Posted by
JAW on Thursday, August 14, 2008 12:15:36 AM
Assisting in the impeachment of Republican Evan Mecham, turning his back on the Mormon's who got him elected and mocking the influence of state Rep. Lela Steffey, promoting the Burton Barr political machine, and supporting a paid state holiday for Martin Luther King, Jr. - this is the John McCain I knew after working for a year in his downtown Mesa office. The years following were met with the Keating 5, a secret association with Fife Symington who went to prison for development fraud, a wavering commitment to the sanctity of life, and a detached concern for the well-being of his constituents.
For a historical purposes, the year was 1986, and John McCain was elected to the United States Senate, filling the seat of Barry Goldwater. Despite the fact that the Democrats now had control of both chambers of the US Congress, there was a definite wave of southwest conservatism in the state of Arizona. With John McCain heading to Washington and Evan Mecham heading to the Governor's mansion, I was an anxious young college student eager to make my mark within the Republican party. After a year, my eagerness turned to disappointment and disgust.
Now, 21 years later, I still see the same John McCain, a man plagued with anger management issues, no allegiance to the party or people who have paved his road of success, and a detached carelessness to the valid concerns of the average American. If it weren't for heroic sacrifices in Vietnam, his candidacy and erratic policy positions would lead his adopted political party to a more embarassing defeat than Thomas Dewey in 1948. His entire senate career has been a case study in Multiple Personality Disorder. With that said, I WILL be voting for Senator McCain in November.
One might think that my statement of support is reason enough to apply psychological analysis. Throughout the primaries, John McCain consistently performed the worst when it came to defending conservative principles, offering solutions for our ills, and promoting a foundation of success for the future. However, 2008 is not like any election I have experienced. For the first time, we all face a dangerous future if Senator Barack Obama is elected to the highest office in the land.
In the past, Republicans and Democrats have always paid tribute to tradition of political battles and competitions, culminating in a victory for one candidate and the unifying of most Americans. We might have thought that Walter Mondale was an idiot, or that Bill Clinton was a dishonest womanizer, but at the end of the day we still felt they were Americans. Mr. Obama casts doubt on that thought process; his associations, senate voting record, and political beliefs present a frightening scenario.
Let's be honest when it comes to his middle name, his skin color, his speaking style - none of it matters. The important aspects are his associations: Rev. Wright, Raila Odinga, Tony Rezko. The important aspect is his voting record: the most liberal of all senators, support for partial-birth abortion, opposition to the liberation of Iraq. The important aspects are his political beliefs: deep desire for Marxism, racial devotion to Black-Liberation Theology, obsession for a one-world-order through socialist teachings.
This election has placed a high importance on all Americans who value their constitution. It is easy to bicker over certain positions on certain issues, but none of it will matter if we hand over our presidency to a individual of questionable character who lacks any leadership qualities. Being forced into the position of supporting someone is not a choice I relish. If our political system was more responsive to the true intentions of the people, we could all be voting for someone of high character. Voting for the lesser of two evils is not a component of that philosophy. Barack Obama must be defeated, and our lesser choice has come down to John McCain.
Four years from now, a McCain presidency may be one of disappointment and regret, but at the end of the day, we will still have a constitution that protects our right to say so publicly. Four years from now, an Obama presidency will provide with no recourse to say or do anything. Like a bumper sticker that has been circulating on the web: "Better an imperfect Republican than a perfect socialist." Remember this when you go into the voting booth.