Since they put a muzzle on John McCain to control that famous temper, he is no more than George Bush without personality, a tired old man who fires from the lip, and who can change positions without blinking an eye. Every time he opens his mouth, with his insincere platitudes, he offers additional proof that what this nation doesn’t need for the next four years is more of the same — a continuance of the last seven years which has damaged this country in so many ways that it will take decades to mend. For instance:
    * McCain, who supported W. in going into the “war” which has long since become an “occupation,” still mouths words about the necessity to win the “war” and achieve “victory,” using the fear mongering “terrorist” words. Is there anyone left who believes this garbage, in a situation which we can’t “win,” and where the Iraqis have even come forward with their desire to have us “out.”
    * Old John claims that he will balance the budget by 2013, albeit that every responsible economist states that this is virtually impossible, with the nation mired in billions in debt, and continuing to pour about $12 billion a month into Iraq, at the same time that Al Queda has now reconstituted in Afghanistan and continues to grow as a threat.
    * McCain insists that he would continue, and even increase, the Bush “tax cuts” while accusing Obama of planning to raise taxes, despite the proof to the contrary. Obama would roll back the tax breaks to the wealthiest 5% of the population, long overdue, which would do no more than start to balance the playing field, which is tilted so far against the middle class wage earners — job losses, foreclosures, spiraling gas prices to benefit the Bush cronies — that they are threatened with sliding into oblivion. Of course McCain, with his seven homes and heiress second wife, can’t even begin to fathom the burden that most of the nation faces. He’s completely out of touch.
    * He claims that government spending “is out of control,” and has escalated beyond control over the last eight years. Well, since Bush and the GOP controlled the Executive and the Legislative branches of government during six of those years, when the escation was born, where was McCain, the longtime Senator, to speak up, to rein in, to be a voice for moderation? He was AWOL.
    * He also complains about the fact that government has grown during that same period to the largest size in history. Same story. Who was at the rudder? And where was John? AWOL, and without any voice as Departments were created, and engourged with incompetents.
    * You would think, with his background, that he would have at least supported the G.I. Bill of Rights. But he didn’t (although W. praised him at the signing), and wasn’t even present for the vote.
    *  Speaking of being present, and attendance, who has the worst attendance record in the Senate, having missed more sessions than even Tim Johnson, who was recovering from a stroke? Why, it was John McCain! He hadn’t even answered “present” from mid-April until July, when some very serious legislation was debated and voted upon.
    * Supportive of the Bush agenda practically right down the line, where is his voice as the administration threatens Medicare cuts that will damage the elderly and the middle class? AWOL, when even the AMA is crying out in protest.
    * The FISA debate? Is there any doubt where he will vote — if in fact he does vote — when this important bill comes up, a bill which authorizes even further government spying, which tramples on the safeguards of the Constitution, which would give immunity to the phone companies and their executives who knuckled under to illegal demands and became conspirators in this travesty? The FISA bill goes beyond George Orwell’s wildest fantasies. You know where McCain will be, and he’ll be standing against the Constitution.
    * Judges — McCain has already stated that he will have a litmus test for the appointment of Judges, particularly Supreme Court Judges, and will look for strict right-wing devotees in the mode of Scalia, Alito, Roberts and Thomas, which would not only terminate the decades old freedom of choice provisions for women, but would “judically legislate” a move back towards the Middle Ages and end the progress that this nation has enjoyed since the New Deal. As it is, there has been serious erosion on that progress, and a McCain appointment to the Supreme Court would cement that erosion. This reason alone, without more, is why not only Democrats, but also Libertarians and Independents, as well as Constitutional scholars, recognize the necessity of opposing John McCain.
    * Responsibility — The McCains failed to pay real estate taxes on at least one of their seven homes (mansions?) for a period of over four years. If you or I did that, we would find ourselves in foreclosure. Is that the type of responsibility we want controlling the purse strings of our nation, when those purse strings are already frayed to the point of breaking?
    You pick the topic, then look at McCain’s positions, or fluctuations, and there is no question that he is not competent to lead this nation.