McCain gives a thumbs up to torture
There’s so much juicy political stuff going on right now (like Obama kicking some serious primary tail, like the upcoming Wisconsin primary, like how disappointed I am to not be able to attend any of this week’s Milwaukee big-wig appearances) that it’s hard to narrow the field down and pick just the right topic. Or, it was until I saw this article from Think Progress: http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/13/mccain-waterboarding-fail/.The most important thing to note is that the ban on waterboarding included in this provision is meant to put some kind of restriction on torture-happy government. I’m all for this. In fact, I’m pretty disappointed that it’s taken this long for such a measure to get this far. Rumors that Bush will veto make it all the more important for our legislators to stand up for what’s right and just instead of cowtowing to the President and his cronies. (why do so many vote against this? anyone have a good answer for this?)
What I found disturbing about the piece, though, is the indication that McCain has completely gone over to the darkside. We’ve had other indicators, of course, like that whole it’s okay to be in Iraq for a thousand years or the disturbing picture of his hugging President Bush, but I think this one pretty much takes the cake. A former POW, aka former torture victim, who had previously spoken against waterboarding and spoken for implementing set standards for the treatment of POW’s and foreign suspects, has now decided that waterboarding is okay with him.
The good news, I guess, is that if McCain wins we know what to expect: four more just like that last eight. Why doesn’t that scare more people?
Posted by mtucker on 02/14 at 02:38 PM
My own Senator, Snowe, has a 'maverick' rep, too. She came in for a nasty mention in some columns bemoaning McCain's apostasy from True Conservatism. But her voting record is clear. She is a Bush supporter in every way, when it comes to the Iraq occupation,the secret prisons, renditions, torture, and spying on Americans with no warrant. Unilateral aggression, torture, and other issues have been the subject of some speeches, but when a vote is called, she's there helping. I'm not sure where her "maverick' rep comes from.
I know where McCain's maverick rep comes from. He used to vote against the torture, he used to defend the Constitution, and as far as we can yet say, he still supports Roe v. Wade. But he's been backsliding since the end of the first month of his presidential campaign. This is just more of the same.