The Face Of The Republican Party

This is not another John McCain drive-by hit piece so please read on.

After Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2008 I now believe that Sen John McCain will win the GOP nomination for POTUS 2008. When this happens Sen. John McCain is de facto the face of the Republican Party. I have watched the political career of John McCain for many years, and I have observed many different faces of McCain. Many blogs have been written about the maverick, John McCain, and the legislative accomplishments that he is mostly remembered for.

I would like in this blog to highlight the one face of Sen. McCain that I hope he can call more attention to. This is the face of the politician who opposes increased entitlement spending in a failed Medicare system. These are Sen. McCain's words:

I strongly opposed adding another unfunded entitlement to the fiscal train wreck that is Medicare by providing all seniors with a costly drug benefit, even those, like me, who can more than afford to pay for their medicine.

I want to see more of the face of the politician who opposes increased subsidy spending for ethanol. These are Sen. McCain's words:

In the early 1980s, ethanol subsidies were used to prop up America’s struggling corn farmers. Unfortunately, the ‘trickle down’effect of agricultural subsidies is clearly evident. Beef and dairy farmers, for example, have to pay a higher price for feed corn, which is then passed on in the form of higher prices for meat and milk. The average consumer ends up paying the cost of ethanol subsidies in the grocery store...The Congressional Research Service, the Congressional Budget Office and the
Department of Energy all acknowledge that the environmental benefits of ethanol use, at least in terms of smog reduction, are yet unproven...ethanol is an inefficient, expensive fuel.

If what I describe above does become a prominent message of Sen. John McCain, then I believe he has a chance to get some conservatives enthused about his candidacy. He already has persuaded Sen Tom Coburn's support. Sen. Coburn still strongly disagrees with his colleague, John McCain, on campaign finance reform legislation, but perhaps Sen. Coburn working with McCain can make it possible to change his mind. I heartily agree with Sen. Coburns words on this subject:

Ethics-based reform is desperately needed in Congress but regulating the lobbying industry is only treating the symptoms of the disease. The problem in Washington, D.C., is not the lobbyists. The problem is members of Congress.

When a disgraced lobbyist described Congress and its budget process as an “earmark favor factory,” most Americans were reminded that earmarks are a key aspect of the culture of corruption in Washington, D.C. Corruption scandals involving members of Congress revealed that earmarks are the gateway drug that leads to spending addictions.

The climate in Washington has provided lobbyists the ability to wine and dine congressmen in a culture where votes and influence are bought and sold. Congress does not need to reform the lobbying industry as much as it needs to reform itself.

I believe disclosure and transparency is the best disinfectant against corruption because I trust the wisdom of the electorate far more than I trust politicians. By forcing disclosure and transparency, the public will be able tie together the nexus between gifts from lobbyists with the “special interest” earmark from a congressman in return.

If politicians have to report on everything they do, the public will be aware of their transgressions and consequently corrupt politicians will be thrown out of office.

I am not yet ready to announce any support or enthusiasm for voting for John McCain for POTUS '08, but I am offering a suggested approach for the McCain campaign to employ in winning support from like-minded conservatives.