The US Elections, Is McCain the Republican Throwaway Candidate?

Sunday November 02, by Jerome F. Keating Ph.D.

The US elections are drawing to a close and with all the rhetoric that has been flying most are probably glad that it will soon be over with. I was glad to see that at the American Legion dinner (I believe) last week, both candidates were able to laugh and joke in each others presence, despite the somewhat rabid behavior that each of their followers have exhibited. That gives me faith in the system.

In my own mind, however I have begun to wonder whether the Republican Party views John McCain as a throw-away candidate. Given the devastating record of the past eight years of Bush, they know that any self-respecting Republican would be tarred with the same brush. So they accept McCain, who many don't like. If he wins, that will be an unexpected bonus for them, but if there any time to get McCain out of their hair, this is the time.

Among some American voters there also remain in my mind some unresolved matters of logic. Few will deny that in the past eight years, the country has gone to hell in the proverbial hand basket. The country went from a budget surplus to an unprecedented budget deficit in the trillions of dollars. The country is in hock to China a rising power and strong potential enemy of the USA. There is also the costly draining war in Iraq, gotten into over alleged Weapons of Mass Destruction. Finally we have the whole recent housing market and economic collapse. All happened in eight years under Bush and the Republicans.

Some will blame this as starting with the Clinton administration some eight years ago, but the point that is not mentioned is that for six years after Clinton, the Republican Party was sheriff of the county with complete control both of the Presidency and Congress. Why didn't they change or modify this if it were bad? Were they then asleep at the wheel? Were they making their own profits and saying regulation was not needed? I see no effort in the Republican Party to take responsibility for the six years that they were in complete control and sheriff of the county.

The argument is then raised well the Democrats gained control of part of Congress in the past two years. True, but if the Republicans had set good policies in their six years, any contrary measures raised by Democrats in the last two years could have easily been vetoed by a Republican President and the country could have still progressed. Were they still asleep at the wheel? Or were they still greasing the problem?

Now comes the final question of logic. McCain continues to harp on the fact that he won't raise taxes. Is raising taxes the bogeyman? If it is, Americans need to look around them. Were taxes raised in the past eight years under the Republicans? Did not raising taxes save us from the trillions of dollars of budget deficit, going in hock to China, paying for a costly war in Iraq, and the final economic collapse?

Yet somehow people say, "true the country has gone to hell in the proverbial hand basket, but not to worry, John McCain says he won't raise our taxes." How will the bailout of Wall Street be financed? As far as I know the tooth fairy went out of business long ago. Yet the voices continue, "Thank God, McCain says he will not raise taxes." I'm sorry but I have visions a hex trillion dollar deficit or whatever name is attached to that.

McCain is not Bush, true, even though he voted with him 90 per cent of the time. But even if McCain is not Bush, the bulk of McCain"s party is those who supported Bush so I don"t see any great help from them.

This brings me back to my original thought; perhaps McCain is the Republican throw-away candidate this election. If you are going to lose, you might as well sacrifice someone you don't like anyway. At the same time, it gives the Republicans a chance to introduce a new hopeful that shows their true side, Sarah Palin.

Well let's see what the American people say. I know I don't want another trillion dollars added to the deficit; going in greater hock to China, continuing a draining costly war, and a continuing financial crisis.