The Endorsement: McCain

The following endorsement appeared in Creation Care magazine opposite a Probama piece by Brian McLaren (whoever he is). ;-)
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The Case for McCain


This will without a doubt be a change election—one that subverts politics as usual. Surprisingly, the Democrat is utilizing more God-talk than his opponent, while one prominent conservative Christian early on vowed not to vote for the Republican. I welcome almost anything that moves the evangelical voting bloc away from being ignored by one party and taken for granted by the other. Nevertheless, euphoria at finally being asked to the dance should not sway our votes. Issues, experience, and judgment still matter.

Green Christians are unfortunately accustomed to choosing between our creation care convictions and other dearly held values. This time, we will not have to. John McCain provides leadership that has been tested under fire and is largely consistent with an evangelical worldview that embraces environmental stewardship.

With Theodore Roosevelt as his hero, Senator McCain has protected millions of wilderness acres, opposed lax Bush mercury regulations, and affirmed that our leaders’ “most important task, with the exception of national security, is to leave posterity a land in better condition than they receive it.” His environmentalism also extends to fighting counterproductive ethanol subsidies—a courageous stand given the Iowa caucuses— and protecting ANWR from drilling.

Crucially, he is the only candidate who can truly revolutionize the politics of global warming. After becoming convinced by the scientific evidence, this combat veteran took up a new fight with the McCain- Lieberman Climate Stewardship bill, a pioneering 2003 effort that remains the main basis for global warming legislation today. McCain advocates a cap-and-trade system that will reduce America’s CO2 emissions 66% by 2050. Although the freshman Illinois senator now calls for 80% cuts, the political reality is that such a polarizing plan is unlikely to pass. A President McCain, however, could corral skeptical Republicans, and then reach across the aisle to craft a compromise that puts the planet on a cooler path. And only McCain faces up to the tough math of a clean-energy transition by joining even a Greenpeace founder in supporting more carbon-free nuclear power. McCain’s bold bi-partisan actions—not soaring rhetoric or paper plans—demonstrate his true environmental leadership.

I write in the middle of a sadly typical silly-season, as the candidates vie for an ever-shrinking swing-voter attention span. McCain’s camp implies that an Ivy Leaguer is as vapid as Paris Hilton, and then mocks a fuel-saving tire tip. Meanwhile, Democratic advertising paints McCain, who opposed the White House’s war strategy, torture policy, and judicial “nuclear option,” as Bush’s evil twin.

We must return to the many weightier issues that will impact life on our shared Earth. International uncertainty abounds as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, Darfur, China, and Russia’s new aggression loom large. Domestically, a $9.5 trillion debt threatens future generations, and the Supreme Court teeters on the brink of a major shift. McCain uniquely knows the high cost of war, and from Reagan’s Beirut to Bush’s Baghdad he has thoughtfully approached the use of military force. Further, he remains one of the few deficit-hawks
in D.C. while Obama has sponsored $740 million worth of earmarked pork in just three years. Finally, unlike his rival, this pro-life legislator has vowed to appoint only justices who will interpret the actual words of the Constitution, not build new “rights“ on a shaky foundation of legal penumbras.

John McCain is a courageous man who is largely right on the important issues of our day, including the need for strong, balanced environmental policies. Because of his experience, independence, and firm positions on key matters, many Christians like me are enthusiastic about the prospects of a McCain presidency.