Jan 27 2008
The McCain Effect – An Amnesty Hypochondriac Production
How is it John McCain is now best positioned to win the GOP nomination? If he wins FL (and recent endorsements by Gov Crist and Sen Martinez shows he has some gathering strength there) he will have supposedly turned the GOP on its head. Rush Limbaugh predicts the end of the party as we all know it if McCain is nominated. McCain is very liberal on a lot of issues, most notably the comprehensive immigration reform bill he worked with other ‘traitors’ like GOP Sen Kyl and the head RINO himself, El Presidente Jorge Bush – as the hyper-partisan amnesty hypochondriacs like to say to charm those who they disagree with. McCain is the one candidate who represents the antithesis of conservative AM radio talk shows, yet he continues to build momentum – how is that? Fred Thompson did the talk show circuit daily before SC, and came in a dismal 3rd. It was as if the more he talked to Hannity the lower his numbers went?
And the more Rushbo and Ingrahm and Levin rail against McCain the stronger he grows! I am beginning to understand that it is not McCain who turned the GOP on its head, he is the beneficiary of those who did turn the GOP on its head – The Amnesty Hypochondriacs. That is my affectionate, tongue-in-cheek label for those who would lose all to deport all long term, law abiding (excepting their lack of work permits, which is misdemeanor) illegals. And it seems they have succeeded – in losing all they had and hold dear. I cannot help but notice McCain’s support keeps growing as the hyper-partisan talking heads ramble on and on about how liberal he his. It’s as if the electorate is trying to find the most annoying candidate for all those who belittled those they disagreed with and now have destroyed conservative coalition.
Rush and others hint they may sit home this election, and that seems to spurn even more support for McCain. It seems America wants the Mary Poppins conservatives to sit home this election and measure themselves against their purity measuring tapes, self absorbed with their inherent purity and perfection in all things conservative. They seem to be pushing with all their might, through their support of McCain, to call the bluff or threat of the hyper-partisans.
I made a critical and basic error in my predictions of the 2006 race – I seriously underestimated the dislike of the GOP. I was not happy with them, but I had not realized I would be one of the last conservative independents to give up and try the Dems. I thought there was a little political collateral left to save the GOP for one more try. Part of that is due to the fact I don’t shift positions radically or with the wind. Thus why I never budged on Iraq, Harriet Miers, low taxes, Dubai Ports, the ban on Embryonic Stem Cell research, comprehensive immigration. I mix to be sure – but I have seen no reason to move on any of these issues. I don’t switch positions very dramatically. So I was not ready to dismiss the GOP too easily. Well, that is me – not America.
This year I am not going to be so blind. Dem turnout is just overwhelming GOP turnout in the primaries (see addendum below). And one of the most liberal GOP senators, one even I would not want to support because he is too left of me on too many issues, is leading the pack for the GOP nomination. The purity wars of the GOP clearly did more damage than I thought. McCain is strong on defense and spending, but he is also strong – in the supposedly wrong way – on immigration. That was supposed to be his Achille’s Heel, the one thing that would bring him down. It is not working out that way. The one issue I thought would stop McCain (and surprisingly the one we agree on!) is not doing what I expected. It is not slowing him down and may be propelling him forward.
Now I am wondering if there is a correlation between McCain’s growing support and the growing rants from the far right. Is this not the real reason why things are all upside down in the GOP? We know the GOP has been hurt by the stubborn purists, but maybe we have underestimated the damage they have done. The GOP is losing statewide elections in once red states like VA, and it lost 6 Senate seats in 2006, and is experiencing a wave of retirements from the 1994 wave when the GOP took over Congress. And I think those retirements are another sign that people who wanted to change America for the better are walking away from a party now over run by people who want a party in their own narrow images. They came to change Washington DC and found too many of their colleagues were changed by DC. Good decent people turned into heckling echoes of Begala and Carville instead of leaders of a new era. As Huckabee so aptly said in the FL debate: non-republicans.
I have no delusions, my views on policies are my own. I don’t believe they are “practically perfect in every way” – as the Mary Poppins conservatives crow – or, more importantly, perfect in every situation. I don’t try to impose my views, I share them and look for like minded people to follow a path of common ground, knowing there are areas all around us where we disagree and may end up opponents. I don’t hate people because one day we agree on one thing and the next we oppose each other. But the hyper-partisan hot-heads have no similar self confidence or self control. And the result is stunning.
I am pretty sure there is a backlash against the Mary Poppins Conservatives in the nation. The more they fight for their purity views the more greater America responds in the opposite direction. The more Fred Thompson haunted conservative talk radio the further down his numbers went. The more Rush and Hannity go after McCain the stronger McCain gets. The more the far right rails against the impure the larger the democrat crowds get.
When the purity wars erupted over Miers I could see the train wreck coming, and here is what I said back then:
The anti-Miers crowd won a pyrrhic victory today. The extreme right’s confidence and tolerance was tested, and found wanting. Instead of debating the merits of Miers, and allowing her to get to the confirmation hearings – too many in that crowd demeaned Miers and those, like me, who wanted to know who she was before rising in opposition. Their confidence was a charade as they panicked and lashed out in a way I thought republicans had outgrown and only liberals still did.
It is clear now that us impure conservatives cannot be allowed to participate in any meaningful or leading roles. We are not pure bloods with clear lineage to the far right cause.
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The message from the Miers fiasco is clear. Only purebloods can be offered for positions of responsibility. If you are not a pureblood, then there is no depth the purebloods will go to knock you down as a mudblood.
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And that is what is left of the conservative movement. We now have two factions who will never trust each other, and where name calling skirmishes will break out more and more often. It has already started. The genie is out of the bottle and cannot be put back in now.
I was sadly correct in where this would lead. When Dubai Ports erupted from the same panicky group I and many others saw the next phase in the unavoidable implosion of the GOP governing coalition. The final straw, all around, was immigration reform – which knocked the GOP out of control of Congress. Here is one of my many posts sampling the out of control anger of the amnesty hypochondriacs:
Post the list of traitors.
We’ll pull together the list of their corporate sponsors (because I can’t think of who else pushed them to vote for it) and start a boycott.
…
get the roll call.
Let’s crack some heads.
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And with that, I leave the GOP.
Goodbye, guys.
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This Is Fargin’ War!
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Can you say United States of Mexico! Courtesy of our RINOS and RATS! I saw the soccer game between the USA and Mexico from Chicago and the stadium was filled with folk loyal to the RED, WHITE and GREEN…chants for Mexico drowned the USA chants…imagine that in our own land….USM!
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Treason.
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Prez. Bush needs horse-whipping.
After all this is anyone is surprised there has been a backlash against conservatism? If not I can’t help them. Bush was respectful and a compassionate conservative who refused to get in the gutter. And for that decorum he was pilloried by those who seem to have trouble getting out of gutter politics. I heard Hannity ask a liberal caller from MD Friday what happened to her, did her parents beat or abuse her? It was a sick and disrespectful joke. It was another immature and insecure stab at someone who simply disagrees. It ranks right up there with Michelle and others going after the Baltimore family for speaking positively about S-CHIP.
I was wrong. I underestimated the damage the hyper-partisans have done to the GOP. It sounds like America is ready to destroy the party Rush holds dear and are inviting him to sit out 2008. McCain is a poke in the eye to the far right and America seems hell bent on poking that eye. Heck, he is the pick of the NY Times! I did not expect this. I feel good about McCain on national defense, pork spending and immigration. Some might expect me to be happy about his rise, but he is not really my top choice (or second or third). No, I am not happy to see how utterly destroyed the party is because of some hot-heads without self control and dignity and honor.
In the end I don’t think this matters much, because if Obama wins the dem nomination he will steam roll McCain. But it is interesting to see how much success the Amnesty hypochondriacs have had in 2008. Not only have their standard bearers all been forced out of the race, their nemesis is leading the pack to the nomination. Now that I did not expect, but then again I underestimated how much rejection the hypochondriacs where able to build up amongst their one time allies. I did not expect it or want it, but it is here.
Addendum: In case people missed all the news regarding the tsunami of democrat voter turnout I have posts on the matter from SC Dem and SC GOP (where the dems had enormous increases to record highs), New Hampshire and Iowa.
Given the early voting numbers in FL, where Dems are competing with the GOP numbers though their primary supposedly doesn’t count, I would say this trend is continuing. If the FL turnout numbers continue to show this kind of massive turnout differential favoring the dems all the GOP is doing is re-arranging deck chairs on their Titanic.
Update: National Review still thinks immigration works for them and against McCain. Boy, are they in for a shock.
McCain starting his move from last place…when he got so grilled on the road and early on in his campaign for his positions and statements on immigration that he finally admitted openly that he made mistakes in how he approached the immigration reform bill….and that he recognized border security and enforcement/capability issues have to come first and be a part of any kind of large scale immigration reform package. McCain said that himself. He still says it. He still admits that his early attempt to pass the reform bill “without” those things was a mistake. And that he “heard us”. That this was an important issue that cut across political lines. But, I’m not so sure than when he said ‘he heard us” and had changed his view on this, that he was talking about your position (which would not have required any change in position from him). Because, as you have said…you have not changed your position..which was the bill should have been passed as it was and that such arguments about the border security and or enforcement mechanisms..was simply a distraction created by hypocondriacs whos real motivation was in seeing all the “illegals” deported. I’m fairly certain that’s not what McCain was talking about when he said he recognized that his earlier position (that you agreed with and expoused here) was ill reasoned.
So McCain..has come to realize and acknowledge something in this issue that many who supported the first bill and efforts along with him have failed to acknoweldge and or admit….that they were wrong/misinformed on what the touch points of this issue were in regards to how most US citizens felt about it. His campaign started to take off the day he did that.
Yea right…McCain is a “lefty” and Lieberman is a “righty”. Maybe McCain should ask Lieb to be his VP? Ha. That would give some people fits woiuldn’t it!!
What you are observing is the entire politcal spectrum moving “left”. In the end..that’s going to be a more inclusive “good” thing for the RNC…and it’s going to be a “bad”, less inclusive, thing for the DNC. (or at least…more of a problem for them..given after their 04 shellacking..instead of reforming the party they just moved harder left out of spite!!). At least, for not, it looks like the RNC isn’t going to make the same mistake…but after some gnashing of teeth…rebuild the party and leadership in a way that makes the most sense. At least they haven’t forced McCain out of the RNC yet as they did Lieberman.
The reason the RNC has become so disjointed is many. But, it started with them taking down Delay. The RNC leadership never recovered. They were sitting on multiple scandals (money, sex, etc.) Delay was the one who kept the structure of the party in any sort of order. Once he was gone, it was simply a matter of time for that whole house that started long ago to crumble. It had been cracking for years.
It will rebuild anew…and it may very well be a more moderate/inclusive house than it was. Like you, I don’t think that’s bad thing. However, I think the DNC is the one that’s really going to have a tough time. I think they are going to move soo far left that it’s going to leave an open middle wide enough for a 3rd party. I also think maybe that won’t be so bad. However, you have to realize..the more parties you have…the less influence the winning party will have..as your “majority” is only going to be diluted.
Maybe that’s not a bad thing either. Maybe at that point, the President and the exec branch can go back to doing their job as an independent branch of gov. in a leadership and dept of state capacity…instead of having 2 way yahoos travelling around underminding everything they try to do with policy, etc.,
Owl, the worst thing the Pitchfork Gang does is slime everyone (except their messiah of the moment) and transfer their sour, imperious, dirty minded thinking to anyone within earshot. The funniest thing of course, is that whoever plays ball with conservative terrorists will soon find his/her neck on the chopping block… one false move and the seething hordes of hell will be unleashed on the poor soul. So not only do normal Republicans have to fight the pitchforkers when they go after moderates and mavericks, we have to anticipate defending the conservative messiahs as well, each of whom will inevitably step out of line and be proven human. The Pitchfork Gang leaves pile after stinking pile of B.S. and wounded bodies in their wake, and never seem to care about much besides the following week’s hysterical talking points, and which lucky dog will be singled for the next wilding. Seriously, who ARE these people?
Dc:
McCain has come to realize that we have to emphasis securing the border. He has never agreed to the all or nothing crap being pushed by people like Malkin who assume that any sort of normalization is wrong.
What McCain has done is to show that in spite of the raving out there that says he is a traitor and God only knows what else, he is in fact capable of compromise. Too bad the same thing can not be said for the folks who are threatening to stay home and pout if he wins.
What happen to my previous post??
What happen to my previous post??
SallyVee:
That was a great post. And you said what I felt in so many ways.
Aj:
McCain has a conservative rating of 82.5%. He is not a liberal. He has been endorsed by conservatives like Jack Kemp and Phil Gramm. Now ask yourself, would those guys endorse a liberal? I mean really…he is strong on national security and he is a fiscal conservative. He is pro life. That is not too bad.
I would vote for whoever got the nomination. I don’t think Romney would be a bad president as far as that is concerned. But one thing I really do like about McCain, I have the feeling he would stand up for himself and tell people like Rush to stuff a sock in it. That might be nice for a change.
SallyVee
“Conservative terrorists”? “Pitchfork gang”?
When you criticize others for name calling and for classifying others based on how “pure” they are by calling them names and classifying them as acting too “pure” you become just like them. And then no one listens anymore.
Pot meet kettle.
Whippeti:
Yeah, well they can dish it out but they can not take it. That is why people are sick and tired of them.
They can call names, question patriotism, stab a war time president in the back, do all sorts of things…but the Republican base is supposed to just keep eating it up.
I was the Dollar store buying cleaning supplies the other day and Rush was on the radio…blah blah blah…no one was paying the slightest attention to him.
People are just tired of hearing it and what goes around, comes around.
Terrye,
I agree they shouldn’t have been name calling in the first place. That’s why I have “issues” with those who do and why I will have issues with those who criticize others because of it and then do it themselves.
Whippet, think of it as shorthand for the exhausted among us. I suppose I could say “self-proclaimed conservative standard bearers who hold hostage those who disagree with them on any subject.” Or I could say “the group of extremely loud, repetitive demagogues using their microphones to attack en masse the current recipient of their collective ire.” Admit it, you’d find that as annoying to read as I would to type.
I find it quite amusing that those of us who are just lately — finally — beginning to speak up against the tsunami of irresponsible rhetoric and increasingly authoritarian demands and threats by “conservative” babblers, are cautioned about our tactics and use of language. At some point, a wee bit of push-back was inevitable doncha think? I wish I could be kinder in some instances. The truth is, the silence of the lambs among us has greatly intensified the problems created by bullying loudmouths who believed themselves to be unopposed.
SallyVee,
All I’m saying is if you criticize someone for their tactics and then use the same tactics it dilutes the message…
I can certainly understand how you would feel a “push-back is inevitable.” But if you feel bullied by their tactics why choose to use the same tactics? Wouldn’t you then make others feel bullied?
AJ – “watch & learn” — you’re funny. My analysis is reality. You actually beleive that Bush & the Iraq War was not an anchor for the repubs in 2006? I think Bush has been a stalwart on Iraq and GWOT, but his low approval and the difficulties we were having in Iraq at the time hurt the GOP badly, as did their spending and corruption label. If the party that used to be for fiscal restraint and limited govt was now shown to be nothing of the sort, then what incentive was there for the base, or for the middle who also dislike wasteful spending? When the best you got is a retort that mis-characterizes what I said, then you know you’re on shaky ground.
If McCain wins the nomination he WON’t go soft on illegal immigration, but he may very well talk more centrist on other positions. But for the immigration issue, being serious about securing the borders and getting control over who we let into our country is the priority and a winning position.
Like Whippet, I will certainly vote for McCain over any of the dems. As DC observed, the political spectrum is moving left, and this certainly includes the GOP with Bush as the figure-head. Conservatives haven’t moved — conservative positions are unchanged, it’s the party that they were the bedrock for that is moving. And that’s why so many are so passionate. The danger of McCain as the nominee is that the conservative base will once again be feeling disrespected and disenfranchised. Most will vote for him, but some won’t and the base will not be energized except to oppose Hillary. And that may not be enough.
ie…Rush, etc.,
Or, you could just say people who hold opions on politics and social issues different than yours?
But, then, that would sort of put things in a different perspective.
I’m asking this again…what are the odds that Ron Paul will come back and run as an independent?
I hope he does not.
No Dc that is not what I mean. I am talking about the mean spirited malicious people who treat people like me as if we were just supposed to vote for whoever they tell us to and shut the hell up. I have no problem with people seeing the world differently than I do. Most grownups don’t.
For years Rush has sit there like some potentate, making millions while he never has to do anything but yammer. No one asked him to be accountable, no one asked Malkin to do a better job than the pol she is accusing of God knows what, no one ask Hannity to run for office and show us how it is done rather than treat everyone who does not kiss his butt as if they were a traitor or just plain brain damaged. These people don’t DO anything.
I do not listen to talk radio anymore. There are dozens of blogs I no longer look at.
I have been voting GOP for a long time and it is as if these people despise me. So why should I want to listen to them?
And AJ is not alone. The Pink Flamingo has the same feelings. There are more and more people reacting to the negativity and the hatred.
And while people are on the subject, reassuring themselves that immigration is a winner for them and McCAin Feingold is a bad awful thing, keep in mind the Democrats are ahead and they are not exactly known to be hardliners. I wonder what Obama’s immigration policy will be?
And in terms of the general election, campaign finance reform is a winner because the general public is a lot more concerned about rich people buying elections than they are about some pol not being able to maximize his ad campaign.
The truth is some conservatives have spent way too much time listening to the talking heads. Regular people do not see the world the way Rush and Malkin do. They just don’t. In fact they are tired of hearing it.
Terrye,
“For years Rush has sit there like some potentate, making millions while he never has to do anything but yammer.”
I have no problem if you don’t like Rush…I’m not very fond of him. Tend to like WHAT he says but not the WAY he says it. But you sure exposed yourself with that comment along with…”Democrats are ahead and they are not exactly known to be hardliners”, or “rich people buying elections”.
First, Rush is accountable…if no one likes what he says they don’t listen and he ceases to make money. He’s a product plain and simple. When he ceases to make money his radio show will not exist.
By rich people buying elections I’m not sure who you mean because it doesn’t matter how much money a rich candidate has he still has to get the message out and attract voters or he won’t win. His money just makes it easier.
By Democrats not being hardliners I have no idea what you mean or you aren’t listening to those on the left. Take a visit to some of the left blogs that are courted by many of the Democratic candidates, like say Daily Kos and see how “hardline” they can be. Or have you not been listing to the rancor between the Clinton and Obama campaigns? Ask Joe Lieberman about hardline tactics.
Lots of regular people DO see the world the way Rush and Malkin do…that’s why they continue to be successful. Just because you disagree with them don’t be jealous of their success.
You sound to me like a Democrat who wants a piece of someone else’s pie instead of someone who feels disenfranchised by the Republican party.
If we are extremely lucky (think lotto ticket) and get the WH, it will be a fun thing to watch. If the party and pundits are not happy with George W Bush, just try to imagine it. If they can turn as a group into a back-stabbing, bad mouthing frenzy over his actions………they will slaughter the next one.
They have mostly grouped behind Romney. I can live with that (swish-swashy & all) but I sure pity him after the honeymoon. I assume he knows he has 3 months to ’round em up & ship em back’?
Romney is a bit of a “mudblood” as well.
His religion is one reason. He also has not always been a “pureblood” as well, and he is willing to be flexible when the data is in front of him.
Thankfully, 2008 will result in the checking of that faction. Romney, Giuliani, and McCain all are “mudbloods” and the GOP has turned its back on the hard-liners.