Lord Cheney, your Shuttle Awaits

Ugghhh

Look, I'm not exactly what one would call a McCain supporter. Sure, I supported him against Dubya in the 2000 primary, but that was at a different time, with a different type of campaign. Then McCain decided to cozy up to crazy jackasses like Jerry Falwell and Bob Jones (the fundie, not the former mayor of Danville). His pandering to these sleazebags, combined with his dogged support of the mess in Iraq, ruined much of what lingering respect I had for him.

Of course as time has gone on, it appears that Senator McCain isn't much of a maverick. Sure, he played an excellent underdog in 2000, and he has taken some stances that are unpopular with the 3G (Guns, God, and teh Gayz) wing of the Republican party. But the vast majority of his votes right in step with the President's agenda, including issues where he previously had some integrity (torture).

Anybody who supports giving Dick Cheney any role in his administration should not be President. Cheney is nothing but a war profiteer with an overly powerful office, hell bent on bringing our nation back to the muck that was the Nixon administration. He has consistently abused his power as Vice President, and created an office that appears to be above the law. Granted, the absolutely disgusting lack of Congressional oversight by his GOP Senate buddies from 2001-2006, and a lack of mandate by the Democrats since then has helped him be so arrogant. However, he still has shown a serious contempt for the balance of powers, exerting to an extent that none of our other Administrations (Nixon excepted) dared to attempt.

If John McCain really was a maverick, a straight talker, he would say unconditionally that Dick Cheney should retire from public service. But he won't, because he is no maverick. Inexplicably, a large portion of the GOP base still considers this guy a hero, despite the fact that any Democrat who tried to exert his power would automatically be labeled a "Ruthless Traitor to Democracy" (and rightly so) by the right.

At least Cheney disagreed with McCain over his laughable "Gas Tax Holiday" idea. Even if Cheney is nothing but a close ally of the oil industry, he was right on that one. I guess it just goes to show even a broken watch is right twice a day.

NOTE: Yes I'm aware the article talks about the complicated issue that McCain has with Cheney. I'm also aware that the McCain quote is from 2006, although Cheney was just as foul in 2006 as 2008. My point is that McCain ain't the "liberal" the right wing claims him to be. Just another reminder for you confused Clinton supporters and indecisive Indepedent voters.