If Wishes Were Horses......

April 27, 2007 - BAGHDAD (AFP)
- An aide to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Friday accused
the Democratic US lawmakers who voted for a timed withdrawal of
US troops of playing politics with the future of Iraq.

"I wish they would stand side by side with the Iraqi people
rather than taking positions that could be catastrophic for the
Iraqis, because of their differences with the Republicans,"
said Hassan al-Sinaid.


Is this not rich?
And what do the American people "wish for?"
Perhaps that the Iraqi people would stop killing each other
and get down to some serious talking.... with each other, so
that our sons and daughters can come home? Are the wishes of
the American people somehow secondary to the wishes of Iraqi
politicians?

Did they really expect that the American Army was going to come
in and solve all their problems for them? That they would have
to do nothing but be the recipients of America's benevolence?
Is that what they were promised?

Will the REAL John McCain sign in, please.

Just government is derived from the consent of the governed.
(Apr 2004)


"I disagree with what the majority of the American people want."
...John McCain. (April 8, 2007)

___________________________

By Terry M. Neal
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, August 24, 1999; Page A4

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) appeared to soften his position on making
abortion illegal in separate interviews in recent days, drawing
criticism from social conservatives and some of his opponents for
the Republican presidential nomination.
____________________________

infoplease
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0780064.html

John McCain,

62, senator from Arizona, launched a campaign for the Republican
presidential nomination. Though he presented himself as an outsider,
McCain has served 17 years in the Senate. He is, however, somewhat
of a maverick in his party. He cosponsored a campaign-finance reform
bill that most fellow Republican congressmen were loathe to even
discuss, and he steered clear of the Iowa straw poll, which
essentially put votes up for sale.
____________________________

Congresspedia
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=John_McCain

McCain has publicly criticized his party on earmarking. On June 27,
2006, McCain posted his views on Porkbusters. In reference to his
political party, he stated the following: “So why has my party, the
party of small government, lately adopted the practices of our
opponents who believe the bigger the government the better? I'm
afraid it's because at times we value our incumbency more than our
principle.”


Statements and action on Iraq war
Statements by John McCain:

March 23, 2003: “I believe that this conflict is still going to be
relatively short.”
December 4, 2005: "We will probably see significant progress in
the next six months to a year."
December 8, 2005: "Overall, I think a year from now, we will have
a fair amount of progress [in Iraq] if we stay the course.”
November 12, 2006: "we’re either going to lose this thing or win this
thing within the next several months."
November 13, 2006: "The fate of the Iraqi venture will be decided
in the next six months or so."

"McCain touts himself as a conservative on many fiscal issues, but
moderate on social issues causing some conservatives to ridicule him
as a Republican In Name Only. His appeal during the 2000 presidential
campaign was based on style and personal image rather than any label
of liberal, conservative, moderate or libertarian."

"McCain is often called a "maverick senator" because of his
willingness to break with the party line. He was one of only four
Republicans in the entire U.S. Congress to vote against the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act. He was the only Republican senator
to vote against the Telecommunications Act of 1995, which he called
"the biggest rip-off since the Teapot Dome Scandal." He was also the
only Republican senator to vote against the Federal Agriculture
Improvement and Reform Act of 1996, which phased out many of the
farming subsidy programs put into place during the Great Depression.
His concerns over global warming and other environmental issues have
also put him at odds with the Bush administration and other
Republicans. In addition, he voted against the Federal Marriage
Amendment, reaffirming his position as a social moderate."
______________________________

On The Issues
http://www.issues2000.org/Senate/John_McCain.htm#War_+_Peace

-Voted NO on banning more types of Congressional gifts. (Jul 1995)
-Voted YES on limiting death penalty appeals. (Apr 1996)
-Voted YES on limiting product liability punitive damage awards.
(Mar 1996)
-Reduce federal government size & scope, including military. (Sep 1998)
-Pro-death penalty; more prisons; increased penalties. (Jul 1998)
-Cuba: No diplomatic and trade relations. (Jul 1998)
-Guns are a problem, but so are violent web sites & videos. (Aug 1999)
-Supports ban on certain assault weapons. (Aug 1999)
-Voted against Brady Bill & assault weapon ban. (Aug 1999)
-Voted NO on background checks at gun shows. (May 1999)
-Voted YES on more penalties for gun & drug violations. (May 1999)
-Voted YES on loosening license & background checks at gun shows. (May 1999)
-Raise military pay to avoid military draft. (Aug 1999)
-Restrict methadone treatment programs. (Feb 1999)
-Voted YES on using the Social Security Surplus to fund tax reductions. (Jul 1999)
-Use force, with US control, only for vital interests. (Apr 1999)
-Teach virtues in all schools. (Dec 1999)
-Voted YES on defunding renewable and solar energy. (Jun 1999)
-Unfiltered Internet robs our children of their innocence. (Dec 1999)
-Label violent media products like we label cigarettes. (Jun 1999)
-Voted YES on killing restrictions on violent videos to minors.
(May 1999)
-Korea: ease starvation, but avoid war during death throes. (Apr 1999)
-Overthrow “rogue” governments to keep Americans safe. (Feb 2000)
-Africa: Money for AIDS would be lost to corruption. (Jan 2000)
-Replace battle of bucks with battle of ideas. (Feb 2000)
-Close corporate loopholes; veto pork-barrel spending. (Jan 2000)
-Take away soft money & “hurt the unions bad”. (Jan 2000)
-Supports term limits on Congress. (Jul 1998)
-No term limits; they throw away the good with the bad. (Jan 2000)
-Higher taxes on cigarettes. (Jan 2000)
-Accepts gays in military under current policy. (Jan 2000)
-Keep “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy - it works. (Jan 2000)
-Don’t promise tax cuts from future surpluses we may not have. (Jan 2000)
-More death penalty; stricter sentencing. (Jan 2000)
-Voted NO on increasing tax deductions for college tuition. (May 2001)
-Voted YES on banning lawsuits against gun manufacturers for gun violence. (Mar 2004)
-Just government is derived from the consent of the governed.
(Apr 2004)
-Voted NO on raising the minimum wage to $7.25 rather than $6.25. (Mar 2005)
-Voted NO on $3.1B for emergency oil assistance for
hurricane-hit areas. (Oct 2005)
-Voted NO on reducing oil usage by 40% by 2025 (instead
of 5%). (Jun 2005)
-Voted YES on extending the PATRIOT Act's wiretap provision. (Dec 2005)
-Voted YES on prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers. (Jul 2005)
-Voted YES on allowing some lobbyist gifts to Congress. (Mar 2006)
-Voted YES on reauthorizing the PATRIOT Act. (Mar 2006)
-Voted NO on $47B for military by repealing capital gains tax cut. (Feb 2006)



___________________________


ENOUGH! ENOUGH!

John McCain interview, 60 Minutes:
http://60minutes.yahoo.com/segment/56/john_mccain

Question (Scott Pelley):
'If the current plan fails,... do we leave that region?'

(John McCain)
Answer: "I don't see how we can."

Scott Pelley:
'The majority of the American people have... want.. out...
of this war.'

John McCain:
"I disagree with what the majority of the American people want."
....John McCain. (April 8, 2007)

The Bourgeois Veteran, John McCain

McCain assails Democrats on Iraq
04/11/07

By LIZ SIDOTI, Associated Press Writer

(Republican presidential contender John McCain) "Calling the war
'necessary and just,' McCain said those like him who support
Bush's troop increase chose the "hard road" but "right road."

"Democrats, who deny our soldiers the means to prevent an American
defeat, have chosen another road," he said, referring to the standoff
between Democrats in control of Congress and Bush over war funding.
"It may appear to be the easier course of action, but it is a much
more reckless one, and it does them no credit even if it gives them
an advantage in the next election."
____________________________

This whole thing is the very epitome of someone creating a situation
and then standing back from that situation and thinking it has
nothing to do with them, that it is forces from outside that is
the cause.

President Cheney, uh..., Bush, convinced Congress and most of the
American People that it was necessary to go to war for whatever
reason. Now the war isn't bringing in the schoolyard and back
alley pay-offs that Bush/Cheney envisioned.

I am not really pleased with either Democrats or Republicans, but
we now have John McCain, a Viet Nam veteran, calling the war "necessary
and just" without attempting to give even one valid reason that
it is either necessary or just. You will just have to trust him
on that.

Then, in one very short sentence-
"Democrats, who deny our soldiers the means to prevent an American
defeat,...."-
McCain turns the US invasion of Iraq into the magic shell game of
switching your focus to thinking American soldiers are 'facing a
defeat!'
If we are to believe the political McCain as opposed to the veteran
McCain, we didn't invade Iraq, we were just over there on a holiday
and the Iraqis attacked us!
Yes! THEY attacked us and it is WE who are on the defensive!
WE are facing defeat!

Hello! Is there anyone home in his brain?
Shame on this arrogant, bourgeois veteran!