Single Issue Senators
Posted 1/8/01

For the past few years I have heard many people bashing pro-life conservatives for being "single issue" voters. They believe that these people don't vote unless a candidate is in lock-step with their views. In some cases that is true, but the majority of pro-lifers can see the big picture. The attacks have come from Democrats, the media, "moderate" Republicans and even Rush Limbaugh made some comments last summer that sounded as if he thought these voters should be forgotten about. Now the election is over, we are seeing that the single issue people permeate the Senate and the issue is not always the same.

The argument against the pro-life movement is that they were willing to take a defeat if their opinion was not represented. In other words, they wouldn't vote for a Republican if he or she wasn't an avid anti-abortionist. It was feared that they put their views ahead of the parties. It appears that the fear was placed on the wrong movement. Even before Bush takes office, Senator John McCain (R - AZ) has been challenging him on the campaign finance reform bill. McCain appears willing to take on the new president and the party leadership to promote his own agenda. It doesn't matter to him that he may cause damage to incoming president. McCain has proven his willingness to push his single issue first and to hell with the rest of the us. Isn't that the same attitude that was feared about the pro-lifers? Let me remind you that McCain was defeated in his bid for the Republican nomination quite easily by Bush. Can you name anything that McCain stood for other than campaign finance reform? Single issue, indeed. 

At a time when we should be supporting our new leader, McCain and other "moderate" Republicans are willing to turn their backs on the party and push their own ideas. Some Republican senators told Bush to back off from the tax cuts or Ashcroft would face a difficult time getting confirmed. Politicians who serve only their own careers are also "single issue" candidates. Their issue is self-promotion.

So far, there has not been any rage against these "single issue" people. They open their mouths and promote their own agenda without regards to anyone else. Where is the rage that is directed at the pro-lifers for being "single issue" people? Or is one "single issue" more acceptable than another? Until the likes of John McCain and the other "moderate" Republicans see the big picture they will do more damage than any "single issue" voter ever could.

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