Contemplating John McCain

Unless John McCain gets struck by lightning, it appears he's headed for the Republican Presidential nomination.

With all due respect to Rush Limbaugh, Dr. James Dobson, Ann Coulter, et. al. I'll be voting for Mr. McCain this fall (even though he was probably my fifth or sixth choice for the nomination).

Some say that conservatives should not surrender their principles by voting for McCain. Some say that a Democratic presidency would be a disaster by raising taxes in an uncertain economy, retreating from Iraq, and other assorted reasons, and that they'd rather have a disaster happen to a Democrat. Still others say that a McCain presidency would "kill the Repulican Party". The FDC disagrees with all three of these arguments.

On the first charge, all candidates are flawed in some fashion, and all voters make idealogical compromises with their favored candidates. Therefore, supporting McCain is just another such compromise.

On the second charge, The FDC wants what is best for the United States, despite who is President. Also any such lost war, recession, or terrorist attack on the United States is likely to affect all Americans in an adverse way, and The FDC doesn't believe in handing over the presidency to the Democrats so they can raise tax rates, kill economic prosperity, retreat from Iraq, and treat homeland security like a law enforcement problem, just so that we can guarantee another Republican revolution in four or eight years. In other words, it would be cutting off our nose to spite our face.

On the third charge, a McCain presidency would not "kill the Republican Party". If I vote for McCain, I'm not adopting his principles, and I will be no less a conservative than I have been for my entire adult life. Most people, except the wishy-washy Independents, don't simply abandon the principles that they have formed over the course of their lives on a moments notice.

So, though The FDC has many issues with McCain (as do so many conservatives), it is important that the Republicans retain the White House in 2008, and here are the reasons why:

The first issue is the Iraq War and national security:

McCain is a firm supporter of the war, the troops, and the success of their mission. McCain is also a firm believer protecting our country from fundamentalist Islamic terrorism.

The second issue is The Supreme Court:

The next president will likely get at least one Supreme Court nomination, and likely at least one more. McCain has stated that he would appoint judges in the mold of Thomas, Scalia, Roberts, and Alito. John Paul Stevens is 87, Ruth Bader Ginsberg is 74, and several other justices are only five years or less younger than her. Even one conservative, originalist Supreme Court nomination would give the court a five to four conservative majority.

Alfred Regnery, publisher of The American Spectator has some advice for McCain, here.

Putting aside the obvious policy issues that conservatives differ with Mr. McCain on, i.e. immigration and anthropogenic global warming, a McCain presidency could be disasterous for our foreign policy. McCain has questionable judgement in serious situations that require quick, decisive thinking. McCain also has a short temper that shows itself with fits of sarcasm and personal attacks that do not serve well America's best interests.

If McCain were elected President, it could be a long four years.