Senator John McCain treads a zigzag trail. So they say he’s inconsistent and a “maverick,” wandering politically like an unbranded calf.
Consider:
On Meet the Press last month, the Arizona Republican blasted the U.S. Supreme Court for its Citizens United decision, which allowed creation of the so-called and largely despised “Super Pacs.”
Such Pacs can accept unlimited and secret campaign donations from corporations, individuals, and other Pacs to create campaign advertising.
The Court’s decision was “uninformed, arrogant, naïve…and the worst decision of the United States Supreme Court in the 21st century,” fumed Mr. McCain. He added:
“I promise you, there will be huge scandals because there’s too much money washing around, too much of it we don’t know who’s behind it, and too much corruption associated with that kind of money.”
Terrific! We cheer the Senator. He expressed the feelings of a huge number of Americans who despise the Pacs for, among other reasons, the spurious attack ads they generate.
Then came Monday July 16.
That day Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, the Rhode Island democrat, finally managed to have the Senate consider the Disclose Act he had authored. The measure would require Super Pac donors to reveal their names, thus remedying one major flaw of the SCOTUS decision.
The Disclose Act would eliminate the threat of corporations secretly and extravagantly backing candidates who would champion their pet—and possibly repugnant—causes once in office. It would eliminate the possibility of foreign governments hiding donations to beholden candidates under cover of phony “companies” with a name and address and nothing more. The Disclose Act would stanch what Sen. Whitehouse calls “the flood of secret money” which, he says, “threatens to drown out the voices of middle class families in our democracy.”
Given his earlier outrage over the decision that allows the Super Pacs, you’d think that Mr. McCain would support the Disclose Act.
But no. The glimpse we got was of Mr. McCain indistinguishable from his GOP- branded colleagues following their leader from Kentucky, Sen. Mitch McConnell, and stifling the Disclose Act debate.
Mr. McCain explained “the Disclose Act is closer to a clever attempt at political gamesmanship, than actual reform.”
Not terrific! We stop cheering the Senator.
Because even If what he said were true and the Act failed in some ways, wouldn’t it still be better to have half of what we want and need than to have all of nothing?
But how can you stay consistently peeved at the Senator?
A few days later we see him rising and lambasting the ugly, ignorant attempt of Minnesota republican Rep. Michele Bachmann and others to label Huma Abedin as a possible spy of the Muslim Brotherhood. Some presume the Muslim Brotherhood is a U.S. enemy. Ms. Abedin is a Muslim and a valued and long-time deputy chief of staff to Secretary of State Hilary Clinton.
Mr. McCain told the Senate Ms. Abedin’s “character, reputation, and patriotism are attacked without concern for fact or fairness.” He said:
“To say that the accusations…are not substantiated by the evidence…is to be overly polite…. These allegations about Huma…are nothing less than an unwarranted and unfounded attack on an honorable citizen, a dedicated American, and a loyal public servant.”
Terrific! We cheer the Senator again.
Ah, but not everyone cheers. A fella named Wes Harris, an Arizona Tea Party leader, screams Mr. McCain must be recalled for defending Ms. Abedin. The Huffington Post quotes, Harris saying the Senator is an “embarrassment”.
Harris proclaims, “Anyone that is a Muslim is a threat to the country and that is a fact. There is no such thing as a moderate Muslim. Go to hell, senator, it’s time for you to take your final dirt nap.”
Who dreams up this rancid nonsense? And where do bimbos like Harris come from? Think about it. Harris is not a member of the U.S. House, a haven of rampant foolishness. He’s not even from Minnesota.
Beyond that, how tawdry to personally insult a man like Mr. McCain. For five and a half horrific years, then Navy pilot McCain experienced the hell of imprisonment and crippling torture in Hanoi. Among his other military honors, he won the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart, and the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Clearly Mr. McCain deserves respect. And those who criticize him for inconsistency and for failing to share our political beliefs and stands on issues do so while saluting a remarkably heroic American hero.
--Gus Gribbin
Thanks for taking a stand for common decency.
ReplyDeleteIf there were a citizens' movement reflecting your concerns, perhaps there would be pressure on politicians to clean up their act. Perhaps even McCain would stand with his personal convictions and not yield to party pressures. Did he not learn after Palin? bsm