The American Spectator

Reader Mail

Fun in the Sun

7.15.08 @ 12:01AM

(Page 3 of 6)

These Republicans believe in the welfare state and robbing people of the dignity of work and the pride of success. They believe in huge schemes of regulation that hinder economic growth. They lack courage to end freedom-robbing legislative schemes. In short, they talk like conservatives and vote like democrats.

So, yes, conservatives are unhappy and a win by John McCain will change that not a whit!
-- Jay Molyneaux
North Carolina

Actually encountering an "Obamacon" (conservative actively promoting Senator Obama) is the statistical equivalent to encountering that same "Obamacon" riding a unicorn. The term should be "Defaultacons," conservatives such as myself who refuse to participate in the election of Senator McCain. The logic behind risking "default" (D) stems from my faith in a revived rational electorate, Democrats and Republicans combined, which (as example) revolted, denounced and derailed the "immigration reform" legislation. It's ironic that if McCain prevails "his" centrist agenda is "real" and therefore has a greater chance of implementation. Such policy changes I feel will be far more "functionally destructive" to the conservative values I represent. My personal campaign slogan, of course, is "none of the above" but having lived through Carter I really do not fear an Obama administration. His starkly liberal credentials and the looming tax burden implied should not achieve any political traction from a Congress looking over its shoulder at its constituents who are standing in line at the hardware store buying torches and pitchforks.
-- Michael L. Hauschild

"Team Obama now appears convinced that the general election campaign will be a triumphant march to victory." Indeed, they appear to be. It's called delusion.

But if the Republicans don't get off their hindquarters, stop whining, put some steel in their spine and stop acting like the wimps they've been famous for being historically, they'll ensure that Obama's delusion becomes reality.

What's wrong with them? Don't they realize how vulnerable Obama is and how dissatisfaction with him grows?
-- C. Kenna Amos
Princeton, West Virginia

THE FLAPPIEST BARR NONE
Re: Thirsty McWormwood's How Does Barr Do It?:

One can only wonder about what past relationship "Thirsty McWormwood" must have with Bob Barr to feel the need to write such a screed.

Apparently inconsistency (supporting big government while claiming not to do so) is good and consistency in one's political philosophy is flip-flopping. I would have thought the average intern at TAS would have graduated from a school that would have at least required reading Orwell.
-- Bruce Majors
Washington, District of Columbia

Christians everywhere can be glad that Thirsty McWormwood was not present to do press coverage on the conversion (flip flop?) of Paul of Tarsus as he traveled to Damascus. Sometimes a change of heart is sincere and not the shenanigans of some shiftless, self-promoting politician. But to be fair and balanced, in today's climate of shifting alliances and slippery moral values, McWormwood is wise to be cynical.
-- Ira M. Kessel
Rochester, New York

A few weeks ago I had a little back and forth with R.S. McCain about the coverage that Bob Barr was receiving here at TAS, and he pointed out that while Barr may not be a major player right now, he could be a factor in November. If I recall correctly, Mr. McCain told me it was important for all the candidates to get a fair hearing and that if Mr. Barr did become a factor I would be glad to have had a "heads up" on him by reading abut him at TAS.

Well, Mr. McCain was right, and I have used his articles, and others here at TAS, to point out to some of my disaffected conservative friends that Mr. Barr isn't really a viable alternative. And the article by "Mr. McWormwood" is one that I will probably be passing on as well. We all thought that John Kerry was the epitome of the flip-flopping politician, but Bob Barr tops them all! I think that once people get a chance to se just how much he has changed his positions conservatives will understand why they shouldn't be giving their votes to him. You may not like John McCain (and I don't!), but at least he has stuck consistently to the vast majority of his positions, and when he does change his mind he will acknowledge his change and explain it.

Bob Barr makes Kerry look as solid as the Rock of Gibraltar!
-- Eric Edward
Walnut Cove, North Carolina

I'm not going to refute Mr. McWormwood's main point. Perhaps Barr has flipped and flopped and changed a great deal in his quest to be the Libertarian standard bearer. But I look at his quotes from Barr (I assume they are Barr's, please let me know if I'm wrong) and I am struck with a couple of questions.

First, is Barr wrong? Is the Constitution not under constant and consistent assault? Even the land-mark DC gun-ban case was a 5-4 ruling. And that doesn't cover the New London and several other horrible rulings from the Supreme Court. And in Mr. Lehrer's article today we see three Federal laws in clear violation of the Constitution that are still on the books, one recently passed. No Child Left Behind, Medicare, Medicaid, Welfare, Social Security, public smoking bans, the War on Drugs... All of these violate the Constitution, and no one raises a cry.

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