ARTHUR'S VIKING PICK FOR PRES
As we enter 2008, we, as Americans, have an important duty. We GET (and I emphasize GET) to choose our next president. This choice and the process of electing a President is not to be taken lightly or for granted. Most civilized nations use a parliamentary system while most of the world's people are mere lemmings for dictators and despots. And the truth is that the majority of those nation's leaders are irrelevant because their nations are irrelevant. We choose who will be the most powerful man (and yes I meant man) in the world for the next four years, a weighty thing to be sure.
As the Lead Viking here at Arthur's Hall of Viking Manliness, I do feel obligated to tell you, my loyal readers, who I endorse. I know my endorsement will be taken seriously by a fair number of people so I have had to do my due diligence. To be honest, I had a hard time with this choice. I oscillated quite a few times over the last three months unable to 100% back any candidate. This is un-Vikinglike of me. I came to my senses this week and made a choice and I am not going to tell you who it is yet. Why? I want to explain my reasoning. I believe everyone has to take some time to think about this choice. This election is unlike most, typically both parties have a dominant candidate that leaves us with little input on who will be running for President. The primary circuit is usually a coronation and celebration, not a real choice. Not this year. So, first, I ask everyone who reads this to participate in your state's primary. Don't be one of these assholes who complain about being powerless when, this year, you have the ability to have real influence on the political process.
How did I choose a candidate? Well, the first thing I did was examine what was important to me. Taking stock in your beliefs is an important thing to do. We are blitzed with political news and slanted bullshit from all sides, so stepping back from the noise and having a heart-to-heart with yourself is a difficult task. So let's get to the real substance of what I think is important. I am going to break down the different aspects from a character and policy basis and lay out what I looked for.
Trustworthiness
This is, to me, the most important single characteristic a politician must have to garner my support. I have not always agreed with President Bush and his decisions but I trust him. I know he has made decisions that, in his mind, have been in the best interest of our nation. Has he been right every time? Nope, and no politician will ever be. My feelings about our prior president are much different. I would not trust Billy to take my daughter to ice cream. To be fair, I don't even consider anyone running with a "D" next to their names. Their party is run by people who hate our nation. They jumped up and down with glee as Iraq fell into chaos and our troops came home dead because it confirmed their anti-war platform and now offer no congratulations when the situation in Iraq has improved by leaps and bounds thanks to our military personnel's skill and perseverance. They drone on about socialized healthcare, knowing damn well it will bankrupt us. They tell simpletons that our nation is in horrible shape and offer solutions of handouts and entitlements. They are cowards. I wonder if any of them actually want our nation to continue to be the greatest nation on Earth. I really don't think they do. So, there you have it, my choice will not be a Democrat...no surprise there.
Religion
Religion has been a central theme in the GOP primary campaign. We have a Mormon, an evangelical and even some agnostics running. I view religion as an important personal issue. I am a Christian. That said, our nation is not a theocracy and I am concerned that we, as Republicans, are placing too much emphasis on the candidate's personal views. Why should Mitt Romney have to speak about his religion and "prove" to the Christian voters that he is a Christian? Truth is that he should not have to. I am appalled that some factions of our party have the audacity to demand fealty to them or God for that matter. We complain all the time about "special interests" running the Democratic party and yet we have a politicized group who is doing the same in our party. All that I ask from a candidate is that they understand the paramount importance Protestantism has played in our nation's history. Even if they don't believe in God, I just want to know if they will uphold my Constitutional right to worship in the way that I choose. From this standpoint I see no one in the field who will abridge my rights, so in this election, religion is not an issue for me.
The 2nd Amendment
I should not have to explain the importance of the 2nd amendment. Needless to say, our RIGHT to own and use firearms is of the utmost importance. I hate all gun laws. I understand that it is politically easy for elected officials to enact minimum safeguards in the purchasing process. There are reasonable "gun safety" laws that I can live with. I don't agree with these laws, but they don't worry me either. But when someone tells me what type of gun I can own or that my ammunition will be registered to me or that I need special licenses, I am very bothered. Nowhere is the "slippery slope" more noticeable. It will not take much to seriously infringe on our rights. In 2008, I am not concerned that we are going to lose our rights to own weapons. That time will come but it isn't here yet. I am worried about the incrementalism but I also know that any gun-control law will be negligibly enforced. In the immortal words of the greatest American, Thomas Jefferson "Governments who fear an armed citizenry, should".
Use of military force
As many of you know, I love military force. I maintain that our military superiority makes this nation the greatest in the world. It is human law that if you are the best you will be forced to prove it. And we have, again and again. I need a candidate who knows this. Isolationism is a recipe for disaster. To me, there are no bad wars, just bad war plans. I refuse to support a candidate who supports deals and treaties with nations or groups who have nothing to give. Negotiating for the sake of negotiation is weakness. Every person on this Earth should know that when our interests are threatened we will strike with devastating force. I oppose the Geneva convention and our membership in the UN. While I don't see us withdrawing from either of these organizations, I do need a candidate to know that our work in Iraq is critical to our nation's future and that IT MUST BE COMPLETED. War with Iran is coming whether we like it our not and our next President needs to be able to handle it.
The role of government
I hate the federal government. That said, I don't see it going anywhere so a candidate must understand that the Federal government does not have the solution to any problem. Most of our candidates know this but there are a couple who have a record of being heavy handed. They will not be getting my endorsement.
Electability
Is the candidate electable? That is an important question. I had a change of heart on this recently. My first idea was that we needed to nominate someone who could beat the communist forces of the left. The more I looked at it, the less this meant to me. I know that we CAN win this election. I will not endorse someone for the sole reason of electability. So my choice has little to do with perceived electability.
Experience
This issue is a double edged sword. On one hand I want to know that the guy running the show understands the way Washington works. On the other hand, I am not sure I want a political insider either. Lifelong politicians have always bothered me. Nothing makes me cringe like a lifelong bureaucrat. In recent history, we have seen a trend of state governors winning presidential elections. I am not sure what I think of that. With the attacks of 9/11, we entered a different era in our nation's history. No longer can we sit around and bicker about abortion, education or healthcare. Our nation needs a leader who understands the threat of Islam and how best to deal with it.
Environmentalism
Global warming exists, plain and simple. Is it our fault? I am not sure. Is it the Apocalypse? No. Does it benefit our nation to continue to waste an obscene amount of fossil fuels? Not at all. Our enemy is funded, almost solely, buy OUR dependence on them. Want to help Israel? Get committed to a hydrogen based economy. Let the Bedouins sink back into the third world by not buying their product. I want a leader who understand that dependence on foreign oil is not only harmful, in some way or another, to the environment and more importantly, our national security. To me, being cautious about our planet is in our best economic interests. I have been critical of the Bush administration in their stewardship of our nation's natural resources. I don't want to be forced to make changes but I want to see market-driven solutions along with useful tax benefits for environmentally sound businesses and products.
These are the factors that I considered when I made my choice for who I will support in 2008. I know that for many of you there are other issues like illegal immigration, social issues (abortion, gay marriage, etc) and health care. The reason I did not consider any of these is because I know that the current state of affairs will continue regardless of who becomes president. We will never stop illegal immigration unless we become poorer than neighboring nations (which I think is the plan of the Democrats). Social issues are just that, social issues. The fact that we worry about our President's view on abortion is ludicrous. I am anti-abortion but I am afraid to tell some of you that we will not see a ban on abortion at large. No leader or court has the balls or desire to do it. It is merely a mouthpiece issue that Republicans pay lip service to for the sole reason of solidifying the evangelical vote. In that way, it is similar to health care on the democratic side. They all know that we cannot have national healthcare, it will bankrupt us and they know it. It is an issue that you can always talk about because everyone wants more for less but when the real costs are laid out to Americans, no one will agree to it. Does abortion affect my life? No. So it is a complete non-issue to me.
So drum roll please.....I am endorsing John McCain for President of the United States.
On the issues above, I simply cannot find a better candidate. Is he perfect? No, he is not. But when faced with the communists on the left, the goat herders in the world and some serious loons in the GOP, there is no choice at all.
One thing I don't think anyone can say is that John McCain is not committed to our nation. He has lived a life of public service. He was a POW in North Vietnam who REFUSED to be released when the North Vietnamese offered it to him because they learned that his father was an Admiral in command of the region. That is service my friends, that is commitment. So we know he is a man who loves our great nation. But is he trustworthy? I say yes. He has a history of sticking to his political principles. He opposed the Bush tax cuts that easily passed in 2001. He knew that would make him unpopular within the Republican ranks. But he did it anyway because he saw that tax cuts without spending limits were a recipe for massive deficits and inflation...exactly what we have seen in the last four years. In his Senate career, John McCain has been a strong advocate against pork-barrel spending. The GOP has been horrible over the last few years with spending, fucking horrible. He will put a stop to it. Does that make him popular with Senators or lobbyists? Does it make it easy for him to go to groups who typically rob the government for support and campaign donations? Surely not. But he sticks to his guns on the issues that are important to him and that is exactly the type of man we need to lead us.
I am not writing this endorsement to castigate other Republicans but I have no choice but to point out a few things on this issue. I was strongly considering endorsing Mitt Romney. The problem I found was that every time I looked into any issue I saw a duplicity in what he says now vs. what he did in the past. He was pro-abortion and now he is against it. He was for gun control in Massachusetts and now he is a "hunter". He was an "independent in 1994 and did not want a repeat of Reagan." Now he loves Ronnie. I call bullshit my friend. I think you are a good man much in the mold of John Kerry. Good guy but weak minded..I cannot have that. One thing I admire about a man is their ability to stand up against the hurricane of public opinion. W has been able to do it...but his father and Clinton were not up to that task. I believe that John McCain will be able to weather the inevitable cry "foul" from an uneducated and apathetic public.
Another reason I am endorsing Senator McCain is his stance on religion. What is that? I don't know and that is how I like it. I am not sure if he is a Christian and that is a good thing to me. If you are forced to campaign on sharing religious beliefs with people it means you have very little record to stand on. Romney and Mike Huckabee are fighting a religious war and it is pathetic. It goes a little something like this: Romney "I am a Christian who believes in magic underwear and golden tablets"..Huckabee "Mormons are weird and I believe that the Earth is 6000 years old". Fucking absurd. Huckabee is to blame for this religious test problem. He has injected his personal beliefs into every possible photo op and it has led Romney to defend himself. This is one of the many reasons I will not endorse Huckabee among many others (nanny state belief system, utter lack of foreign policy experience, etc).
John McCain is not a threat to our 2nd amendment rights. I know that the gun-lobby is not a huge fan of John McCain but I do feel that there is some fanaticism at play here. He was against the defunct "assault weapons" ban. He co-sponsored a bill to allow the five law abiding citizens of Washington DC to own handguns. He opposed waiting periods for purchase of firearms. He voted against ammunition laws that would restrict certain types of ammunition that were labeled "armor piercing". The gun lobby has been pissed at McCain for his support of gun locks. To my understanding, these are placed on the weapons during transport. That seems like a reasonable rule to me. He also attracted the ire of some gun-rights folks when he agreed that existing laws for gun purchases be extended to gun shows. Why should gun show purchases be different than in store purchases? They are not. He is a friend of the 2nd amendment and his record proves it. Don't believe me...look into his record as a whole, not just what the GOA tells you. Most of the NRA's problem with McCain is his bill to reform our campaign finance laws. This is true because they are a huge lobby and it is a lobby that I support. The idea of limiting monetary access to our lawmakers is a good idea and while his bill may not be the best solution I agree with his sentiment. So rather than read the NRA or GOA's assessment of McCain, just look at his ACTUAL gun rights record and you will see that you will not lose your right to bear arms by electing John McCain.
McCain's record from a national defense standpoint is outstanding. He has consistently supported pay raises for military personnel to help with recruiting and retention. His has also been a supporter of the war in Iraq and was one of the early proponents of the surge that has been so successful in Iraq. He was critical of the war plan in Iraq from the outset, saying that there were not enough ground forces from the start and he was proven correct when Generals finally received increased manpower. McCain understands we must win in Iraq and install a democracy. There is no way we can leave until the task is completed. He has told anyone who will listen that Iran cannot get nukes and is on record as saying that if Iran acquires nuclear weapons that WE WILL ATTACK. I believe him.
I believe that Giuliani is more electable in a national election. He is more charismatic than McCain and more well liked by the public at large. The problem with Rudy is that he is barely a Republican. His personal life is very questionable but more damning to me is his record of heavy-handed tactics in fighting crime. He is lauded for cutting crime in New York but the untold story is that he banned certain types of legitimate businesses that tended to be robbed. That is a communist way of fighting crime and I fear that those types of ideas would be extended. So as much as I know that Rudy is more electable, I cannot endorse him. McCain is not the most electric figure on the campaign but he is quite forthright with what he believes, which will contrast well with the slimy bitch Klinton. I have no doubt that he can beat Hillary. McCain is not a hard-core religious conservative, which will play well with non-Christian independents. His record is socially conservative but his stances are solidly grounded on Constitutional limits of government rather than religious beliefs. His sometimes prickly relationship with President Bush is also a good thing in the eyes of the voters. I believe that voters see him as independent of Bush which does not help him in our primary but will be an advantage in the national election. I honestly believe that he is our best choice to stave off the communists while adhering to our nation's Constitutional heritage.
Senator McCain also has a decent record of environmentalism. He sees the ethanol subsidy for what it is...a pork boondoggle. He has a roughly 50% rating from environmental groups which means he has a mixed record which in my view is a good thing. He advocates a nuclear and hydrogen based economy, and recognizes that our dependence on Middle East oil is a threat to national security. He, like me, sees economic benefits to environmental protections and that the two are not mutually exclusive.
John McCain is the most experienced candidate running for President, case closed. No candidate on either side of the aisle can match his distinguished record of service. They all seem like rookies if you look at their records; one term senators, wives of powerful men, one term governors, mayors.. fucking amateurs. I want our next President to know what the hell is going on from the day he is elected.
Looking back on the last eight years, I believe we made the wrong choice for President. I have no doubt that John McCain would have been a more disciplined conservative President than W has been. George Bush has done an admirable job as president (especially from a foreign policy standpoint) but his inability to reign in the GOP Congress and their out-of-control spending has set our party back twenty years. Let's not elect the wrong man again. We will win this election if we stop the infighting and bickering within our party and get behind the right man for the job, Senator John McCain. For Victory in 2008, vote John McCain for President of the United States of America.
|
