Sen. John McCain appears at Adluh Flour
By John Dixon
Cub@TheColumbiaStar.com

Blaze, (r) the Columbia Inferno's mascot worked the crowd before the arrival of Sen.John McCain at Adluh Flour.

Adluh Flour in the Historic Vista was abuzz with excitement. Local Celebrity, Captain Telegram, warmed up the crowd coaching them about appropriate responses when asked questions about who supported America's best interests as president. To the surprise of none, the answer was always the same, "John McCain."

Blaze, the Columbia Inferno's Mascot was also there to help work the crowd. McCain was on a whirlwind tour of the state from mountains to the sea and his Columbia stop was for early afternoon. McCain was accompanied by Sen. Lindsay Graham, who also addressed the crowd.

McCain jumped feet first into the issues troubling Americans. He chided Congress for reckless spending on earmarked project of little value to anyone like the "Bridge to Nowhere" recently built in Alaska. He pledged to veto every pork barrel bill that comes across his desk as president.

Of the struggling social security system McCain lamented, "We are mortgaging our children's future. No working American today will receive the benefits as present day retirees. The system is broken, and we need to fix it."

McCain said that Congress has lost their sense of priority when partisan politics prevents them for working together for the common good and challenged all Americans to put America's priorities ahead of party politics by voting the issues.

McCain supports efforts to explore alternative fuels and renewable energy sources as possible solutions to the nation's energy crisis. He had straight talk and a real answer for tax reform. McCain believes that the tax code has become far too complicated for the average American, and the tax burden is not fairly distributed. He advocates an extreme revision simplification of the tax code, in essence, a "fair tax" where every taxpayer pays only his or her fair share.

As a former military man, McCain is hard- line about the war in Iraq. He believes we need to finish the job we started there or risk opening the door to terrorist threats at home. He believes that we are not fighting against Iraq as much as we are fighting to preserve our American rights and way of life here at home. He notes we are living in a new age and the wars we fight now and in the future are in no way like the wars fought by our forefathers.

Sen. Lindsay Graham speaks with cub reporter John Dixon about Sen. John McCain.

McCain was not the only draw at this event Sen. Lindsay Graham weighed in on environmental issues saying, "No one under the age of 30 doubts that the world is getting warmer nor that man is partially to blame for global warming." Graham feels it is time that politicians paid careful attention to environmental issues and addressed the concerns of protecting our environment from man-made threats for the good of our future generations. When asked why he supports John McCain, Graham quickly answered, "Because I think the party needs someone who is electable and can cure the ills of our party. The party has gotten too used to Washington spending and John is the best fiscal conservative I know…He has lived a life that is extraordinary and is best qualified to be our new commander and chief." That said, Lindsay Graham clearly sees McCain as the best option for a strong and fiscally sound America.