John McCain's Real Legacy

John McCain is dead.  At a time when we're all looking for honesty in our politicians, Democrats and Republicans are singing his praises... now that he's dead, of course.  No politician from either party in Arizona dares to say anything critical about the man ...now that he's dead, of course.  And very little bad was ever said publicly when he was alive, either.

John McCain was the son and grandson of admirals, and he was captured and tortured... much like Jesus, of course, regardless of the motives of the military-industrial complex that profited so wonderfully from that war in that puny country - a country that no American had ever heard of until people started coming back in flag-draped caskets.  Yes, he was an American hero... just like everyone else who went over there.

And he was lauded for "reaching across the aisle." That was nice, wasn't it?  Despite his famously salty language, he was relatively civil in an era of increasing polarization.  Somehow, he could find that middle ground... or so the legend of the maverick goes.

But what was his real legacy?  Frankly, he really didn't have much of a legacy.  Despite the eulogists on radio and television, there simply wasn't much positive that could be said for what he actually did do.

Clean Elections

He verbally supported clean elections and "taking the money out of elections," of course. He even sponsored a bill to that effect.  Sounded good, didn't it?  So who could blame him for taking so much money while the getting was good?  And the getting was very good (and still is, although he no longer has need of it).  Let he among you who is without  since reject the first buck.  Big donors loved John McCain just like they loved Hillary.

Minimum Wage

The lion of the Senate was extremely wealthy, so who can blame him for not doing anything to improve the lots of the working poor?  Time after time, he voted against increasing the minimum wage.  The only time that he voted for increasing the minimum wage was when it was tied to a defense spending bill.

Military Spending

He was very much opposed to waste in the military, but that didn't stop him from repeatedly supporting increases in the military budget. In fact, he didn't simply support the increases; he advocated for them.  He was all for throwing money at the military... as long as it wouldn't be wasted (and probably even when he knew it would be wasted).  It would take a lot of money to support U.S. involvement in so many wars all over the world.

Equal Rights for All

Being a red, white and blue 'merican, McCain supported equal rights, except for the gays... of course.  And the working poor, of course.

Healthcare for All

He verbally supported better healthcare for the veterans, but if you weren't a veteran, you couldn't expect him to care much about your healthcare.  Yes, he famously broke with his party and voted against getting rid of a horrible healthcare system for a return to the pre-Obama chaotic money grabs... but he really wouldn't know what it's like being part of the working poor, having seen so few of them.

There were times when he seemed not to object to socialized medicine, though.  He certainly didn't vociferously oppose it for those in Congress or those who ever were in Congress.  It's a wonderful entitlement that the taxpayers afford to their Congressmen.  Maybe we should all have it.

Rest in Peace, John McCain

May John McCain rest in peace.  We wish him only the best in the next life.  We harbor no malice.  Maybe if we could have met him, we would have understood why he didn't want to help us. But we didn't run in his circles, and he certainly didn't run in our's.  He lived in a different America, a fairyland that we will never see.