Along with that, we have a round-table discussion of NRO writers about how much of a 'Reaganite' McCain is and what he can do to rally the conservative base. They offer lots of suggestions on what he should do to achieve that goal, but John J. Pitney, Jr. puts the point on it: "[B]eing a Reaganite is like being a lady: if you have to say you are, you ain't. The more urgently a politician invokes Reagan to prove conservative credentials, the more skeptical conservatives will become." Bingo!
But there's more. Venerable long-time writer Robert Novak questions some of McCain's conservative credentials in relation to judge appointees and tax issues. Michelle Malkin contrasts McCain's positions on profits, free market, and business with Reagan's. Some key excerpts:
HOOK: I want to start with Senator McCain. There's been a lot of discussion lately about the importance of leadership and management experience. What makes you more qualified than Mitt Romney, a successful CEO and businessman, to manage our economy?
MCCAIN: Because I know how to lead. I know how to lead. I led the largest squadron in the United States Navy. And I did it out of patriotism, not for profit.
COOPER: I'm going to ask you all for follow-ups on this, but, Senator McCain, I just want to give you an opportunity to follow up on that. Is Governor Romney ready to be a military commander?
MCCAIN: Oh, I'm sure that, as I say, he's a fine man. And I think he managed companies, and he bought, and he sold, and sometimes people lost their jobs. That's the nature of that business.
MCCAIN: I think that we've got to return to the principle that you don't lend money that can't pay it back. I think that there's some greedy people on Wall Street that perhaps need to be punished.
Not exactly business friendly, is he? On the other hand, here's what Reagan said about business:
Political demagogues aided by spokesmen for a variety of causes, some worthy in themselves but questionable as to whether they're a proper concern of government, have created a political and economic mythology widely believed by too many people. This is why we need the communications. This, more than anything else, has increased government's ability to interfere, as it does, in the marketplace. "Profit" is a dirty word, blamed for most of our social ills. In the interest of something called "consumerism," free enterprise is becoming far less free. Property rights are being reduced and even eliminated in the name of environmental protection. It is time that a voice be raised on behalf of the 73 million, pointing out that profit, property rights, and freedom are inseparable and you cannot have the third unless you continue to be entitled to have the first two.
"The best minds are not in government; if they were, business would steal them away."
Very, very telling!
But there's still more...
Terence Jeffrey writes at Townhall.com about the signals from the MSM. The fact that they have anointed McCain should raise red flags for conservatives (and Republicans). Consider:
John McCain is the liberal elite's go-to guy in the GOP. They believe he'll be there for them when they need him. That was the essential message of last week's New York Times editorial endorsing McCain for the Republican nomination.
"With a record of working across the aisle to develop sound bipartisan legislation, he would offer a choice to a broader range of Americans than the rest of the Republican field," said the Times. "We have shuddered at McCain's occasional, tactical pander to the right because he has demonstrated that he has the character to stand on principle."
What the Times is saying here is that it does not take McCain's conservative campaign-season rhetoric seriously. No, they're convinced the man on the Straight Talk Express is railroading Republican primary voters.
Long experience has taught the Times to read McCain's sign language. No matter what contortions McCain undergoes to shape this language, its message is reassuringly constant from the left's point of view. It says: I am no threat to the liberal agenda.
He goes on:
Two Senate votes taken a day apart are illustrative. On June 7, 2006, McCain voted against a cloture motion that would have allowed the full Senate to vote yes or no on the Federal Marriage Amendment. Then, on June 8, 2006, he voted for a cloture motion that would have allowed the full Senate to vote yes or no on the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act, which would have allowed Native Hawaiians to create a race-based separate nation within the United States.
In both instances, McCain voted with Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, and against most Senate Republicans.
McCain professed deep support for the underlying purpose of the marriage amendment, he just opposed allowing colleagues to vote on it. Conversely, he expressed deep opposition to the underlying purpose of the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act -- he just supported allowing colleagues to vote on it. Each time, McCain gave rhetoric to the right and material cooperation to the left.
In the process, he demonstrated radical inconsistency in his willingness to defend federalism, a principal he says is at the core of his beliefs.
He adds more specific examples of McCain's inconsistencies, then finishes with:
McCain's deference to what liberal's wanted trumped his vaunted deference to federalism. When push comes to shove, would it be any different if he becomes president?
These are significant problems that are very easy to find, people! Another warning sign is that anytime someone questions McCain on any of these points, he gets defensive and goes on a rant about how he is a patriot, and turns things back to his war hero status. No one is questioning his war hero status, but a whole lot of people would like to question his record, so why doesn't he answer? Because he knows it'll kill his chances of success.
McCain just got an endorsement from -- as Rush Limbaugh calls him -- big taxing, big spending, socialist eco-extreme Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Regardless, all of these questions of McCain needing his conservative base are somewhat moot. McCain hasn't gotten where he is by relying on conservatives. He's pulled just enough of the Rep vote to stay alive, but his red meat demographic is liberals, moderates, and independents. The base is going to have to mount a serious effort to unseat his momentum because it doesn't rely completely on them.
A couple other disturbing details about McCain:
- McCain supports a North American Union (with open borders to Mexico and Canada)
- McCain recently used a racial slur and refuses to back down from it
Too many questions, too many question marks.
One quick note on the Dem side:
Barack Obama is breaking new fundraising records by raising $32 million in January alone. The campaign said they received money from 170,000 new donors over that time, which could be a signal that he is really picking up steam against Hillary.
Now you're up to date!
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