Dear John - The American Spectator | USA News and Politics
Dear John
by

NO McCAIN IN TEAM
Re: Jeffrey Lord’s A Conservative Team of Rivals:

Yes, Mr. Lord, in answer to your question, yes McCain could put together such a Cabinet.

Alternatively — or as preparation for handling that collection — he could take up herding rattlesnakes.
A.C. Santore

A thoughtful article, Mr. Lord. However, assuming that McCain is the last man standing for us at the end of today, your article still presumes way too much. From my readings on Messrs. Reagan and Lincoln, both men were graciously humble, principled, and intellectually honesty. Most importantly, both men genuinely admired and respected ordinary Americans and the form of government that placed power with these same people. They trusted and believed, as imperfect as we are as citizens, that it’s the people, tethered to the Constitution, that govern, not the politicians. I have never seen these traits in either Hillary or McCain.

While you accurately point out that Reagan did not always faithfully apply conservative principles, a point often made by writers & readers alike at TAS, nonetheless, Reagan never felt malice or animus towards conservatives and our principles. Lincoln, sandwiched between political enemies and timid and incompetent generals, that perilously endangered the very survival of the Republic, still governed with a greater dedication of purpose to and for the very principles that helped form the Republic. Lincoln’s acknowledgement of his stewardship for the survival of the American experiment, was never more evident then when Lincoln was required to apply draconian measures in order to ensure the survival of the Republic. Compare that to McCain’s and Hillary’s iron-fisted approach to universal health care and Immigration, enough said.

So, Mr. Lord, don’t expect a Hillary or a McCain presidency to embrace political foes of different backgrounds and beliefs; neither one has the political temperament to embrace such diversity. That, I’m afraid, requires a sense of purpose to and for something greater than oneself, which neither is capable of. As to whether conservatism can survive either Hillary or McCain, that’s a question I’m not ready to contemplate quite yet.
A. DiPentima

Mr. Lord is correct, “…conservatism and conservatives will sail on with — or without — McCain in the White House. Conservatives can help him get there.” His article, as always is insightful and thoughtful, but there are too many unknowns that appear to have indicators as to what will really happen. Could the Senator effectively ‘hire’ his rivals, sure, will he? Ha, I sure don’t think the evidence supports that conclusion. But if he gets the nomination and actually wins the race we will find out who he selects. Personally I wouldn’t trust him to do it even if he said he would, I’d have to see it actually happen. Does anyone really believe he’s committed to border enforcement first at this time? Hell, he doesn’t believe it from listening to him.

We ALL know Republican Senators and Congressmen don’t have the ability to regularly stand up for conservative principles and carry through with them. Having a Republican President McCain as head of the party and continuing to propound his less than conservative ideas in regard to Guantanamo, immigration, manmade climate change, freedom of speech, drilling for our own oil, et al, would be a further disaster for the Republican Party as we know it today. Those weak kneed Senators and Congressmen would rightly be predisposed to helping their President get the legislation and direction he wanted. All that would happen is an acceleration of the party’s leftward march because there would be so little, if any, effective conservative opposition. At least with an admitted liberal or Democrat as POTUS the very same weak kneed Republicans would understand and carry out their necessary “loyal opposition” more often and with better effect I believe.

I don’t believe I am alone in never voting for a Democrat in a general election but I never vote for just any and certainly not all “Republicans.” So it may be in 2008. Perhaps Senator Dole, Speaker Gingrich, Senator Gramm and Governor Schwarzenegger will prove to be right and they can fashion a win with enough center and left center votes to make up for voters like me. If so, I’ll be in the first wave of those to admit once again I am not apparently main-stream for this party, but I suspect without my vote, and others of like mind Senator McCain can’t do it in November any better than Senator Dole did, and the sad thing for the Senator is that nothing he says at CPAC will extract my vote for him.
Roger Ross

Jeffrey Lord writes an excellent article which states my position on McCain exactly. I am not a Republican, I am a conservative. I will remain a conservative and remain true to conservative principles whether or not McCain is nominated by the Republican Party.

I won’t vote for him and I won’t support him. What he says to the C-PAC meeting is irrelevant. I’m confident he will stand up and espouse his “Regan Revolution foot-soldierism” and point to all the ways he is conservative. To all that, I say, “Well, John, you can call yourself a rutabaga, too. That doesn’t make you one.”

John McCain has spent his entire political career slapping conservatives in the face, calling those who espouse conservative ideas racists, bigots and worse and doing everything in his power to subvert conservative principles. I will not reward those 30 years of mischief by voting for this clown.

Certainly I cannot vote for either the Marxist Clinton or the Marxist Obama. I will simply stay away from the polls on Election Day while muttering, “a pox on both your houses.”
Keith Kunzler

Taking the Administrations of George W. Bush, his father and Ronald Reagan, 20 years or Republican rule, the Federal budget has been balanced just once. This is a stunning and reprehensible record for a party that used to be economic conservatives. No longer can the GOP claim to be economic conservatives though, rather fiscally irresponsible, negligent and wasteful. Between the 20 years of Presidents 40, 41, and 43 there have been 4 recessions, one surplus budget, the 2 worst stock market crashes since the Depression, stagflation of the ’80s, and probably the worst aspect of Republican rule, the huge growth of the Federal government. Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh, although rather vile individuals are spot on with their criticism of John McCain as unfit for the GOP nomination. If there is any Conservatism left in the GOP, and we now know there is no longer foreign policy and economic conservatism, the Republican Party must nominate Mitt Romney.
Nathan Maskiell
Melbourne, Australia

Juan McCain: Counterfeit Conservative. A good fit, don’t you think?
Frank Traynor
Tulsa, Oklahoma

CALLING OUT CAMELOT
Re: Raoul Felder and Jackie Mason’s Camelot or Cesspool?:

The Mason and Felder article about the Kennedy Klan ought to be required reading, not just for the voters but also for Barack Obama — wasn’t it just a few months ago that Fatso Teddy was referring to Barack as “Osama”?

Speaking of Teddy, he was the first person that came to mind when I watched the latest Joran van der Sloot video!
Jack Hughes
Chicago, Illinois

As a foreigner, I feel it is improper of me to comment on U.S. domestic politics. But surely, for all his sins, JFK got one thing at least right — the war in Vietnam. It was the highly moral and ethical defense of a friendly nation with at least, like South Korea and Taiwan, the potential for evolving into a genuine democracy, against direct Communist aggression, and it was largely successful It stopped Communism in its tracks and saved the dominos of south-East Asia from falling before they could develop their economies and political institutions. In fact, it paved the way for the winning of the Third World War.’
Hal G.P. Colebatch
Nedlands, Western Australia

Jackie puts it into perspective. It also shows how the powerful left-wing media can create illusions to protect their guy. Can you imagine if any Republican had such a scandal-ridden family as the Kennedys or the Clintons/Rodhams? The press would thoroughly excoriate them. Camelot indeed.
John Nelson
Hebron, Connecticut

Great article, but what always catches my eye is the association of the word “Camelot” with the Kennedy clan. While Hollywood gave the word one meaning, any English-French dictionary will immediately show the irony of the association. Camelot = “trash,” “rubbish,” “waste,” etc. I always thought that Jackie, she of French family roots and a student in schools in France, truly understood the irony of nicknaming the refurbished White House of her husband’s era, Camelot!!

Keep up the good work. Regards,
William (ich dien) Knecht

The Kennedy Camelot fantasy had more of the odor of a Middle Eastern camel lot than that of a King Arthur style Camelot.
Jan Wood

The entire Democrat ticket is a cesspool. Anything which Bill Clinton BREATHES on has a strength to gag a maggot.

Kennedy, Clinton and now poor Obama all have the stench and filth of dirty politics. We, the American Voter, are held as nothing but useful idiots used to put and KEEP these miscreants in power.
Sandra Bellomo
Seminole, Florida

Much like the “Bush Derangement Syndrome,” the “Kennedy Camelot Myth” endures. Both epitomize Vladimir Lenin’s immortal saying, “a lie told often enough becomes the truth.” Most Americans probably know the difference — but they don’t care.
Arnold Ahlert
Boca Raton, Florida

What a great summary of the Kennedys’ record. Immensely so since the authors could be considered part of the “Hollywood crowd” — at least Mr. Mason, but he nails it, they both do.
Wade White
Franklin, New York

CHILLY RECEPTION
Re: Patrick J. Michaels’ More Ice than Ever:

The last paragraph loses me. Although, I do not ascribe to the Pantheistic doomsday of Global Warming it is important when arguing to recognize that the Arctic is in the North and the Antarctic is in the South. I confess I did not go to the source document, but I think the argument is that the Antarctic landmass ice is breaking off and thus adding to the volume of ocean ice around the continent. Once in the ocean, over time melting ice will lead to a rise in ocean levels.
George
Albany, New York

WHO SHOT JUAN RICARDO?
Re: Myron Magnet’s Immigration Reversals:

This article is excellent. You could come to Texas and it is worse. The crime rate is terrible. Texas has to do something about it or there will be no Texas. The drug cartel on the border is very scary. Our governor Mr. Perry is doing a very poor job; it will be last time he will be governor. The laws on the books now has to be enforced and then they will go back to Mexico. Come to America legally. That’s all I want. Thank you finally for a fair article about the problem.
Pat Denison
Waco, Texas

“Without an opportunity to work, illegal immigrants would return home, just as 60 percent of immigrants from the first great migration went home when the Depression dried up jobs here.”

Really? Is there any documentation for this? I had no idea.
Dave Fobare

TIKI NO RINGS
Re: Neal B. Freeman’s Take That, Tiki Barber:

I was wondering where the ever-smiling Tiki was at the end of the game Sunday. I remembered some of his comments at the beginning of the season after the G-men had lost two. I don’t recall him sounding mean, or even petty, but he sure was wrong, “Big-time” as our VP would say. It hurt to see our Packers lose to the Giants at Lambeau but it sure felt good to see them win in Arizona! Congrats G-men, your day really did arrive.
Roger Ross

QUIET RIOT
Re: Patrick J. Michaels’s Corn on the Mob:

Patrick Michaels imputes to Indonesia, “a land in turmoil, home to massive volcanoes, tsunamis, and earthquakes…a brand new type of disturbance, the world’s first food riot caused by another nation pandering to the global warming mob.”

Surely last spring’s Caribbean rum shop altercations, caused by the closure of distilleries starved of molasses by gasohol demand take precedence, as well as the violent demonstrations in rural Mexico precipitated by spiking tortilla prices that were widely reported later in 2007.

By some accounts, the Bali Climate Conference that moved UN officials and Nobel Peace Prize winners to tears and apoplexy was quite a riot in its own right.
Russell Seitz
Cambridge, Massachusetts

FAKED OUT
Re: Bruce F. Webster’s letter (under “Salamander Slander”) in Reader Mail’s Preacher Bill:

I read a letter to the editor from Bruce F. Webster recently stating, “In the case of the forged ‘Joseph Smith III blessing’… the LDS Church donated it to…Community of Christ.” I am writing to this, as Bruce is misinformed. The LDS church traded this document. Community of Christ received the document, they received an original Book of Commandments. Now once it was found to be a forgery, the LDS archivist or historian (I can’t recall right now) contacted Community of Christ’s to let him know they were traveling through Kansas City and wanted to return the Book of Commandments, the Community of Christ guy offered to give back the blessing but said nah, keep it, we don’t want it. So is returning payment once the item sold is found to be a fake truly a donation?
Sarah L. Anderson

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