How About the Conservatives Learning Something from McCain?
I am a small government, low taxation, foreign policy hawk, originalist conservative and Rudy Giuliani was my candidate of choice (well, among those running). Why? Because after years of Rudy watching, I felt I could trust him when he pledged to put originalists on the Court and keep taxes low, spending at reasonable levels and not expand the welfare state while projecting maximum strength abroad. After years of McCain watching, I have no such confidence and find him untrustworthy in his assurances to conservatives.
Could I learn something from John McCain? Oh, undoubtedly. But, sorry, Senator McCain will have to come a-courting for my vote. And he will have to convince me that he is indeed a sincere suitor.
People like to remind conservatives that nothing in politics is pure and like the great Ronald Reagan, we too must learn the fine art of compromise. Well, tell us something we don’t already know, why doncha. We’ve been accepting compromise our entire lives. You can probably count purely conservative victories on the fingers of one hand. But, we have to continue to fight for our principles every step of the way lest the already mushy middle becomes altogether unsupportable. Hate us or love us as you will, you nevertheless need us.
Oh, and will I end up voting for McCain? Sadly, yeah. The alternative is just too horrible to contemplate.
