John McCain

John McCain




Have you ever decided to do something with the feeling that if you go ahead and do it, there is a good likelihood you will eventually regret that having done it? Has that ever happened to you? Trying to decide if I should vote for John McCain leaves me with that kind of conflicted feeling. But of course there is another option and that is, I could abstain from voting and avoid this whole decision conflict thing altogether. However, lets think about trying to decide whether to vote or not to vote. On the one hand, if I vote for John McCain, I will be voting for the lesser of two evils and I have grown weary of always voting for the lesser of two evils because it somehow violates my sense of dignity to keep doing something that is contrary to my real beliefs and values. On the other hand, if I do not vote at all, I will, in effect, enable those who do vote to multiply their vote due to my abstention by increasing twofold the value of their vote should they vote for the greater of two evils. Why are real life decisions like these always so complicated? Why even ask why. I believe John McCain is the lesser of two evils because there are a number of times I do not agree with the positions taken by him or agree with a large number of his votes cast over the years while serving in the United States Senate even though he has identified himself as being a Republican. I believe there are those who call John McCain a RINO (Republican In Name Only) because of his positions taken and votes cast. Nevertheless, Senator McCain wistfully celebrates his record as being proof that he is in reality a “Maverick” and not a prisoner of any particular dogmatic persuasion and that is the reason his record does not coincide with any one party philosophy or another. His position is that his Maverick record should be celebrated and not condemned because he is beholding to no one or any one party. When I reflect about this notion of being a potential “Maverick” leader, one has to consider the value of a leader who does not adhere to any particular philosophy to guide his decisions other than his own notion of what is fair and right. I’m not so sure what we need is a “Maverick” in our complicated world full of nukes, religious fanatics, ideologues, greed hustlers and tree-hugging raised to a religion notwithstanding the everyday complications of governing the most powerful country in the world. Having said all of this, one cannot help but admire the man who has served his country so unselfishly and endured what would break the resolve of most any man. I could even make the case that being mistreated and tortured during his captivity as a prisoner-of-war has made him hypersensitive about the treatment of people to such an extent that it is very likely that his judgment ability is impaired (witness his calling Obama a good and decent man and his refusal to condemn Obama’s nefarious associations and actions). Even though he may be the lesser of two evils in my mind, John McCain is certainly not the greater of two evils that the other potential President represents. So on November 4th, the dilemma of voting for the lesser of two evils or not voting at all requires all of the wisdom that Solomon could ever muster up. This voting dilemma can be placed squarely at the feet of John McCain because he is in reality, just the lesser of two evils.