Many of you have undoubtedly read my post “Why Not John McCain?”, which was my attempt to explain to my friends why I was not in support of John McCain’s bid for the Republican nomination for President. At that point I was against McCain’s nomination because I feel he is too liberal for my taste and pointed out the specific issues I felt we disagreed on. But as he won the Republican primary, I was among those front row as the then Presumptive Nominee for President of the United States made his acceptance speech. In the past few weeks I have been posting responses to speeches made by Michelle Obama and Joe Biden, and then by accusations that Governor Sarah Palin was unfit for the Vice Presidency. Yet I have never given full attention to why I feel John McCain is the most logical choice for President of the United States over Barack Obama.
Using On the Issues.org I will demonstrate why John McCain is the more worthy candidate for President this year. There are a handful of issues which are going to be important in the next four years, those are: Energy, Foreign Policy, Gay Rights, Abortion, Economy and Immigration. The most perennial of these issues has to be Abortion and so it will be dealt with first. John McCain is a pro life candidate, which is more than can be said for either Barack Obama or Joe Biden. McCain is against public funding for abortions, which will make it less cost efficient for abortion clinics to remain open having to depend on the money brought in by their customers. McCain recognizes that if Abortion clinics are not receiving public aide for their operation, the cost of operating will fall on the women who seek abortions. The rise in cost in Abortions will ultimately force many women to forgo having an abortion and of course will close free abortion clinics which cater to the lower income women and teens in general. Likewise, McCain supports the prosecution of Abortion doctors rather than the women who seek them out. A doctor who knows they will be prosecuted for performing an Abortion is less likely to do so than if they know they are permitted. Many will argue that as doctors refuse to perform Abortions many women will revert to back alley abortions. John McCain also supports adoption and foster care in order to help give women an alternative to abortion. McCain has shown this willingness to support adoption has he himself has an adopted daughter named Bridget, and adopted his first wife’s two sons Douglass and Andrew. McCain’s voting record demonstrates his support for Pro Life stances, including voting to continue the ban on abortions on Military bases, and making it a crime to harm a fetus when committing another crime.
The second issue, which has for sometime now been building to what will possibly be a national issue, Gay Rights, specifically Marriage. Senator McCain believes that the issue of homosexual marriage should be left up to the states, believing it to be unrepublican for the Federal government to decide. However, he has also voted against making sexual orientation a part of the hate crime definition. While he does not support a Federal definition of marriage as one man, one woman, he has shown support for California Proposition no. 8 which would do just that for the state of California. McCain is also in favor of maintaining the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy of the United States Armed Forces. For many Conservatives, though not this one, McCain’s stance on Gay Marriage is exactly what they wish: he is against it personally, but does not believe it is the Federal government’s place to deny it.
Since the beginning of the American Republic there have been two key issues that we have struggled with: Immigration and Foreign Policy. The two issues are interconnected and thus will be dealt with here together. Immigration today is largely focused on Hispanic immigration, primarily from Mexico. There is always a threat, whether laughable or not, that Mexican immigration could be a part of a larger ploy by Mexico to reclaim the lands lost during the Mexican-American War (Texas, California, New Mexico and Arizona.) Recognizing this, and the need to ensure immigration is kept orderly, Senator McCain voted for a fence to be built along the Mexican-American border. In 2007, John McCain voted in favor of making the English language the official language of the United States Government, though this was primarily viewed as a ceremonial jester by Congress. He is in favor of a Guest Worker program and granting visas to skilled workers. He also has voted in favor of allowing limited health care to be provided to immigrants. In July of 2001, McCain came out in support of English immersion rather than bilingual education. Overall, McCain is in support of immigration reform. Border security, his primary concern in reforming immigration, is intrinsically connected to foreign policy. While the Mexican government is allied with the United States, drug dealers and rogue nations like Venezuela are always threats to our national security.
John McCain supports a healthy defense budget, including modernizing outdated military technology such as the C-130, B-2 and Seawolf. He also wants to raise the salary of the United States Armed Forces in order to help divert the need for a draft. McCain also finds it embarrassing that we have soldiers or former soldiers living on food stamps. He did not vote in favor of limiting time in Iraq for soldiers to 12 months. McCain also supports the closing of unnecessary bases, finding it ludicrous that we leave bases open simply for political reasons. In March of 2005 McCain sponsored a bill which banned torturing of terrorists in U.S. Custody. In February of 1999 he voted in favor of raising the military salary by 4.8%. John McCain is the most logical choice for President in a time when we are at war and potentially could be at war with Russia or Iran within the next four years. Obama lacks military or foreign policy experience, John McCain has both. We need a person in office with military knowledge, over the last 16 years we have had individuals in office without true military knowledge leading us in war. We cannot afford, with the prospect of a true declared war, to have an individual in the Oval Office that lacks knowledge of military and foreign affairs.
On the Economy, John McCain is very important for our country. In 2006 he voted to permanently repeal the death tax. Then in 2008 he voted to raise the exemption from 1 million to 5 million on the death tax. In 2000 he voted in favor of eliminating the marriage tax and in 2001 voted to reduce the marriage penalty. John McCain is also against unions, believing that they are monopolies and voted in favor of giving employers the power to interfere in unions. McCain is also an advocate of free trade, voting to extend free trade to Oman, Singapore, Chile, and the Andean Nations. McCain has also voted in favor of normal trade relations with China and Vietnam. Finally, McCain is for less government spending and voted in 1997 in favor of the Balanced Budget Amendment. He is in favor of using the veto to stop over spending by Congress and has voted against pork barrel bills and pork spending.
Finally, we are faced with a problem of energy in this nation as we have become more and more dependent on foreign oil suppliers to support our nation. As a result we have become subject to nations which wish us ill including Venezuela who is our largest oil supplier. Senator McCain is in favor of nuclear power, which I personally believe is the most logical way to deal with our energy problems. In 2005 McCain voted in favor of banning oil drilling in ANWR, while his running mate and current Governor of Alaska is in favor of drilling in ANWR. McCain does believe that the climate has changed and is in support of reducing green house gases. McCain recognizes the need to cut our dependency on foreign oil and finding alternative methods to provide energy for this nation.
McCain has shown, throughout his time in Congress, an ability to work with both sides of the aisle and help reform our government and protect our nation for future generations. On the major that are presenting themselves for the next four years, John McCain has answers that are more correct than Barack Obama. He has the knowledge necessary should our nation engage in wars with Iran or Russia. He understands our nation’s immigration problems as he represents the state of Arizona, one of the most hard hit states from illegal immigration. He recognizes the need for finding alternative fuel sources and supports the development of Nuclear power. John McCain supports the pro life stance and has sought to criminalize abortion in the most legally sensible methods possible. He recognizes the problems with our economy and knows that we must be willing to freely trade with other nations to help protect our own economy. Barack Obama has offered empty promises and has nothing in his voting record to demonstrate his steadfast character on the issues.
