Team McCain: Immigration statement poorly worded
posted at 12:45 pm on May 23, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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Jim Geraghty reached out to the John McCain campaign to ask them …. well, to ask them what the hell John McCain was thinking yesterday. Instead of dancing around it, Geraghty’s source acknowledged the damage done by the statement, but insisted it was just an example of poor wording. Their commitment to border security first has not changed, they said:
I doubt this will mitigate the anger of bloggers like John Hawkins much, but Team McCain tells me there’s been no change in his stance on immigration — secure the border first, deal with other aspects of illegal immigration once the border is secure. Recently, McCain made comments that seemed to suggest he was eager to get to the second part, which conservatives and border security types are understandably wary about. ….
Team McCain tells me the senator’s comments were poorly worded. There’s been no discussion within the campaign of altering their stance on illegal immigration, and as far as everyone on the campaign is concerned, the policy is still, ’secure the border first.’
If so, then Senator McCain needs to make a rather high-profile attempt to clear up the confusion. I didn’t think he had departed from his previous positions, but clearly that was the impression that was left with people, and not necessarily unreasonably so.
It’s admirable that they acknowledged the mistake, but McCain needs to perform better now that he’s won the nomination, especially on this hot-button issue. He has to know that a large number of conservatives mistrust him on this specific issue, and that anything said on the trail about immigration will get very close scrutiny. He can’t afford missteps like this.
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DFCtomm on May 23, 2008 at 7:46 PM
Seal the border as best possible and enforce laws. No more need be done
jed58 on May 23, 2008 at 7:48 PM
Love ‘em. Still can’t go wrong with Casablanca.
I was watching the series “The Rifleman” on DVD, with my 6 year old son last year. He loved them.
If you like new movies…
I watched “Bella” the other night. It’s a little independent film that, sort of, goes against the grain of Hollywood (and little independent films for that matter), with a message of life and family. If you don’t shed a tear watching this flick, you’re a hard sonofabitch.
Saltysam on May 23, 2008 at 7:50 PM
DFCtomm on May 23, 2008 at 7:43 PM
I guess that’s why we end up here.
Saltysam on May 23, 2008 at 7:51 PM
I have my best luck on long car or plane trips, since the tight spaces make it difficult for them to get away.DFCtomm on May 23, 2008 at 7:43 PM
Quote of the WEEK! (Laughed til it hurt)
Limerick on May 23, 2008 at 7:52 PM
sorry – didn’t mean to strike it
Limerick on May 23, 2008 at 7:52 PM
The loudest voices with the biggest megaphones are not necessarily the majority, Code Pink as an example. Those who are doing the fighting get to say what is right for them, not Code Pink or those who are not enlisted. Those who are not fighting are not to be given carte blanche to practice cloak and dagger politics against those who are fighting in the Middle East. Obama’s legions of MSM couch potato warriors can STFU.
maverick muse on May 23, 2008 at 7:56 PM
Love ‘em. Still can’t go wrong with Casablanca.
I was watching the series “The Rifleman” on DVD, with my 6 year old son last year. He loved them.
If you like new movies…
Saltysam on May 23, 2008 at 7:57 PM
Oh but The Goracle is talking about human beings too, millions, even billions who will be killed by Apocalyptic Global Warming if we don’t do what he says.
MB4 on May 23, 2008 at 7:57 PM
Limerick on May 23, 2008 at 7:52 PM
yea right…we know your kind ;)
jerrytbg on May 23, 2008 at 7:58 PM
Ooops…
Limerick
If you like new movies…
I watched “Bella” the other night. It’s a little independent film that, sort of, goes against the grain of Hollywood (and little independent films for that matter), with a message of life and family. If you don’t shed a tear watching this flick, you’re a hard sonofabitch.
Saltysam on May 23, 2008 at 7:59 PM
You’re right.
Can anyone guess who’s pulling Hussein Ubama’s strings?
Here’s a hint:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9V-bxx7OyZ0
SaintOlaf on May 23, 2008 at 7:59 PM
It would sure get them out of our hair for a while.
MB4 on May 23, 2008 at 7:59 PM
Will watch them both again…
Thanks!
Saltysam on May 23, 2008 at 8:01 PM
Oh, now I see, like where you only cut the remaining distance in half with each play and you never get there.
MB4 on May 23, 2008 at 8:01 PM
Uhm. Would it disrupt oil supplies?
Man, I’m glad we don’t drill our own oil so we have to worry about that stuff.
misterpeasea on May 23, 2008 at 8:03 PM
You are very naive. You must be young.
MB4 on May 23, 2008 at 8:05 PM
Limerick
Sorry, I left that unfinished.
If you like new movies…
I watched “Bella” the other night. Its a little independent film that, sort of, goes against the grain of Hollywood (and little independent films for that matter) with a message of life and family. If you don’t shed a tear, you’re one hard sonofabitch.
Saltysam on May 23, 2008 at 8:05 PM
Limerick
Sorry, I left that unfinished.
If you like new movies…
I watched “Bella” the other night. Its a little independent film that, sort of, goes against the grain of Hollywood (and little independent films for that matter) with a message of life and family. If you don’t shed a tear, you’re one hard son-of-a-b#%ch.
Saltysam on May 23, 2008 at 8:07 PM
I just noticed that DFCtomm seems to be firing at pretty much the same targets as I am so I might as well take a break.
MB4 on May 23, 2008 at 8:07 PM
flenser is going after some of the same targets too. I may be unemployed now.
MB4 on May 23, 2008 at 8:10 PM
Well then….case closed. McCain’s people assure us that this is merely poorly worded commentary. We should just trust the man that, this time last year, was lashing out and calling those of us against McCain’s amnesty scheme racist……
FAT CHANCE “FRIEND.” That isn’t good enough because of your past history. In truth, you’ve never been a secure the borders guy. You can’t be and make the argument that illegals are merely doing jobs that Americans won’t.
highhopes on May 23, 2008 at 8:11 PM
SaintOlaf on May 23, 2008 at 7:59 PM
Interesting clip… thanks…ummm
jerrytbg on May 23, 2008 at 8:11 PM
I’d put them at the head of the line in a heartbeat. Much more deserving of citizenship than someones Brother, or cousin, or someone who crossed the border illegaly!
Romeo13 on May 23, 2008 at 8:12 PM
This is precisely what McCain is doing: Performing. I don’t need his theatrical “performance” in trying to bamboozle me into believing he will be anything but Left-of-Bill-Clinton “moderate” Democrat in office.
Standard Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah…I know he’ll be less worse than BHO…Blah, blah, blah. That’s not saying an awful lot.
seanrobins on May 23, 2008 at 8:13 PM
So who’s AMNESTY plan do the Illegal Aliens prefer? Juan “Z-Visa” McCain, Barack Obama, or Hillary Clinton???
DfDeportation on May 23, 2008 at 8:15 PM
Here’s a few ideas:
Hopscotch
Amadeus
Dirty Dozen
FloatingRock on May 23, 2008 at 8:15 PM
No they are not. The Army has had to raise it’s age limit by 7 years, lower education requirements, test score requirements and background requirements (criminal records) and pay huge bonuses. The Marines are now advertising in la Raza publications and telling American arab recruits that they can be Americans, Arabs and Marines, in that order.
And all this to maintain a very small military. Todays Army is only a little over 500,000 strong. During RVN it was at it’s peak about 1,500,000 and we only had about 2/3 the population then.
April 21, 2008
Sending in the Marines (to Recruit Women)
By DOUGLAS QUENQUA
THE Marines are looking for a few good women.
Actually, they will take as many as they can get. Faced with the difficulty of recruiting during a long and unpopular war, the United States Marine Corps has started marketing itself to women in a concerted way for the first time. It is running ads in magazines like Shape, Self and Fitness, which appeal mainly to female readers, as well as through more mainstream outlets like “American Idol,” where the message is a unisex one of patriotism rather than macho swagger.
The campaign is a big departure for the Marine Corps, which started accepting women for clerical duties in 1918 but until last year advertised to them only fitfully.
Women are not the only ones being courted specifically. The Marines Corps is reaching out to Latinos with ads in La Raza [Spanish for "The Race" Hey, maybe they can advertise in "Der Volk" too? No wait, what was I thinking, Germans gave that kind of racial dominance and expansionism stuff up decades ago.] newspaper that emphasize family and honor (“Each unit in the Corps is a family, and each member knows they never stand alone”), and to Arab-Americans with a message about nationality and identity (“I am American. I am Arab. I am a Marine … I know where I stand”). [Now this seems rather disturbing to me, as I think that it should be, "I am an American. I am a Marine." During my time in the Army I did not say. "I am an American. I am Germanic. I am a Soldier".]
Given the drum beat of bad news from the lingering conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, where American military casualties recently topped 4,000, the sell can be a tough one.
MB4 on May 23, 2008 at 8:24 PM
FloatingRock on May 23, 2008 at 8:15 PM
I’ve never seen “Hopscotch”. (Walter Mathau..sounds good
Thanks!
Saltysam on May 23, 2008 at 8:25 PM
DfDeportation on May 23, 2008 at 8:15 PM
After going to la raza’s web site I’d say all of the above.
jerrytbg on May 23, 2008 at 8:27 PM
Hey Sean,
Standard disclaimer shouldn’t be offered by McCain’s supporters as an excuse. They need to be offering reasons why we should be FOR McCain instead of offering reasons why we should be AGAINST Obama.
As it is, McCain’s people and apologists are acting as if he is the third Democrat attempting to secure the nomination.
highhopes on May 23, 2008 at 8:28 PM
I really hate to say this, but I am starting to wish that we did not have presidential term limits and that Bill Clinton was still president.
Are you happy now Juan?
MB4 on May 23, 2008 at 8:28 PM
BINGO.
MB4 on May 23, 2008 at 8:30 PM
This is not true at all. For the first time in many years, the armed forces are starting to take in felons. They have steadily been lowering their standards now for a few years. They are not doing this because recruitment is going great. I am retired Navy and still work for the Defense Dept. I can tell you for sure that every year, the forces establish their recruiting goals and every year when the recruiting rate is too slow, they keep downwardly adjusting their goals to meet their expected result. They have many many tricks to make it look like they are meeting their goals, somewhat like changing the rules as to who you count as unemployed in order to make the unemployment rate look better. Remember, the Pentagon is still in D.C.! There have been less and less recruiting age people since the end of the baby boom. Nowdays, it’s a lot easier to go to a junior college or get a job than it was when I joined back in the seventies. (Unemployment in some parts of the country during the Carter years was around 20%!) It was like that where I lived in west Michigan. Kids have more choices today and the democrats have succeeded in disgracing the military in the eyes of our youth. We have a few choices, stop fighting wars, cut down the size of our forces abroad, or go to a draft. The volunteer force is not going to make it over the next ten years. There simply are not enough people unless we want to have an army the size of Denmark.
Bikerken on May 23, 2008 at 9:01 PM
Here
Army – info as of Jan 31, 08.
Limerick on May 23, 2008 at 9:09 PM
It pains me to offer this analysis, but I don’t think the political and cultural battle lines are quite where many of us think they are, or where I wish they were. The ugly truth is that we’re not really fighting to defend conservatism at this point; we’re fighting to defend capitalism. Conservative political influence, among the middle of the electorate, is virtually zero. I wasn’t laughing at that clip of Maxine Waters talking about nationalizing the oil industry. If Barry O trots that concept out at a campaign rally, sometime after gas hits four-fifty a gallon, he’s going to drown in thunderous applause.
We are fighting on fatal terrain, with no more ground to sacrifice. Give Obama two terms, and I can almost guarantee effective state control of at least two industries, health care and energy. Once the Dems have those in their pockets, there won’t really be a “conservative movement” any more… they’ll kill us every election, simply by telling the voters we want to take away their health care so they can die of AIDS in the dark.
We need to bring the electorate around to the conservative viewpoint, and we must be honest: it’s an uphill fight, more than it ever has been. If you consider the battle lines to be running through the very concept of private enterprise and free markets, suddenly McCain doesn’t look quite so much like Obama after all.
Doctor Zero on May 23, 2008 at 9:12 PM
Here
DOD
Limerick on May 23, 2008 at 9:13 PM
Here (if you consider my first two sources biased)
NPR
Limerick on May 23, 2008 at 9:15 PM
Another – history web link
Goals FY 07
Limerick on May 23, 2008 at 9:18 PM
Doctor Zero on May 23, 2008 at 9:12 PM
Doc, you’re on target with the potential scenarios, but you can’t factor out capitalism from conservatism.
That’s like saying, though I eat my first meal in the morning, I don’t eat breakfast.
Saltysam on May 23, 2008 at 9:22 PM
Lets face it people, McCain has got the nomination now, and he is going to S**T all over those conservatives who didn’t nominate him the last two times that he considered jumping over to the democratic party. He is old, bitter, angry and doesn’t give a rats ass about a future which he is surely not going to be here to see. I have to wonder about those people who promote the idea of open borders, what low opinion they must have of their own American citizenship and heredity! Being an American is a gift from god. We were born to a country that was years ahead of it’s time in thinking about the rights of the individual over the power of the government. We have not ever been perfect, but we have consistently evolved in the right direction. It wasn’t the government that threw off slavery, it was the will of the people forcing the government to do it. I think we forget that sometimes. We were a melting pot for different cultures that came here and mixed together to create a unique American culture that had it’s own morae’s beliefs and laws. Migrants came here from destitute homelands and loved this country. They learned English. They became citizens and they were proud of it! Over the years we have fought for the right of the laborer, the minority, the child, the woman and all have made life more equitable and fair for us all. It took over a century to get to the point that you could go to high school, get a job, and work a job for your whole life that would pay for college for the kids, a home, and maybe even a toy or two. We are such a multi-racial society that for the most part, nobody cares anymore. We have a female and a black running for president. We have indeed made some great strides toward equality and quality of life.
Now, we seem to be opting to throw these things away.
Our politicians have decided that they really don’t want to enforce our borders anymore because they are in a mad dash to recruit new voters. The country has become so closely polarized, that even pandering to a few recent migrants can make a decisive difference to keep an elected office. So, they throw us under the bus and figure we don’t have much of a choice anyway.
There are over six Billion people on the planet. There are about 320 Million in the US. If we continue to tell the world that our border and our immigration policies mean nothing by passing a ‘Comprehensive’ immigration bill, It’s just possible we are going to trigger a worldwide Mariel boat lift. How many people do you think China, who can’t provide water for the people they have now, would like to send here? Or India, or Pakistan? There are about 140 Million in Mexico alone, 20 percent of their population is already here. We are not melting or assimilating anymore. We are being colonized. In LA, blacks are being randomly shot at and being told to get the hell out of LA. It is Latino now. Even the police chief Baca admits these random killings are happening, but he won’t admit to why. Many of our border towns are more a part of Mexico, which by the way, is starting to make the columbian drug wars look like a picnic, than they are a part of the US. Possession is nine tenths of the law, we are ceding territory. The influx of illegal immigrants want nothing to do with becoming american citizens. They are here to take what they can get and they wipe their ass with our flag. Ever seen a soccer match in LA? They drag down the price of labor so the blue collar worker now can’t even feed his family on the wage he can make in some parts of the country unless he lives twenty to a house like the illegals will. We are slowly devovling and undoing all of the progress that made this country great to begin with. Our own politicians have denegrated our country and our flag to the point of mocking patriotism. One of our candidates won’t even wear a flag lapel pin! How did we get to this point? If we don’t value our heritage or our citizenship, it isn’t going to be worth S**T. Wake up. John McCain obviously doesn’t care about America. He was a spoiled rotten son and grandson of Admirals who got everything he wanted. He never would have graduated the Navy Academy had it not been for his family history. Nor would he ever have made it through flight school to wreck five of our Navies planes. Just being an honorable POW, which he was, is not a qualification to be president. I respect the mans service, but his ideas for this country are nothing short of disasterous and self-engrandizing. He want’s to leave a legacy of the man who gave the United States to the world. Evidently he thinks they’ll take good care of it. I think they’ll take what they can get out of it and leave it a shell of it’s former self.
Bikerken on May 23, 2008 at 9:40 PM
I beg to differ. McCain is blasting oil companies, pharma companies and others for their “greed”. McCain opposed the Bush tax cuts as tax cuts for the wealthy. McCain buys into the global warming nonsense with all that implies for the economy. McCain supports open borders which are the opposite of free markets. He’s not a free market sort of guy.
flenser on May 23, 2008 at 9:42 PM
Capitalism is a lot less popular than conservatism from what I can see, alhough it suffers from the same problem. A lot of the stuff done in the name of capitalism does tend to give it a bad name.
flenser on May 23, 2008 at 9:45 PM
Yes the war has been lost, most people don’t realize that, and so they advocate voting for McCain. It’s rearranging deck chairs on the titanic.
That’s why losing is the only choice left. Conservatives don’t want to take away anyones health care, we just don’t want to guarantee their health care at taxpayer expense, but they promise free health care, and other assorted goodies. How can we compete with all that?
We can’t, and it’s time to admit it. We’ve lost so lets throw down the cards, and see what they have. They want to promise health care, well it’s time for them to provide it, and every other silly entitlement they have promised. Conservatives know nothing in this world is free, but when all the dust settles everyone else will have painfully learned that lesson once again.
DFCtomm on May 23, 2008 at 9:45 PM
Only way I’ll vote for McCain is if he puts Mitt or Fred! on the ticket and that’s not likely to happen.
Otherwise, we get what we deserve. Accept your new socialist overlord.
Et tu Brute on May 23, 2008 at 9:46 PM
That’s a strrrrrretch on its own, but I’ll give it to you considering the welfare state that the US has become.
Saltysam on May 23, 2008 at 9:47 PM
Sorry, guy. It does not work that way in America.
flenser on May 23, 2008 at 9:50 PM
Hard to see how we can have markets without borders. If the world dissolves into one big blob, their will be no free markets. They are a uniquely Anglo-American idea.
flenser on May 23, 2008 at 9:52 PM
You are right but I hardly think that McCain is the guy to defend all we believe- he isn’t even close to that standard.
highhopes on May 23, 2008 at 9:55 PM
So that’s how the Corps somehow managed to meet it’s recruiting goal by 142%
jdkchem on May 23, 2008 at 9:58 PM
flenser on May 23, 2008 at 9:52 PM
It is hard to see, but consider how long a communist economic system would last with open borders.
Compare that to a strictly capitalist society, with no welfare, with open borders.
Capitalism thrives in that environment.
(Mind you, I’m speaking in theory, not considering the security risks in a hostile world)
Saltysam on May 23, 2008 at 10:00 PM
If the world dissolves into one big blob, their will be no free markets.
If the world dissolved into one big blob, I’m sure I would be trading with whoever I could in order to survive. Much like I try to today, though the regulation within these borders are becoming quite burdensome.
Saltysam on May 23, 2008 at 10:12 PM
If the world dissolved into one big blob, I’m sure I would be trading with whoever I could in order to survive. Much like I try to today, though the regulation within these borders are becoming quite burdensome.
(Sorry for the double post)
Saltysam on May 23, 2008 at 10:13 PM
Last year during the first and second shamnesty attempts I did a little research and ran a few simple numbers and found that if the entire population of Earth were to disperse evenly among all of it’s nations, the population of America would increase around five fold verses what it is today. I’m not positive my calculation was correct but it sounds about right, I think.
Considering, given the option, that a disproportionate number of those people would flock to the USA, our share would be much greater than a factor of five.
Open borders are simply untenable.
FloatingRock on May 23, 2008 at 10:21 PM
Before ya’ll have a free for all slam
On little ol Saltysam
Let me clear
while I debate a small point with “flenser” here
I want the border closed by damn
Saltysam on May 23, 2008 at 10:28 PM
I totally agree with this. Capitalism is what made America great. Granted, it was tempered with workers rights and OSHA, but we have been them most capitalistic society for many years. The new immigrants coming into the country are not capitalists. They are opportunists, theres a difference. While they are willing to work, they are also willing to take advantage of all the social services they can get, not pay taxes, work under the table, and completely take over a sector of the job market, one at a time till nobody else can work. Mexicans are socialists. They come from a country where five families control almost all of the countries wealth and they will not challenge them. Much easier to come to El Norte and get a free ride.
Bikerken on May 23, 2008 at 10:43 PM
I got that beat!
I just set a goal for myself of doing 10 push-ups.
I just did 40 push-ups!
So I beat my goal by 300%!!!
The push-ups weren’t all in the best form, but so.
MB4 on May 23, 2008 at 11:13 PM
That was a great post. I cut and pasted that into an email and sent it out to my family and friends.
cjs1943 on May 23, 2008 at 11:18 PM
When you guys figure out how capitalism endures without conservatism, let me know.
Capitalism is fundemental to American conservatism, like hydrogen to water.
Saltysam on May 23, 2008 at 11:21 PM
General Richard A. Cody graduated from West Point
in 1972, flew helicopters, ascended to command the storied 101st Airborne Division, and then, toward the end of his career, settled into management; now, at fifty-seven, he wears four stars as the Army Vice-Chief of Staff. This summer, he will retire from military service.
In 2004, in a little-noted speech, Cody described the Army’s efforts to adapt to its new commitments. (It was attempting to fight terrorism, quell the Taliban, invade and pacify Iraq, and, at the same time, prepare for future strategic challenges, whether in China or Korea or Africa.) The endeavor was, Cody said, like “building an airplane in flight.”
Last week, the General appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee and testified that this method of engineering has failed. “Today’s Army is out of balance,” Cody said. He continued:
The current demand for our forces in Iraq and Afghanistan exceeds the sustainable supply, and limits our ability to provide ready forces for other contingencies. . . . Soldiers, families, support systems and equipment are stretched and stressed. . . . Overall, our readiness is being consumed as fast as we build it. If unaddressed, this lack of balance poses a significant risk to the all-volunteer force and degrades the Army’s ability to make a timely response to other contingencies.
In 2006, the Army granted eight thousand three hundred and thirty “moral waivers” to new recruits, meaning that it had accepted that number of volunteers with past criminal charges or convictions. The percentage of high-school graduates willing to serve is falling sharply from year to year; so are the aptitude-exam scores of new enlistees. To persuade soldiers and young officers to reënlist after overlong combat tours, the Army’s spending on retention bonuses increased almost ninefold from 2003 to 2006.
MB4 on May 23, 2008 at 11:22 PM
If you like FPS games, try Call of Duty 4; pretty well plotted, lots of fun. Almost like playing a movie. Not as ubercool as Bioshock, but still good.
I haven’t got shown much appreciation by the McCain supporters for my cheers, but I’m the kind of guy that tries to kill you with kindness…I’ve written a song! Try to keep the tune to the Statler Brothers song ‘Do you know you are my sunshine’ in your head as you sing it..start with the chorus:
Do you know, do you know
about Backdoor John
He’s the one with the sombrero on.
Do you know do you know
about Backdoor John
he’s going to help us cool the sun! (end chorus)
Backdoor John he loves the human race!
He’s going to put the bigots in their place!
Mexico, South America, even Pan-a-ma,
Welcome aboard,
We’re all Americans now! (end verse 1)
Chorus…
Backdoor John he fears no hurricane..
don’t you fret about the pounding rain..
a million here, a trillion there..
the ice age is avoided now
just as long, as you pay your share! (end verse 2)
Chorus
I feel like there should be a 3rd verse but I was laughing so hard I lost the thread of the music. Anyway, I thought it was something the ‘McCain’s the nominee so shut the f**k up’ crowd could sing around the fire next time they burn Rush Limbaugh in effigy. Cheers all. Happy Friday.
austinnelly on May 23, 2008 at 11:28 PM
Those “Mexicans” may not “behead” the U.S.A. but many of them have already sworn to “take the heart out” of this country, and many have been attempting to do so for a while now.
I don’t know where or why whatever went wrong in the culture that is Mexico but it’s produced a loathing and disrespect for the United States of America that is pervasive among Mexico’s Nationals, and, the harms inflicted on our nation by illegal immigration by “those Mexicans” as you call them is beyond mere “papers” or lack of them. This is about enforcing our U.S. laws, our national sovereignity and of refusing to support usery from politicians eager to do heavy lifting for foreign governments instead of the American voters.
S on May 23, 2008 at 11:32 PM
Well stated. Same question I have asked myself many times now in my efforts to agree to cast a vote that will elect McCain this Fall. The man does not seem to have his priorities straight. Which isn’t to say the “default” Left does, either (they don’t). McCain, however, remains brittle on this amnesty issue by any other name he can apply to it and it reduces his credibility substantially on all issues as to the War on Terror.
S on May 23, 2008 at 11:39 PM
Idon’t think capitalism can survive without conservatism… that’s why we need to preserve it. I doubt any significant portion of the conservative ethos can long survive in a socialist state. Look at it this way: when the government controls industry, every action of private citizens becomes the active and “legal” interest of the government, because citizens are industry. We have been treated, just this week, to Obama telling us he plans to consult with European intellectuals and determine how much it would be proper for us to eat, and how much energy it would be proper for us to consume. Subject America to eight years of that, and I submit you won’t have very many “conservatives” left to cobble a movement together.
Freedom of association, freedom of speech, freedom of movement… these things are the bedrock of modern conservatism, and they are inextricably linked with freedom of commerce. They rise and fall together. My view is that the enemy has overrun the outer defenses of conservatism, and threatens the capitalism that serves as its heart. A free people, left to strive and achieve in pursuit of a free economy’s rewards, are the natural constituency of the conservative movement. A weak and debased people, coddled by a cradle-to-grave state and accepting of its basic premises, can do little but wail for more socialism when they are confronted with socialism’s failures.
Consider the basic premises of modern liberalism: ordinary people are too stupid to take proper care of themselves, too benighted to achieve virtue through their own free choices, but must defer to a superior elite. The economy is a machine that only benevolent government understands. Success is readily surrendered to eliminate the threat of failure. Virtue should be compensated, not merit. All money and resources are property of the collective government, which decides how much to take and who should receive its largesse. America is uniquely sinful, disqualified from moral or military leadership in perpetuity because of its past sins. Read every post on Hotair from the last month that involves Obama or Hillary, and note how these principles guide everything they do.
I don’t like very much of what McCain says or does. I don’t blame anyone for being outraged against him, or feeling personally insulted by some of his more ill-advised speeches. I frankly find much of what the man does to be utterly baffling. But he’s all we’ve got, an imperfect soldier, but the only one on the field. There is only one alternative, stated with varying degrees of eloquence and anger throughout this thread, and every other thread about McCain: stay home, give up, fall silent, turn our backs. I just can’t see a happy ending on the far side of that strategy. Too much critical territory is at stake, too much history fills the next decade. McCain’s not going to be easy to reach, or persuade… but the alternative is not just the worse of two bad choices.
I hope we conservatives can come up with a better battle cry than “let’s stay home and let the stupid voters get what they deserve.” I care about those stupid voters enough to shout myself hoarse, warning them against driving off a cliff.
Doctor Zero on May 23, 2008 at 11:44 PM
Also countries that outsource the greatest criminal element to the U.S.
S on May 23, 2008 at 11:51 PM
…and McCain is complicit at a leadership level.
That’s the problem.
So far, Barak has done nothing but give speeches and shown the country how stupid he is.
McCain on the other hand, has actively lead the battle to breach the outer defenses of conservatism, and shown the country that he is capable of doing it.
Saltysam on May 24, 2008 at 12:00 AM
Doctor Zero on May 23, 2008 at 11:44 PM
But, I will probably vote for him if he picks the right VP.
because (from my much earlier post on this thread):
If their is one reason to go with McCain, it’s this:
We will probably lose Congress…wholesale.
If McCain wins the White House, it may slow the rate at which we are losing ground, buying the rudderless conservative army some precious time to hold off, while we wait for a leader to emerge from a significant series of events that leaves the population open to conservative leadership.
This is piss poor ground to be fighting on, but what choice do we have?
Saltysam on May 24, 2008 at 12:09 AM
Far back in this blog someone asked how primary voters could be so unaware of John McCain’s views on immigration. I don’t have the stats but I would almost bet that voters in border states and or cities/areas that have been greatly overrun with illegals are more in tune with what’s going on and if these states had their primaries earlier (when they actually made a difference) I would think that McCain probably would not have been the nominee. I’m in Dallas and trust me it SUCKS (unless of course you can afford to live in an affluent enclave). A word of caution to you guys that don’t face illegals and yes, I’ll say it – poor, uneducated, corrupt Hispanic culture on a regular basis. You are going to be very sad and surprised someday when it happens to you. One day you’ll look up and all the billboards will be in Spanish ONLY. All your junk mail also. Your nice clean quiet parks will be overrun with trash and noise and the crime rates will increase. Your once decent schools will become “underperforming” and gangs will take over your neighborhood (or at least tag everything in sight to mark it as “theirs”) The poster who said that our culture is superior to Latin American culture is not being bigoted. Don’t confuse the fact that of course we are all EQUAL in God’s eyes for our inherent human worth with whether all cultures are equal. I find some cultures vastly superior to others. I happen to prefer British (or even French) culture to say Saudi Arabian or Iranian. And, BTW, even though I despise many of his views, I will vote for McCain because I don’t want the foreign terrorists (Al Quaida) or the domestic terrorists (the Liberals) to have 8 years to work more of their damage. Sidenote: Since the Texas primary doesn’t matter I got to make my protest vote of Alan Keyes. I tried but I couldn’t bring myself to take part in Operation Chaos.
mrsmwp on May 24, 2008 at 12:28 AM
There’s more evidence of that cultural problem present in Central America (and throughout many of the so-called “Hispanic” cultures): enforcement of U.S. laws is VIEWED BY THEM as being “racist” BECAUSE THEY OPERATE on certain presumptions on the United States of America based upon THEIR ethnic-supremacy views.
There’s nothing “racist” about enforcing our laws and supporting a sovereign nation. There’s nothing “racist” in requiring EVERYONE (that includes “Hispanics”) to get in line and applying themselvse to a legal immigration process with citizenship as the individually preferred/selected goal.
Instead, there is this going assumption FROM AMONG MOSTLY “HISPANICS” that they’re somehow entitled to be, literally, above the laws of the U.S. and to enforce those laws is to be “racist” or somehow opposed to “Hispanics.”
How self-centered can they get? “Hispanics” as citizens of other nations are not entitled to anything from the U.S. by nature of their genetics. Nore is anyone else of any other ethnicity, to state the obvious.
If there is any “racist” (so-called) aspect to our immigration laws and national security considerations, it’s originating and present among racists from other nations who think their “blood” entitles them to dominate and subjugate the United States.
S on May 24, 2008 at 12:29 AM
mrsmwp on May 24, 2008 at 12:28 AM
I like your post.
(Is that mrs_mwp or mr_smwp?)
Saltysam on May 24, 2008 at 12:34 AM
The illegal masses are doing a great disservice to Americans of Hispanic descent.
There is a great conservative tradition (of the three legged stool variety) among 3rd, 4th, and deeper generations of American Hispanics.
Saltysam on May 24, 2008 at 12:38 AM
Take a look at various “cultures” the world over and the countries and governments they produce. I don’t see superior ideals and long-standing, stable governments produced by certain cultures while I do see such produced by others.
The countries today from whence most illegal aliens in the U.S. originate are good examples of the cultures these illegal aliens are a product of. It’s really as simple as that; however, there’s abundant evidence today in the U.S. that many damages and denigrations to OUR national culture have been done by illegals from a few, specific cultures, so it’s irrational to somehow assume that illegals are bringing anything superior or worthwhile to the U.S.
Illegal immigration is not immigration as it’s uptonow been traditionally known and respected. Illegal immigration is an overwhelming process by which our nation is literally denigrated to chaotic “cultural” alternatives. I’ve been to Mexico; I’ve never seen anything there that I’d prefer to see implemented in the U.S., same goes for China and probably also applies to places like Egypt and certain areas of Africa and South America.
S on May 24, 2008 at 12:38 AM
My recomendations are ” Mostly Martha “, ” Secondhand Lions “, and ” For Roseanna “.
Johan Klaus on May 24, 2008 at 12:44 AM
I believe that McCain has not changed his stance on amnesty.
Johan Klaus on May 24, 2008 at 12:46 AM
It would last forever. The vast majority of people in the world are partial to communism.
Any evidence to support that? Capitalism cannot work with open borders for the same reason that communism can – the majority of people are not capitalist. If the world becomes one undiffentiated mass than the prevailing economic system will be a cross between China, India, and Mexico.
Unless you expect a one world government which is completely undemocratic.
flenser on May 24, 2008 at 12:54 AM
Sadly, no.
flenser on May 24, 2008 at 12:54 AM
I can agree with that. I understand they are dead set against amnesty also. Too bad the views of the people don’t count for anything.
flenser on May 24, 2008 at 12:56 AM
I doubt that Kofi Annan or whoever would be President of Earth would be on board with that. And by definition you’d be making the average human income, or a lot less than you are now.
flenser on May 24, 2008 at 12:58 AM
Saltysam on May 24, 2008 at 12:34 AM
Thanks. I get really overwrought sometimes on this topic but it is because I love this country so much and have witnessed a shocking decline in the average person’s standard of living in the last 20 years. Also, I’m a Mom to two little ones (3yrs old and 8 months old). I want them to inherit a great country that they can be proud of.
BTW, it is mrs_mwp.
mrsmwp on May 24, 2008 at 12:59 AM
That is exactly where were headed. Heard any of the news on the Lisbon Treaty?
DFCtomm on May 24, 2008 at 1:07 AM
You are right. That is why these LEGAL American Hispanics are protesting against Hispanics who are here illegally.
At my hospital, the Nursing Supervisor is a 2nd generation Hispanic whose parents came to the USA LEGALLY. She hates illegal immigration because of the disastrous problems illegals cause for hospitals, like this one.
McCain’s amnesty program does not even deal with the recurring problem of Visa Overstays.
ColtsFan on May 24, 2008 at 1:07 AM
One day, a man named John McCain looked around at the senate where he was a long time senator and decided that he wanted a change. So he set out on a journey through caucuses and primaries. He climbed over some candidates and went around others until he reached the Republican nomination.
The coming Presidential race would be a tough one, and so John McCain stopped to reconsider the situation. He couldn’t see any way to win on his own. So he thought that he would probably lose.Suddenly, he saw some naive conservatives blogging at a conservative web site. He decided to ask them for help in winning the election. “Would you be so kind, my friends, as to give me a hand in winning the election?”
“Well now, Senator McCain! How do we know that if we help you, you wont betray us?” asked the conservatives hesitantly.
“Because,” senator McCain replied, “If I betray you, then I would fail too, for you see I cannot govern without your support!”
Now this seemed to make some sense to the conservatives. But they asked. “What about when you get close to being elected? You could still start to betray us and might still win anyway!”
“This is true,” agreed senator McCain, “But I might well not be able to get enough conservative turnout to win the presidency!”
“Alright then…how do we know you wont just wait till you get elected and then betray us?” said the conservatives.
“Ahh…,” crooned senator McCain, “Because you see, once you’ve helped to make me president, I will be so grateful for your help, that it would hardly be fair to reward you with betrayal, now would it?”
So the conservatives agreed to take help senator McCain get elected president. He edged out Barak Obama in a nail-bitting race and was inaugurated in January of the year 2009. Now president McCain immediately got a democratic majority in congress to enact full amnesty for all illegals in the United States and all of their relatives. He also nominated Hillary Clinton to the U.S. Supreme court along with Senator Teddy Kennedy’s wife. Both were confirmed.
.
“You fool!” yelled the conservatives, “You have betrayed us and you will never get a second term. Why on earth did you do that?”
Now president McCain shrugged and snickered and did a little jig..
“I could not help myself. It is my nature.”
- HT to INC for the idea
MB4 on May 24, 2008 at 1:19 AM
Once a scorpion, always a scorpion, eh?
:-)
INC on May 24, 2008 at 1:58 AM
Well done.
Go back in history an identify every time McCain has gone against illegal immigration since his last craptastic bill.
Look at his unpaid staff?
Look at where he give speeches.
Yet he still expects us to vote for him as do his supporters.
I am sorry when a politician wants to have his way with me they should at least have the decency to give me a reach around, after all I pay over 30k a year for that pleasure.
F15Mech on May 24, 2008 at 2:10 AM
Of course he hasn’t. If he had ‘learned his lesson’ (as he claimed, would Juan Hernandez have been working with him all this time? C’mon.
The man’s been a liar from day 1.
Shay on May 24, 2008 at 2:29 AM
I’m in favor of granting Mexicans American citizenship, if they learn english and serve a tour in our military. Why not? We do it with the Phillipines. And what better way to make patriotic Americans out of them than to have them fight for our country?
Salamantis on May 23, 2008 at 5:48 PM
You are very naive. You must be young.
MB4 on May 23, 2008 at 8:05 PM
Yoy must be older than McCain, to think that 52 is very young. And the sailors I served with in the UAS Navy were as patriotic towards the US as were native-born American sevicement, if not more so.
Salamantis on May 24, 2008 at 4:19 AM
Yeah, I know, MB4…I’m sounding like people who were warning about Al Qaeda in 1999. But not like the Goracle; I’m taking about human beings, not the environment.
Salamantis on May 23, 2008 at 5:31 PM
Oh but The Goracle is talking about human beings too, millions, even billions who will be killed by Apocalyptic Global Warming if we don’t do what he says.
But for one, the villian is murderous jihadis; for the other, it’s people who use two sheets of toilet paper.
Salamantis on May 24, 2008 at 4:20 AM
MB4, it’s more like a football game, I guess; the last yards are the hardest ones to gain, and take more plays (time) per yard.
Salamantis on May 23, 2008 at 5:33 PM
Oh, now I see, like where you only cut the remaining distance in half with each play and you never get there.
Since when did running backs stop scoring touchdowns in the NFL?
Salamantis on May 24, 2008 at 4:22 AM
Flenser:
What are your objections to Ron Paul for President? btw, I read your comments with great interest.
JiangxiDad on May 24, 2008 at 7:30 AM
I think yer talkin’ out yer ass. Let’s see your proof. There is lots of it to the contrary.
Paging Ms Elentechy,…
a capella on May 24, 2008 at 8:48 AM
And hopefully folks this brings to close another chapter in
MDS.
Fear not there are more to come.
patrick neid on May 24, 2008 at 9:34 AM
I find it amazing that both parties are again promoting amnesty for illegal aliens even after the outcry they received from all American citizens before. Can you imagine the boost a candidate could receive if they said close the borders, deny social programs to illegals? Washington is ignoring its very constituents in favor of gaining the votes from willful law breakers. Ammo up…I feel a civil war is building in the near distance.
trs on May 24, 2008 at 10:28 AM
We’re not going to have a shooting civil war over illegal immigration policy. That’s just silly.
a capella on May 24, 2008 at 10:53 AM
It won’t be just over the illegal immigration policy. It will be over our government is refusing to govern under the citizens wishes. It will be over increased taxation and government control. It will be over a government who is leaning towards socialism and limiting democracy. The second amendment was written for good reason. When government refuses to promote democracy and the good of its citizens. Look around and you will see the will of the people is being ignored for the continued growth of government. Taxation without representation.
trs on May 24, 2008 at 12:17 PM
Well, that assures me that he isn’t just saying that to placate those of us who want the government to act on national security while he tells the open-border folks the opposite.
The people on his campaign staff are the ones to worry about. (Not.) He’s our Juan McWeasel with Stockholm syndrome. Scary.
BTW…where’s the fence? And i don’t mean picket. Now that we got thru (again) to the Senate about Feinstein’s farm worker amnesty clause in the Iraq Supplemental bill we’re focusing on re-instating the secure fence act that was gutted by the other weasels in Congress. Please get involved.
Christine on May 24, 2008 at 1:13 PM
McCain has never changed his position.
Watch and listen.
fred5678 on May 24, 2008 at 1:30 PM
a capella on May 24, 2008 at 8:48 AM
That problem child thinks anyone disagreeing with him just “doesn’t get democracy”–HIS democracy according to HIM. Though experience is a good teacher, that fool will learn by none other. He stuck his own head so far where the sun don’t shine, his insistance that we all put ours alongside to play with his marbles won’t take effect. His own decisions leave him as a lost cause and waste of good energy for now.
my $.02
maverick muse on May 24, 2008 at 3:24 PM
Bush III wannabe accidentally told the truth. Dahhh!!! Damage control! Damage control!
Feedie on May 24, 2008 at 4:40 PM
I haven’t been paying much attention to him. Is he a Paulite? Got all the answers?
a capella on May 24, 2008 at 4:42 PM
That’s a slightly odd question, seeing as I’ve never said anything about Paul one way or the other. And seeing as he’s not running.
I’m no expert on his positions, but I believe one thing he wants to do is return to the gold standard. I don’t see how that could be implemented without a major economic shock, regardless of whether it’s a good idea or not.
He also seems to be a bit squishy on immigration, as libertarians tend to be. And he seems to view the world mostly in economic terms. Again, that’s a libertarian failing.
My objection would be that he’s too much of a libertarian and not enough of a conservative. But compared to McCain he looks pretty good. Tancredo or Hunter would have been my first choice, if that’s what you were after.
btw, thanks.
flenser on May 24, 2008 at 4:59 PM
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