In Homer's "Odyssey," the hero Ulysses finds he and his crew anchored off the country of the Lotus-Eaters.
He sends some of his crew to see what the inhabitants are like. "There grew in that country a sweet fruit called the lotus, which caused men who tasted it to forget everything. When informed about the situation he had to restrain his men from going to that land and had to forcibly drag the rest of them back to the ships."
The effect of the food was such that those who ate it lost all thoughts of home and wished to stay with the Lotus-Eaters. They became indolent, dreamy and forgetful — turning their backs on a life of duty, honor and reality.
There can be no other explanation for what is happening in the good ole USA. The inhabitants of the United States have partaken of the fruit that has made them blind, deaf, dumb, forgetful, and self-satisfied.
Why else would people vote for Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Bill Bradley, John McCain and the others who promise more laws and expanding government? As a people we have become enamored by celebrity and worship strange heroes. Meanwhile, we wander dreamlike into the future — eating the lotus fruit provided by the media. That can be the only explanation for the current state of the national psyche.
The mainstream media is orgasmic because John McCain won — by a large margin — in New Hampshire. It pleases the media because they helped create the candidate and the win. By portraying McCain as a maverick hero and anti-Republican establishment, one who takes on mean nasty "big tobacco," while crying out for campaign finance reform — he is nevertheless easy to mold to media specifications.
Besides he is attractive, has a beautiful wife, a war hero, and he does sound a lot like Al Gore. A nice styrofoam candidate, plastic, mushy and doesn't hold much. He will be easy to tear to shreds when the time comes. His usefulness to the media will come to an end.
McCain's soccer moms and “moderate” voters will wonder what happened.
If McCain gets the Republican nomination the media will turn on him as quickly as they kiss his ring now. Why?
Where do I begin?
Like another national hero, former Ohio Sen. John Glenn, McCain had the misfortune to be associated with the "Keating Five," and the taint of campaign money of questionable origin and dubious legality. McCain was one of five congressmen investigated on ethics charges for helping convicted racketeer Charles Keating after he gave them large campaign contributions. (Keating's convictions were overturned in higher courts on technicalities.)
McCain received $112,000 in campaign contributions from Keating and made at least nine trips to Keating's Bahaman property. McCain's wife and father-in-law also were the largest investors, $350,000, in a Keating shopping center. The Phoenix Times called it a "sweetheart deal."
For conservative Republicans, his public record and statements don't square with the ostensible Republican message, which will make keeping the conservative wing of the Republicans on Election Day, a challenge. But the media continues to portray him as one who knows how to play well with others, i.e., the center left.
The media in the 2000 election will cynically point out that he accepted lots of "soft" money from sources that might compromise his position as chairman of the Commerce Committee, which oversees corporate mergers.
According to the Center for Responsive Politics, US West, Bell South, and two Baby Bells are among McCain's top five contributors. The biggest contributors to his campaign were the employees of Viacom, which is waiting for government permission to merge with CBS.
At this moment he is still taking "soft" money from many corporations which appear before his powerful Commerce Committee. A bit hypocritical but why should he care — the media turns a blind eye and the other Republicans don't want to appear mean-spirited by pointing it out to the electorate.
McCain is squishy on the most important conservative issues like taxation, abortion, and gun control. This is going to make him problematic to the right wing of the Republican Party. I guarantee we will wake up one day and find the left-wing press constantly reminding the right wing of his stance on these issues.
Even in areas of endeavor in which he should show some pride, he comes off as a 60s guilt-ridden boomer.
In a 1997 interview with Mike Wallace, McCain insinuated he considered himself guilty of war crimes, or being an "air pirate," for having killed innocent women and children while flying missions over Vietnam. Others who took part in the Vietnam effort may see that experience differently.
Most who fought in that unpopular war actually thought they were helping to overturn a brutish system that enslaved people physically, economically and spiritually.
In the personal realm, McCain dumped his wife of many years and married a newer, younger, richer version. More recently, Arizona newspapers reported his current wife has been involved in a drug scandal stealing certain mood elevators and painkillers from the organization she founded as a charity.
Additionally she has been involved in some questionable business dealings. You don't think the press is not going to make hay about this? Think again.
The press will be given a two-fer if McCain wins the nomination and they will trash them both.
McCain promoted the war on tobacco that gave the nanny-state yet another reason to concoct regulations that are supposed to save "children" and dumb adults from themselves. The success of this "war" created a climate for further litigation against other "enemies" such as fast foods, guns, and SUVs. It also made the legal establishment happy.
McCain knows a fat laden McIssue when he sees one.
While McCain's service to his country is to be applauded and honored it is not enough to replace wisdom, sound judgment and vision vital for a leader in the new millennium. In his own way he is just one more non-conservative big government multinational business shill.
Sadly, John McCain’s ego and tunnel vision indicates he believes his version of straight talk is the same thing as truth.
Insider establishment figure John McCain may be the Republican candidate, but I don't think so. The rest of the country will have other ideas.
Once again I will hold my nose and vote: praying to God Almighty that the republic can endure and may shake off the almost drug induced state of mind currently afflicting this God favored United States of America.
The Lotus-Eaters among American voters who prefer McCain are doing us a disservice and may have to be dragged kicking and screaming back to reality lest this nation sink deeper into a stupor and dissolution.
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