Bloviate (blō’ vē āt’): to discourse at length in a pompous or boastful manner. — American Heritage Dictionary, 2003 ed.
God! I hate that; especially the “pompous” part. In 2004, I sat, draw-dropped aghast in embarrassment when Senator John Kerry leapt to the stage of the Democratic Convention, “Lieutenant Kerry reporting for duty sir; permission to come aboard.”
“Would someone please smack that guy down,” were my first thoughts. If any part of the Swiftboat ads had been accurate, I’d have later mused how Kerry brought it on himself. He may in fact have been a military hero. But even if he had been one it wouldn’t have made the first syllable of difference to me. That’s not what he was being nominated for. He was being nominated as presidential timber, not as admiral to an aircraft carrier.
Same old, same old for John McCain. But that’s how he’s being treated by a press too timid to raise some really thorny issues. I’m not about to disparage McCain’s military service. Could I have done five and a half years in a North Vietnamese POW prison? Though I doubt it, there’s no way to know. I didn’t have to.
But let’s say I did, and did. Would that alone have made of me a hero? Or should that have been a consequent part of the foundation underlying my presidential qualifications?
Yeah?
Exactly how? What is there about the two stations that are related?
“No, Senator; no way!”
One would, however, anticipate that, as a veteran, one of the planks he would stand front and center on would be support of those in our military, especially those who have borne the burden of the battle. Let’s open his voting record, just to find out.
Before I get to precisely what his demonstrated voting record is on support of our military, let’s take a peek at how he's voted on other issues . . . say, kids, for example.
The Children’s Defense Fund Action Council (a nonpartisan evaluator of congress), in 2007 gave you only a 10% rating, the very worst in the senate! Here’s what you voted against:
Increase funding for children with disabilities (S. Con. Res. 21)
Protect children from unsafe medications (S. 1082)
SCHIP Reauthorization (H.R. 976)
College Cost Reduction and Access Act (H.R. 2669)
SCHIP (H.R. 976 - motion to concur)
DREAM Act (S. 2205)
Funding child health and education (H.R. 3043)
Improving Head Start programs (H.R. 1429)
And per the Congressional Record, so far this session he has missed 57 percent of all senate votes and 80% of all relating to children.
Now here’s the part that the press refuses to report and that he does not want raised: the genuine level of demonstrated support of our military, by the votes! (The ones he voted “NO” on!) They’re highlighted in bold because he ought not to be allowed to dodge them, just because someone might have missed reading them.
September, 2007, McCain voted against the Webb amendment that would have provided all troops in Iraq have at least as much time home and in training as in theater. (S.Amdt 2909, 2910, 2910; 9/19/2007, 5:30 pm) http://senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=1&vote=00341
May, 2006, voted against an amendment that would have provided the VA with an additional $20 million for healthcare facilities. (S.Amdt 3704; 5/4/2006, 11:34 am) http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=2&vote=00111
April, 2006, McCain was one of 13 Republicans to vote against $430 million for VA outpatient care and facilities. (S.Amdt 3642; 4/26/2006, 5:55 pm) April, 2006, McCain was one of 13 Republicans to vote against $430 million for VA outpatient care and facilities. (S.Amdt 3642; 4/26/2006, 5:55 pm) http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=2&vote=00098
March, 2006, McCain voted against increasing VA medical services funding. (S.Amdt 3007 to S.Con.Res 83; 3/14/2006, 4:22 pm) http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=2&vote=00041
March, 2004, McCain voted against establishing a VA reserve fund to treat veterans. (S.Amdt 2745 to S.Con.Res 95; 3/10/2004, 9:34 pm) http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=108&session=2&vote=00040
October, 2003, McCain voted to table an amendment by Senator Dodd (D-CN) that called for an additional $322 million in safety equipment for soldiers in Iraq. (S.Amdt. 1817 to S. 1689; 10/2/2003, 7:36 pm) http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=108&session=1&vote=00376
April, 2003, McCain voted to table a senate vote to provide more than $1 billion for National Guard and Reserve equipment in Iraq. (S.Amdt 452 to S. 762; 4/2/2003, 5:35 pm) http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=108&session=1&vote=00116
August, 2001, McCain voted against increasing the amount available for medical care for veterans by $650 million. (S.Amdt. 1218 to S.Amdt. 1214; 8/1/2001, 6:02 pm) http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=107&session=1&vote=00263
Please . . . No one try to use Senator McCain’s military record, his record of imprisonment in North Vietnam, his “concern” for America’s young, or his level of “support” for our uniformed fighting men and women in any fashion or way to demonstrate his suitability to be President of the United States. Loosely falling words and bloviation may persuade millions, but the unvarnished record cannot be spun. It’s in black and white, and available for any and all to investigate.
John McCain just is NOT the fellow being advertised. And if one of your relatives or associates attempts to tell you he is, give that person a copy of this, then tell them to just shut up; their ignorance is embarrassing you.
— Ed Tubbs
Palm Springs, CA
