Just now, I went and looked up the word “maverick.”
The definition is as follows: “an unorthodox or independent-minded person.”
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) has been labeled a “maverick” off and on during much of his four decades in public life.
He once championed campaign finance reform, which boldly went against the leadership of his own political party. For many years he was pro-choice on abortion, that is until his ill-fated presidential run mandated a grimacing flip-flop. He spoke out passionately against the controversial practice of America using torture as an instrument against terrorism, in stark opposition to the thundering rhetoric of a Republican administration and a constituency of chicken-hawk voters back home in Arizona bridled with proxy patriotism.
However, Sen. McCain’s most surprising maverick moment was revealed much more recently, during the bitter fight to preserve health care coverage for millions of American citizens.
We saw Sen. McCain, the American hero, in evidence a few months ago during one shining praiseworthy moment at the 2 am curtain call during what was believed to be the final desperate act of the despicable Republican dismantling of the Affordable Care Act, signed into law six years ago under President Obama. Ironically, the man who endured something of a political humiliation by President Obama may become the deciding voice of history who ends up preserving one of the most important landmarks of the former president’s legacy. Sen. McCain’s actions will go just as far in preserving another commendable political legacy — and that is his own. Indeed, Sen. McCain’s thumbs down vote may have saved 30 million people in this country from being tossed into the streets. We shall remember.
READ: JOHN MCCAIN’S GLORIOUS REVENGE
Today, Sen. McCain announced his intention to vote against the latest three-card monte legislation hastily shuffled together and dealt by Republicans who are intentionally trying to fool millions of minions into believing that health care should be a privilege rather than a basic human right. In fact, four Republican senators are currently expected to oppose the Graham-Cassidy bill, as proposed, which is rife with tumors. Provided this fragile legislative alliance holds together somehow for at least another week, that could mean a final crowning victory for Obamacare’s permanency. Hopefully, it will also ignite a much-needed revival of the universal health care debate, which could become a reality if the Democrats don’t blow the next election (again).
Sen. McCain is a multi-faceted politician and clearly a flawed man. Looking back now in what’s indisputably the twilight of his life, it bears remembering what sacrifices he’s made and the high price he’s paid for the occasional lapse or miscalculation. But if history teaches us anything it’s that we usually remember the outliers to our expectations. We forget the goose-steppers of history. We admire and sometimes later honor the few lonely brave who chose to go in another direction and march to a different beat, especially when that beat leads us to become better people and greater society.
To be clear, there are many things I still do not like about Sen. John McCain. However, for those who champion the idea of true political independence, for those who wish more of our representatives would vote their conscience over petty partisanship, and for those who long for an unlikely hero in an incompetent power structure where so few actual heroes exist, Sen. McCain has come to personify a rarified political and personal courage.
Sen. John McCain was, is, and shall always be a maverick.
