Replacing McCain

A STAUNCH DEMOCRAT and Obama supporter, I nearly voted for John McCain in 2008. He is a great American hero, although He himself probably would not acknowledge as much. Most heroes don't. Despite the fact that Donald Trump asserts that McCain is not a hero because he was shot down and captured, which, in Trump's addled mind disqualifies one from hero status, John McCain is a heroic man. He is also a blue print of what a politician should be. McCain Feingold, McCain Kennedy, are only two of the many examples of the type of legislative leadership we so desperately need now: honorable bipartisan leadership. Time and again, Senator McCain has reached across the isle, reached out to his political opponents on matters of policy, offering compromise, seeking and obtaining reconciliation. Now, in the final few months of his life, he is treating us to one final magnanimous display of nobility, one last fine shining example of his noble character. He is urging his fellow republicans to put aside their hatred of Obama and all things liberal, and to work in a bipartisan manner to achieve, at long last, a health care insurance system beneficial to all Americans. Whether this entails repairing Obamacare, or whatever else it might entail does not matter to John McCain; he wants what's best for the beloved country he has served so well and so long. He wants to Senate to simply return to its normal, traditional way of operating, of crafting and passing legislation for the good of all, "normal order" he calls it, because he is sick and tired of the divisive rancor which plagues, and has so long plagued, our country and our government. This means open, transparent committee meetings, with expert testimony to give good advice to Senate members of both major political parties. Expert testimony, intelligent analysis, and respect for the stated wishes of the American people, like good guaranteed health care for all, arrived at through civil discussion and negotiation. When small groups of elite politicians from the majority party lock themselves behind closed doors and designing legislation in secret, without any input from the minority party, and bring it to the floor of the Senate as a fait accompli, the democratic process is not only subverted, it is destroyed. That is what John McCain stands for; integrity. And as he looks back on his long life of service to America, he can do what few of us can; he can reflect that, after all is said and done, he has done his very best, honestly, for his country. And when the sad day comes, as it soon will, that John McCain leaves us, who among us will replace him?