HAS McCAIN SETTLED ON HIS GAY STRATEGY YET?

Will gay-bashing rescue McCain's moribund campaign? Right-wing strategist and propaganda agent Fred Barnes thinks so. Watch this clip from the Republican Party TV show, Fox News Sunday:



Basically, Obama is taking the position that government should stay out of people's personal lives as long as they aren't harming anyone and McCain is drifting towards a more fascist model advocated by extremists and authoritarians in his party that advocates controlling every aspect of everyone's lives. When giant, powerful corporations want to use the disproportionate power they wield against workers and consumers, McCain and the Republicans claim the government shouldn't interfere. As representatives of working Americans and consumers, the Democrats feel it's important to get the balance right and protect society at large from the deprecation of predatory capitalism. Republicans don't see that as a legitimate function of government. Instead they see government trying to regulate people's private lives as legitimate. Perhaps that's why Republican strategists were dismayed yesterday when Rasmussen reported that libertarian voters, who have tended to vote for Republican presidential candidates, are rejecting McCain in favor of Obama, 53-38%.

McCain is very uncomfortable talking about gay issues and he comes across as confused, fearful and insincere. He's the ultimate flip-flopper. Last week the San Jose Mercury published a short, pointed editorial that clearly shows why, no matter where you personally stand on gay issues, Obama would make a better president than McCain.

John McCain's support for the initiative to ban gay marriage in California - Proposition 8 - was predictable, given his conservative base of support. But Barack Obama's opposition, announced this week, was not a given. Nor is it a flip-flop on principle, as his opposition claims.

Obama and McCain both have said they believe marriage should be between a man and woman. They part company on the impulse to legislate their personal belief in a way that removes rights now granted to Californians in the state constitution.

Make no mistake. This is a civil rights issue. Under law, only marriage confers certain legal rights of inheritance, medical decision-making and child custody.

The distinction Obama makes between personal belief and what should or should not be law is in keeping with American political tradition. Many Republicans and Democrats over the years have personally opposed abortion, for example, but would not take away a woman's right to make such a personal decision.

Granted, this nuance of thought and judgment makes for an easy target for Swift Boat crews revving up their political engines.

It also makes for a better president.

McCain has tried very hard, at times, to come across as a moderate, an independent and a maverick. His image has gone from maverick to contortionist on a wide range of issues. He just doesn't stand for anything-- except war, war, and more war. Now he's desperately trying to shore up the extreme right of his party and is more than willing to follow the advice of GOP consultants and media whores like Barnes to use gay families as a wedge issue to take peoples' minds off the Bush-McCain economy and the Bush-McCain disaster in Iraq. Where he was once the darling of the Log Cabin Republicans, ever since he got serious about running for president he has strived to be the darling of the extreme right religionists and the homophobic bigots. How do you feel about this record?

OPPOSED Ending Discrimination Against GLBT Americans in the Workplace. Senator McCain cast a deciding vote against the federal Employment Non Discrimination Act

OPPOSED Protecting GLBT Americans from Hate Crimes. Senator McCain voted three times against expanding the federal hate crimes law to include sexual orientation.

PROPONENT of Discriminatory Military Policy. Senator McCain supports Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and does not believe that gays should serve in the military.

OPPONENT of Equal Benefits for Same-Sex Couples. Senator McCain voted for the Defense of Marriage Act which prohibits same-sex couples from receiving federal rights and benefits in any state.

ACTIVELY SUPPORTED State Ban on Domestic Partnerships. Senator McCain campaigned for a ban on same-sex relationship recognition in his home state of Arizona – even appearing in a campaign television ad.

SUPPORTED the Confirmation of Anti-GLBT Equality Judges. Senator McCain voted to confirm President Bush’s judicial nominees who had taken anti-GLBT positions. He has pointed to Justice Samuel Alito as a role model for future Supreme Court appointments.

SUPPORTED a Discriminatory HIV/AIDS Policy. Senator McCain supported a Jesse Helms strategy to cut off funding for prevention efforts aimed at the gay community and voted to prohibit foreign nationals with HIV from immigrating to the United States.