Editorial for local paper

I wrote this for a local paper. My wife thought it was good so I'm posting it here.

Country First: It’s How He Lives

I will be the first to admit that Senator John McCain, because of his “immigration reform” and involvement in the “gang of 13” was not my first choice for a presidential candidate. Heck, he was not even my second or third, but my guys did not make the cut, and I was left with Senator McCain. I was really sweating over who to vote for in this November’s election. I knew I did not want Senator Obama, mainly because I think I spend my money better than the government, but I also knew that I did not agree with Senator McCain on some very prominent issues.
In May I read a piece by Karl Rove that spoke of Senator McCain’s personal character. It told stories of his bravery in the Hanoi Hilton, where he was called on to splint a fellow captive’s broken arm with bandages he took from his own injured leg, and his sermons passed via Morse code. It spoke of how he and Cindy adopted a baby from Mother Theresa’s orphanage in Calcutta because it had special physical needs, and then paid for a low level McCain aid to adopt another. Okay, so I had to admit the man had character, but it takes more than a man of character to be President.
It was with great trepidation that I waited for the announcement of his Vice Presidential candidate, especially with names like Lieberman, and Pawlenty being thrown around. When he announced Sarah Palin as his running mate, I have to admit I got excited. I now had someone I knew I could vote for, even if she was on the bottom of the ticket. Now that I had some hope of actually being able to support Senator McCain, I did a more thorough examination of his positions.
I already knew that he was strong on national defense, and national security. After all he was just about the only one whom never waivered in support of our troops and the surge in Iraq. Even Senator Obama has admitted that it has worked, though he still says he would not vote in favor of it even with his current knowledge. I knew Senator McCain had a very solid pro-life voting record, and that he has committed to nominating strict constructionist judges to the courts.
Lately he has been telling us that he is in favor of lifting the moratorium on off shore drilling, and wants us to get our own natural resources out of the ground, to help lower the price of fuel in America. He proved this to me by announcing Governor Palin as his running mate. She has pushed for more drilling in Alaska since she became governor. He also is pro-nuclear. Nuclear is a safe cheap way of producing electricity that is also environmentally friendly. Several other countries rely heavily on nuclear energy to meet their power needs, and they have had no problems. I agree with the Senator that it is time to reinvest in this underutilized asset.
While he has not been a supporter of the Bush tax cuts in the past he now says that he sees their value and will work to make them permanent. He also is in favor of cutting the corporate tax rate from 35% (the second highest rate in the world) down to 25%. I hear you all griping about why do the wealthy need a tax cut. Well, generally speaking the wealthy employ most of the rest of us. They are going to make their money, the question becomes if they are going to make it in the US, employing Americans, or somewhere else. With the lower tax rate, the US at least looks more attractive.
Senator McCain is also stating that he wants to reduce the estate tax to 15% with a $10 million exemption. That should be very well received by farmers who are looking to pass on their operation to a family member when they pass. What I think will be the most effective measure against wasteful spending in government is if Senator McCain is able to get a line item veto like he wants. A line item veto allows the executive office holder to veto only certain things in a bill. Several states have these for their governors and it allows them to veto spending that is attached to other bills without having to veto the entire bill they way the President currently has to.
When it comes to health care Senator McCain does not favor socialized health care like Senator Obama does. Socialized health care does not work. Ask anyone from a country that has it and they will tell you. Senator McCain proposes that each family receive a $5,000 tax credit, with which they can purchase their own health insurance. This will cause competition in the health insurance market, and competition drives prices down. It will also allow us to purchase health insurance that is more tailored to our needs. Senator McCain is also in favor of tort reform. This will allow people to still seek compensation for sub par care, but it will not allow them to get rich by suing doctors. After all folks it is called practicing medicine for a reason. As much as we wish they were perfect, doctors are people and they make mistakes. By limiting the amount they can get sued, the price of malpractice insurance will decrease, and that will allow hospitals to decrease their overhead, and pass that savings on to you.
I was delightfully surprised when I read Senator McCain’s education proposal. He proposes that parents should have the opportunity to move their children to a school of their choosing to ensure the children get the education they need. Not only will parents be allowed to move their children, but the tax money that they pay into the school district will follow the child. That way parents are not forced to pay for their kids to go to school, and pay for a school that their children do not attend. Senator McCain is also in favor of fighting the teachers union and making it easier for bad teachers to be dismissed, regardless of tenure, and easier for good teachers to be recruited with incentives.
We already knew Sarah Palin was pro-gun, in fact she may be the first person since Teddy Roosevelt to live in the White House and know how to field dress a moose, but I was delighted to find that Senator McCain voted in favor of gun right many time. He has voted against liability for gun manufacturers whose guns are used to commit crimes, opposed waiting periods on gun purchases, and against bans on ammunition. I feel strongly the Senator McCain will defend my second amendment rights.
Finally, and possibly the most important item, Senator McCain has stated that he will appoint strong constructionist judges to the federal courts and the supreme court. With his history in the gang of thirteen, and his ample willingness to cross the aisle for progress, I have to admit that I am skeptical of this claim. All I can do is go by what the man states in his beliefs, and hope that he holds to his integrity.
Some say that Sarah Palin is not an asset of Senator McCain’s campaign. I disagree. She has more executive experience than any of the other candidates on either of the tickets. She is only a heartbeat a way from the Presidency, and I find that comforting. She has strong convictions, and she has fought corruption in both parties. I have no doubt that she would make a good president. Besides think about the fact that Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is only two heartbeats away and all she has done is lead the Congress to its lowest approval rating, ever!