The "maverick" who got lost...

Arizona Senator John McCain calls himself a "maverick". I'm not entirely certain why he chooses that label, perhaps because he represents the state of Arizona and therefore he can be viewed as some type of mascot for the state which is famous for old western movies. Tombstone, Prescott and Jerome are all cities in Arizona that conjure up images of an old man on a horse, trudging through the desert while building fires and eating beans out of a can. Yes sir, the old west. Kill or be killed.

I became curious about the meaning of the word "maverick".
A very wise professor from graduate school always suggested to begin with the word itself. Often times there is a whole other world of meaning within the letters of a word that can reveal its true nature and unlock the truth surrounding it. So, I searched for the definition of "maverick" on google.com and this is what came up:

1. An unbranded range animal, especially a calf that has become separated from its mother, traditionally considered the property of the first person who brands it.
2. One that refuses to abide by the dictates of or resists adherence to a group; a dissenter

My best educated guess is that most uneducated and uninformed (and misinformed) people view John McCain as a "maverick" in the # 2 part of the definition; someone who doesn't follow the group just to follow but rather blazes his/her own trail and by default can be considered a leader (provided that others follow).

I could dissect that theory faster than my friend Claudio can dissect a veal shank and I could now jump into the 61 positions and counting in which John McCain has been anything BUT someone who goes his own way, or has his own personal convictions despite how others may view him. From the Iraq withdrawal timetable to Bush's tax cuts to off-shore drilling, John McCain changes his mind as quickly as a pregnant woman does when deciding what to have for lunch. Asking Senator McCain to stick to his position is like asking Dick Cheney to reveal his e-mail inbox. Simply put, it would be asking that the impossible become possible.

But let us examine the # 1 part of the definition within the scope of John McCain and the party to which he claims affiliation: Republican.

It is rarely argued that on September 11, 2001, the world changed forever. One of the major changes was within the Republican party of the United States of America. Prior to September 11, 2001, the Republican party was (in)famous for opposing gay marriage, opposing rights of women to have control over their own human bodies, labeling poverty and homosexuality as "choices", believing that Jesus Christ was both Republican and American, pro- big business/corporatism, pro-tobacco industry and pro-big oil, over-taxation of middle-class, etc. Basically, the Reagan agenda was their coat of arms. (trickle-down means pissed-on)

But it appears as though the Republican party encountered a fracture, a type of rupture in its structure, where certain individuals developed an entirely different agenda that was much more devastating on a global basis and the new agenda reeked of nationalistic and fascist ideologies.

This movement, the NeoConservative, or more affectionately called, "NeoConned", looked to gain complete control of the military, judicial, legislative and executive components (not to mention, state's rights) of our nation's government by instituting a propagandistic strategy not seen since that of Hitler's regime in Germany 1936.

From 2001 - 2007 I would have not classified John McCain as one of the NeoConned. In this sense, he could very well have been labeled a "maverick" for not joining in the NeoCon passion of torture, illegal war and the sodomy of the Constitution.

But 2007 is when the so-called "maverick" became a calf (naive and willing to do anything for love) that had become separated from its mother (his party's traditional ideologies), and thereby considered the property of the first person who brands it (the NeoCons branded him with this image, "$$"). John McCain decided to run for president in 2008, perhaps to erase that awful image of him hugging George Bush in that 2000 photo when he could not resist snuggling his nose in Bush's neck.

John McCain was a calf that had decided to stray from his traditional Reagan Republican herd. He stumbled upon the NeoConned who quickly put their brand on him and are now showing him off at the local 4-H fairs nationwide. He says what they want him to say: torture is fine sometimes, especially if you watch "24" and how Kiefer Sutherland handles those "ticking time bomb" scenarios, off-shore drilling makes perfect sense, tax cuts for the richest 3% of America are a good idea while the middle and lower classes are taking it in the poopenschaft and at a time when gas has hit the same price as a meal for two at Burger King, 100 years in Iraq is a fantastic idea and bombing Iran and starting ANOTHER ILLEGAL PREEMPTIVE WAR makes sense when we have no proof or evidence that the Iranians have violated any law whatsoever.

In conclusion, perhaps the title of "maverick" is wildly suitable for McCain. He has, in fact, strayed from his proverbial mother. But he accomplished that way back in 1973 when he returned from Vietnam after 5 1/2 grueling years as a P.O.W. He discovered his once attractive, swim wear model and first wife Carol had been in a terrible car accident 3 years prior to his return. The accident left her disfigured and not so "bikini-liscious".

The man of values and principles left his disfigured and debilitated wife Carol and began an affair with the Bud Light Girl, Cindy, who is his current wife. In fact, "maverick" applied for a marriage license to marry Cindy before he finalized his divorce to Carol. Holy Maverick, you say...here's the undisputed link.

At this point, both Ronald and Nancy Reagan lost a great deal of respect for John McCain and went as far as to provide financially for Carol for many years to follow. When Nancy Reagan was asked to endorse John "The Maverick" McCain, she was quoted, "Well, obviously, this is the nominee of the party." I would say that is an endorsement dripping with enthusiasm.

John, you are no maverick. The only thing you have in common is that you share three of the same letters of the alphabet. You are simply a calf who got lost and are now being raised by angry, violent wolves. You are doomed either way.

If you fail in your mission, they will eat you. If you succeed in your mission, they will eat your mother.