McCain a Less Risky Choice than Romney
Mitt Romney is gaining in the Republican polls and that’s simply not something I understand. Yes, I know John McCain is not well-loved in his party but it takes some serious mental contortions to believe Romney is a better choice.
Let’s leave aside the fact that McCain is vastly more qualified and has shown a level of courage and leadership far surpassing whatever sits inside the well-tailored suit of Romney. Let’s also leave aside electability, which also greatly favors McCain. Let’s just look at what makes both these candidates unacceptable for Republicans.
McCain: Has repeatedly and often proudly committed the sin of ideological independence. While I find this to be a sign of strong character and mental acuity, I understand why pure-blooded Republicans see it as tantamount to apostasy.
Romney: Has committed the sin of flip floppery. The man held one set of beliefs when governor of Massachusetts and now holds a whole different set. He hasn’t merely had one or two opinions evolve over time, he’s had a whole grab bag full of opinions change overnight.
So, this is the choice facing Republicans. They can choose a man who, while holding some heretical beliefs, is known as a decisive leader who will keep conservativism alive if not pristine. We know where McCain stands and we know he won’t shift and slide with every new wind.
OR, Republicans can choose a man whose true beliefs are an absolute mystery. Sure, he currently says all the right conservative things but will he make dramatic course changes the moment a poll shows public opinion is against him? Haven’t Republicans been telling us for the last seven years that what makes Bush so great is that you always know where he stands and that you know he won’t falter? Now Republicans want a guy who could very well fall over at the first mild breeze.
Obviously, the choices before Republicans are not perfect. But it’s not like free-spending, amnesty-pushing, McCain-Feingold signing, federal-power expanding George Bush has exactly been a good steward of conservativism. If a return to Reaganism is impossible (and it is), then shouldn’t Republicans pick the candidate likely to do the least damage to their beliefs?
McCain is essentially just a few inches to Bush’s left. Romney? Who knows. And who really wants to take the risk?
Let’s leave aside the fact that McCain is vastly more qualified and has shown a level of courage and leadership far surpassing whatever sits inside the well-tailored suit of Romney. Let’s also leave aside electability, which also greatly favors McCain. Let’s just look at what makes both these candidates unacceptable for Republicans.
McCain: Has repeatedly and often proudly committed the sin of ideological independence. While I find this to be a sign of strong character and mental acuity, I understand why pure-blooded Republicans see it as tantamount to apostasy.
Romney: Has committed the sin of flip floppery. The man held one set of beliefs when governor of Massachusetts and now holds a whole different set. He hasn’t merely had one or two opinions evolve over time, he’s had a whole grab bag full of opinions change overnight.
So, this is the choice facing Republicans. They can choose a man who, while holding some heretical beliefs, is known as a decisive leader who will keep conservativism alive if not pristine. We know where McCain stands and we know he won’t shift and slide with every new wind.
OR, Republicans can choose a man whose true beliefs are an absolute mystery. Sure, he currently says all the right conservative things but will he make dramatic course changes the moment a poll shows public opinion is against him? Haven’t Republicans been telling us for the last seven years that what makes Bush so great is that you always know where he stands and that you know he won’t falter? Now Republicans want a guy who could very well fall over at the first mild breeze.
Obviously, the choices before Republicans are not perfect. But it’s not like free-spending, amnesty-pushing, McCain-Feingold signing, federal-power expanding George Bush has exactly been a good steward of conservativism. If a return to Reaganism is impossible (and it is), then shouldn’t Republicans pick the candidate likely to do the least damage to their beliefs?
McCain is essentially just a few inches to Bush’s left. Romney? Who knows. And who really wants to take the risk?
Labels: 2008 campaign, Republicans
posted by Alan Stewart Carl at 9:50 AM
5 Comments:
I’m sorry but I have to be very clear about your not understanding why Romney is gaining in the Republican polls. Very simple, in case you have just arrived from Mars, Romney is a TRUE BLUE REPUBLICAN - Romney is much more CONSERVATIVE, while McCain is ...well, McAIN’T ! If you study both their records, you will come to the same conclusion I have. I have reached that conclusion by thoroughly studying and finding out about their RECORDS! Your problem is that you study McCain’s record, and then learn about Romney’s record from ...hmmm....anti-Romney people and sites? That’s your PROBLEM! Now go and open-mindedly search for the Truth! Republicans also know and understand that Romney is the COMPLETE PACKAGE, while McCain is ...well, McAIN’T!
Dan,
Sure, Romney is NOW a true-blue Republican (or should that be true-red?). But he used to be quite the RINO. I'm pretty confident in my opinion on this because I quite liked Romney when he was governor (I'm one of those incredibly annoying people who's too conservative for the Dems and too liberal for the Repubs).
I was dismayed when Romney suddenly stopped talking like a blue-state Republican and started yammering like a died-in-the-wool conservative. My only conclusion can be that his changes in opinions were pure opportunism. Now I can't trust him.
I didn't get my opinion from anti-Romney people. I got that from my own observations over the course of the last few years.
You're nothing but a tool of the MSM, you liberal, pinko, McCain-loving fool . . . oh, wait, I meant to post this at Poligazette.
Aren't you glad you signed on over there?
It reminds me of the good old days when The Yellow Line was on Google News and I used to get spat upon for daring to ever have an opinion about anything.
I'm thinking about writing a post that says:
Ron Paul is insane.
Mitt Romney is a phony.
The Iraq War was a good ides.
Go.
That would be fun.
Great postt
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