McCain and His Word

This is my take on John McCain, the presidential candidate, and his word.

First, I want everyone to know that I respect John McCain, the veteran.

"This election is about a lot of things. It's also about trust. It's about keeping your word."

This statement was made by McCain, in Iowa, upon learning Senator Obama reversed his stance on campaign cash.

Normally, that kind of a statement would inspire me to listen further. As it relates to John McCain, however, it falls on deaf ears.

Since deciding to run for the presidency, John McCain has abandoned his word on many issues. I consider his "flip-flops" to be much more important than campaign cash. Especially when John McCain stands by our current failed Bush policies.

Below is a short list of his recent changes in stance to show John McCain's real stance on keeping his word.

1) McCain was first against, and voted as such, Bush's tax cuts. Then he flipped and voted to extend them. Now, as full flip-flop, he wants to make them permanent. These tax cuts are notoriously overly favorable towards the wealthy even though he said, on April 16, 2007, "Our tax code shouldn't penalize hard work, thrift, risk-taking and success."

2) Upon returning from Vietnam, after five and a half years as a POW, John McCain took a firm stance against torture. On February 13, 2008 John McCain voted "Nay" on Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008. His statement: "We always supported allowing the CIA to use extra measures." This new John McCain is a far cry from having a firm stance against torture.

3) On June 18, 2008 John McCain denounced the landmark decision from the Supreme Court granting habeas corpus to Gitmo detainees. "On the issue of national security, it is very clear to me that it was a wrong decision of the United States Supreme Court." Previously, on December 12, 2003, John McCain sent a letter to SecDef Donald Rumsfeld. McCain: "...ask that you advise us as to when you will make a determination on the final disposition of the detainees' status." I'm going to let everyone else make their own judgment.

4) In November 2003 John McCain stated "ethanol is a product that would not exist if Congress didn't create an artificial market for it. No one would be willing to buy it." "Ethanol does nothing to reduce fuel consumption, nothing to increase our energy independence, nothing to improve our air quality." On November 12, 2006 McCain stated "But ethanol makes a lot of sense, particularly our dependence on foreign oil, and my believe that—my belief that climate change is real and is part of the solution to this climate greenhouse gas emissions problem." This was during an interview with the late Tim Russert.

Four examples of John McCain's word. Four examples of him abandoning his word.

I understand that people change their minds and it's a sign of a good politician to change his stance with proper evidence.

John McCain does not use evidence. He changes his stance to match whatever his current audience wants to hear.

Is this the reason why McCain wants to use town hall meetings? This way his stance can change easily. This way that pesky media can't send his message out to too many people and risk letting people know about the "Double Talk Express."

My position is simple: John McCain flip-flops on major issues important to America.

My solution is simple: John McCain can't be the next President of the United States.

Interested in reading more about McCain? Just click below!

McCain and the UCMJ

McCain and Human Rights

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