Senator John McCain, Who Served in VietNam.....

I'm starting to see a bit of deja vu in this hyper-extended forever Presidential campaign. Recall four years ago, when on an almost-hourly basis, we were reminded that John Kerry served in VietNam, and that he earned several medals, including a couple of Purple Hearts. Remember also that, in the wake of the end of his service, he attended a number of anti war demonstrations, at one of which he flamboyantly threw his medals away. 'Twas also rumored that the very slight injuries that resulted in his Purple Heart medals were self-inflicted.

Sorry. I always go off on that guy because he's such an inept fool.

The point I'm taking a long time to making, is that in this interminable Presidential campaign, we're being reminded every bit as constantly, that Senator John McCain is a war hero, as a result of his service in the very same war. Well, in his case, he was. He deserves commendation for having survived an incredible ordeal.

It doesn't mean we have to hear about it as a seeming qualification for the office of President of the United States. Every day, several times a day. It makes one wonder if he's ever done anything else worthwhile, since. Well, he has. Not much of it is good, and it seems the 'steemed Senator kind of realizes it, too. According to one observer:

"When confronted with any of his misdeeds, Senator McCain tends to fall back on his record as a war hero in Vietnam. Let's talk sense. Benedict Arnold was a war hero but that did not exempt him from condemnation for his later betrayal. Being a war hero is not a lifetime get-out-of-jail-free card. And becoming President of the United States is not a matter of rewarding an individual for past services. The Presidency is a heavy responsibility for the future of the nation, including generations yet unborn. Character and integrity are major qualifications." -- Columnist Thomas Sowell

It's pretty obvious from the bills he's sponsored that he's no conservative, as is currently being observed by most conservative commentators. He sided with Democrats to make it difficult for the administration to appoint judges. He, in a stunning renunciation of the First Amendment as it applies to political speech, conspired with Democrat Senator Feingold to squelch criticism of sitting politicians campaigning for reelection. The list goes on.....

Additionally, the Senator's rhetoric seems to indicate that he wishes to place the country in a perpetual war situation. He's expressed interest in initiating military action against Iran because of their dabbling in nuclear physics. Iran says (of course, I don't believe them either) that they want nuclear power plants. McCain and others think they want nuclear weapons. Based on the lousy intelligence our spy agencies, all but destroyed during the Clinton administration, we have no more idea what's the truth than we did regarding Hussein's weapons of mass destruction.

Senator McCain is fondly referred to by the leftist press as a "maverick." They like him because he allies himself with the Senate's Democrats very often. He's favored by the leftist press to become the Republican nominee because they think (probably rightly) that he'll cave to many of the leftists' desires.

His campaign rhetoric claims that he's "the only true conservative," but his record says otherwise. He's also noted to be a hothead, prone to angry outbursts and long-term grudges.

He's a card carrying algorian, who will continue the policies that keep America dependent on unstable foreign despots for our petroleum needs. He'll continue the harmful and wasteful programs that convert food crops into a substandard fuel, at the expense of the use of our very plentiful and accessible petroleum fuel--and at the expense of research that would otherwise lead to new technology to locate and produce petroleum from untapped sources.

The election of John McCain might be better than the election of Clinton or Obama, but I wouldn't bet the farm on it. The very conserative Ann Coulter has said that she not only wouldn't vote for McCain, but that should he become the nominee, she'll campaign for Mrs Clinton. Given Coulter's somewhat bizarre sense of humor, and tendency to hyperbole, it'e hard to tell whether that's her real position, but one can certainly draw from her statements that she doesn't favor McCain.

It's not easy to make a decision given the very poor group of candidates from whom we must select. I favor Ron Paul, all the while realizing, given his vote results to date and the political climate in Washington, his chance of becoming the nominee are very slim. I'll vote for Paul in the hopes that his influence can be felt by whoever becomes the nominee.

Then, I'll hope that the coming administration can be held to causing as little damage as possible until voting Americans can be convinced that trying to live at the expense of others is not a life-enhancing policy.

They've killed Freedom! Those bastards!

Warm regards,

Col. Hogan
Stalag California