Shane Dale

Question: What happened to John McCain?

Most conservatives would agree that the Republican senator from Arizona has shifted his political positions in recent years ÷ particularly since George W. Bush took office as president.

How bad has it become? Liberals: Youâre gonna like what youâre about to read. Conservatives: Youâre gonna cringe.

June 29, 2001 ö McCain voted in favor of the ăBipartisan Patient Protection Act,ä known in the press as the Patientsâ Bill of Rights, co-sponsored by Senators McCain and the notoriously liberal Ted Kennedy (D-Mass). The bill, which allows patients to sue their HMOs for lack of timely care, passed in the Senate ÷ while McCain was only one of nine Republicans to vote for the bill, and one of only three Republicans from a state that voted for Bush in 2000.

But that wasnât the worst part. Three days earlier, McCain voted against an amendment to the bill that would have exempted employers from being held liable alongside the HMO in an employee-filed lawsuit ÷ which is fine, except he pledged to do the opposite on his Web site.

March 20, 2002 ö Though this had been on McCainâs agenda even before the 2000 Republican presidential primaries, the senator voted in favor of the ăBipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act,ä co-sponsored by him and another Democrat, Senator Russ Feingold from Wisconsin. This time, McCain had a little more company from his party. Including McCain, 11 Republicans ÷ six from a Bush state ÷ voted for the bill, which also passed.

April 18, 2002 ö McCain was one of eight Republicans who voted against oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge ÷ and Mike DeWine from Ohio joined him as the only other Republican senator from a Bush state to vote against the bill. Though several Democrats voted in favor of drilling, the bill ultimately failed.

In all, just four Republicans voted alongside McCain on all three of these bills ÷ and McCain was the only one of the five from a Bush state.

June 12, 2002 ö McCain was, again, the only Republican in the Senate to vote against repealing the federal tax on wealthy estates, otherwise known as the Death Tax. The bill, which easily passed in the House with 60 Democrats voting alongside the Republican majority, needed 60 votes to pass in the Senate. It fell five short.

Oh, but it gets better. McCainâs latest bipartisan effort ÷ a joint resolution with Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) ÷ is the latest item on his ăbipartisanä slate. McCain and Bingaman want to spend $24 billion in federal taxes per year on health care for illegal immigrants. No, not $24 million; $24 billion ÷ 60 percent of last yearâs tax cut.

Look, I understand that politicians shouldnât be expected to blindly vote along party lines, and I certainly donât expect that of McCain or anyone. There are several Senate Democrats, the most prominent being Georgiaâs Zell Miller, who often vote with conservative Republicans.

The problem I have with McCain is that his new, liberal slant is exactly that ÷ brand new. Zell Miller was elected as a conservative Southern Democrat and has done a fine job of reflecting the views of the majority who voted him into office. McCain was elected and reelected to the Senate in the relatively conservative state of Arizona because he was also viewed as a conservative.

And he used to be one. Or at least, he used to vote like one.

Iâm not sure exactly what happened, but I have a couple ideas. For one, McCain seems to have some sort of vendetta against Bush.

Whether itâs true or not, he feels that Bush unfairly attempted to drag his name across the mud in the 2000 primaries. Consequently, it could appear to the casual observer that McCain is attempting to undermine Bushâs policies. If this is the case, heâs succeeded marvelously.

Also, it looks as though McCain enjoys maintaining the mediaâs love affair with him. They still refer to him as the ămaverick senator from Arizona,ä as they have since the 2000 primaries, trying to bring about compassion and sensibility to a party that they perceive as lacking both. Everyone from Dan Rather to Chris Matthews and even Jon Stewart have complimented him on being such a ăreasonableä Republican, so as to say, ăGosh John, why canât more in your party be like you?ä

Enjoy the attention while it lasts, Senator McCain, because the voters ÷ myself included ÷ are already prepared to let you know what we think of your sudden change of ideological heart come 2004.

Youâll always have my respect, but youâve lost my trust ÷ and Iâm not alone.