Gunter: I would vote for John McCain
Lorne Gunter would hold his nose and cast his ballot for Republican John McCain
Lorne Gunter - November 3, 2008
I'd hold my nose and vote for McCain.
Despite the fact that conservatives -- and John McCain is no conservative -- are capable of damaging individual liberty, no one is better at it than liberal-lefties. And Barack Obama is the most left-wing candidate ever to run for the U.S. presidency. If he is elected, the Internet will be regulated as the Australian left is now attempting to do, taxes will rise; social programs and income redistribution will increase; there will be socialized health care; the right to own a gun for personal protection will be circumscribed; and, among other things, carbon dioxide will be named a "dangerous pollutant" even though it is no pollutant at all and Washington will use this as an excuse to intervene in all sorts of business and personal decisions.
Why should that matter to Canadians? Because our lefties are often restrained in what they propose by the counterweight of US examples. For instance, while our left tried to get away with imposing Kyoto emission reductions, they could never quite convince voters or themselves to go all the way in part because the Americans wouldn't go along with Kyoto. If Obama is elected US president, our left will be encouraged to push their most radical ideas. What's more, they will be able to say "See, see, this is such a good idea even the Americans are behind it."
An Obama win will make it harder to govern Canada conservatively.
Lorne Gunter is a columnist with the National Post.