political debate than two minutes of so-called pundits promoting a nice, compact narrative on CNN or Fox News.
I read, I watch and I listen to the right, the center, and the left, and all the views in between. I am skeptical of what I hear, and I don’t take questionable evidence that serves my purposes as the gospel truth simply because it agrees with my ideological views. I have a job and a family that keep me very busy, but because this matters to me, I find ways to ensure that I get a wide variety of information from a wide variety of sources before I draw my conclusions. These issues are complex, and they take time, but if you love America, it’s worth listening to America.
And please don’t demean yourself by accusing me of being a Communist sympathizer or immoral atheist simply because I disagree with you. I love America, I’m quite happy here, and I’m engaged in working to make it a better place through inclusion, not insults. I welcome you to join me.
Jonathan
At least Mr. McCain doesn’t swallow all the conservatives creed without thinking. True, many “liberals” swallow their own creeds without thinking either. Isn’t this prove that Mr. Senator McCain at least doesn’t allow himself to be a rubber stamp? That I respect of him. He thinks for himself, not like these “inquisitors” conservatives want us to think their own way only. Not that I will vote for him, but I respect him for his independence.
Now that Romney has dropped out, his sons are free to
join the service, like McCain’s, and fight the war on terror.
If we could only find a uniform to fit Rush Limbaugh,
hey, we’d be all set.
Two words, John: “Volunteer Military”
It was helpful to finally find information on why conservatives hate McCain. Wow. Not a conservative because he occaisionally votes with Democrats or even — gasp — co-sponsors bills with them? Not a conservative because he voted against a tax cut that, combined with the ridiculous spending of this administration has significantly increased our national debt and left us much less secure. The list just goes on.
Is that what it means to be a conservative? The accusation of “Liberal” is taken to include moral relativism, but it seems that to be a true conservative you have to be something of a facist.
Founders, American Values, straw man - Wow Jonathan, what big words you use. I don’t think I can keep up.
Keep listening to the right, the left, the center…keep pondering those complex issues. The rest of us dumb (neo? lol, I guess, whatever.)conservatives will look to you for guidance and strength. Until we can be the full recipients of your guiding light, we will just have to vote what we know. And what we know is John McCain is soft on immigration, wrong on tax cuts, and on and on and on. But you keep trying, you beacon of hope, you King of the (middle of the)Road.
Ben E - So how does conservatism relate to fascism in your view?
“Fascist :
1: often capitalized : a political philosophy, movement, or regime (as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition
2: a tendency toward or actual exercise of strong autocratic or dictatorial control “
“Conservatism -
1capitalized a: the principles and policies of a Conservative party b: the Conservative party
2 a: disposition in politics to preserve what is established b: a political philosophy based on tradition and social stability, stressing established institutions, and preferring gradual development to abrupt change; specifically : such a philosophy calling for lower taxes, limited government regulation of business and investing, a strong national defense, and individual financial responsibility for personal needs (as retirement income or health-care coverage)
3: the tendency to prefer an existing or traditional situation to change”