Posted by
Bryn T. Jones on Sunday, January 25, 2009 3:25:27 PM
The recent election is historic not only for the fact that our country elected a man born of a race that was once relegated to slavery. That alone shows that America still leads the world in advancement of moral causes (we also have the cleanest air and best pollution control in the civilized world). What we also have is that the President's primary challenger remains in the Senate and can voice his opposition to the administration's proposals. Currently, President Obama happens to be proposing a 'stimulus' package filled with pork spending that will not even go into effect for a couple years. To the extent that it will create jobs, it would only be government make-work which will do nothing to stimulate the private sector. The alleged 'tax-cut' amounts to a welfare check to working families. In other words, it is a large-scale consumer-side economic package that will likely sink the economy. And John McCain is there to oppose it. Given his stature from a highly publicized campaign, his voice carries weight and gets headlines.
It may be that John McCain will have a greater impact for America as a highly visible Senator. Unlike John Kerry with George Bush, John McCain has credibility, accomplishments, a record of achievement. The same applies for Al Gore, though he didn't seek any public office. Essentially, every Democratic candidate has been just as filled with fluff as Senator Obama. Each declared the same empty rhetoric and short-sighted, big-government solutions rooted in class envy. But Senator McCain has always stood for government responsibility and against pork barrel spending. He's known for that, he has a record of doing those things. He's a tireless watchdog for those causes. And that befits a Senator more than a Commander In Chief.
As for me, I don't trust a word that comes from President Obama's mouth. He's proven himself filled with empty words that benefit the occassion. Thus, I don't take his "we will defeat you" verbage as anything more than a bone tossed to conservatives amid his celebrations. It was a toast to the losers and it cost him nothing. He's followed that by signing the closure of Guantanamo Bay, signaling negotiations with Iran and outlawing any use of interrogation techniques of terrorists that might be uncomfortable (or perhaps without the presence of a lawyer). In other words, his "we will outlast you" comment was clearly not followed up by actions that might suggest he meant what he said. I suspect we will see more of that from this administration.
Now John McCain can be the outcast, the voice of reason that 52% of American's failed to trust, that the media tried to malign as loony. To a lesser extent, Sarah Palin can point out that under her command, the state of Alaska is not in debt and their economy is weathering the recession just fine.
What remains to be seen is how McCain's stalwart opposition will renew the Republican Party and lead the younger generation to form a solid base of fiscal responsibility and moral leadership. His opposition to the pork stimulus is a good start.