Top 10 Reasons Conservatives Oppose John McCain

It Has Nothing to Do with "Pouting"
Libertarians aren't too Keen, Either

The Republican establishment and the Mainstream Media speaking as if with one voice?

Conservative talk show hosts are getting heat from the liberal media.

That's nothing new.

The same commentators are under fire from the Republican establishment?

That's nothing new, either. Just replay last summer's Senate immigration bill tussle.

But about which Republican nominee they support?

Or, rather, don't support?

Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck and others of the conservative persuasion have been under fire from the Republican "Get on Board" establishment and the Mainstream Media commentators for their disdain of Senator John McCain's conservative credentials.

Our take: McCain is a Republican; he's no conservative.

We came across this story about why conservatives have a problem with McCain. They have to do with the substance of McCain, not his style. We decided to add some information we had already researched on McCain to it--just to "flesh it out".

Here are Ten Reasons conservatives oppose McCain--and "pouting" isn't on the list.

The Top 10 Reasons Conservatives Oppose John McCain

1 Campaign Finance Reform

McCain tried to limit the role of money in politics with measures like McCain-Feingold that, critics say, stomp on the constitutional right to free speech.

It may be that McCain is overzealous at squashing other people's political voice because he knows what can happen if a politician is tempted, ala "The Keating Five".

Though he was not convicted of anything, McCain intervened on behalf of Charles Keating after Keating gave McCain at least $112,00 in contributions. In the mid-1980s, McCain made at least 9 trips on Keating's airplanes, and 3 of those were to Keating's luxurious retreat in the Bahamas. McCain's wife and father-in-law also were the largest investors (at $350,000) in a Keating shopping center; the Phoenix New Times called it a "sweetheart deal."

It was after the "Keating Five" scandal (of which McCain is the only Senator involved still in politics) that McCain acquired such zeal for extra-constitutional measures, i.e., campaign finance reform.

2. Immigration

McCain has been a vocal supporter of a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, although he now says he understands the border between the U.S. and Mexico must be sealed first.

Conservatives also remember the same senator who begs for their support today, called them "racists" and "stupid" for opposing the McCain-Kennedy Immigration Reform bill last summer.

3. Tax cuts

McCain twice voted against President Bush's tax cuts, saying in 2001 they helped the wealthy at the expense of the middle class and in 2003 that there should be no tax relief until the cost of the Iraq war was known.

But he now wants to extend the tax cuts.

4. Gay Marriage

McCain refuses to support a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage.

McCain has previously called social conservatives "stupid" and anyone paying attention to the issues important to families "pandering".

5. Stem cell research

McCain would relax restrictions on federal dollars for embryonic stem cell research, which critics consider tantamount to abortion.

One reason many Pro-Life groups refuse to consider McCain.

6. Global warming

Among the loudest voices in Congress for aggressive action against global warming and a frequent critic of the Bush administration on the issue.

A "conservative" wants to solve problems by taxing and regulating a large portion of the economy? No, it's not Hillary Clinton's health care, it's John McCain's solution to the non-problem of "man-made climate change".

"Climate change is real & is taking place. We have now a confluence of two national security requirements. One is to address the issue of climate change, and nuclear power is a very big part of that."
--John McCain

Never missing a photo op for "bipartisanism", McCain could appoint Al Gore to a new federal department.

Maybe "Department of Weather".

7. "Gang of 14" member

One of seven Republicans and seven Democrats who averted a Senate showdown over whether filibusters could be used against Bush judicial nominees.

Showdowns are what happen when two groups espousing a different set of principles confront each other. McCain was a natural Gang of 14 member.

8. Kerry veep

McCain was approached by the Democratic presidential nominee in 2004, Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, about being his running mate. McCain talked with Kerry but rejected the offer.

"I believe my party has gone astray. I think the Democratic Party is a fine party, and I have no problems with it, in their views and their philosophy."

--April 2, 2004

Spoken like the conservative he is.

9. Works with Democrats.

The problem... is that most members of Congress don't pay attention to what's going on.

He's hoping most voters don't pay attention, either.

So far, so good.

10. Belligerence

McCain can be acerbic toward his critics, such as when he labeled televangelists Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson "agents of intolerance." He reconciled with Falwell in 2006. Conservative James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, said in a statement on the morning of the Super Tuesday primaries that he would not vote for McCain, citing among other things his "legendary temper" and that he "often uses foul and obscene language."

So all the complaints about conservatives not warming up to a McCain nomination have their basis in solid, philosophical, practical reasons.

Conservatives aren't "crying" or "pouting"; nor, do they need to "grow up".

They are simply explaining two things.

ONE: That John McCain is no conservative and has a long history of antagonism toward conservatives and conservative principles.

TWO: That those who attempt to label McCain as "conservative"--whether in the Mainstream Media or the Republican Party establishment--are ignorant of his record, deceptive or self-serving.

Pointing out the disconnect between John McCain's long history of working against most of their causes and his desperate longing to be "a conservative" has brought conservatives no love from either the MSM or the GOP-first types.

And, once more, that's nothing new.

by Mondoreb
Sources:
* Main Reasons Conservatives Oppose John McCain
* John McCain
* John McCain Quotes