4. The biggest issue for me: the highjacking of the republican party by the evangelical christians. I don't see how you guys can ignore this so much. Religion and politics should never mix, but they do, painfully so with the republican party. They vote based on their Bible, and they push their RELIGIOUS agendas through the republican party. Check out the documentary: God's next army. It's about Patrick Henry College, a privately funded, elite school that is a gateway into the Republican party. They push their conservative christian values in government, with the goal of making this a Christian nation, much like Islam in the middle east. They are very well organized, aggressive, and well funded, and exercise their political strength through the republican party.
If you don't think this is a huge issue then consider this:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10545387/ Basically Dover school was trying to teach intelligent design in the class room. A public school. Now, thankfully the judge ruled against it, but that was a miracle. Here's why - Bush, and the republican party, wanted BOTH evolution and intelligent design taught in schools. He personally appointed the judge, a well known Republican. It was quite literally shocking that this man went against his party in his decision. Bush, and the rest of the Christian right were outraged, and he received plenty of death threats.
That's what we're dealing with on the right. McCain will only strengthen their cause, by default, especially because he has to pander to them. With that said, of all the republican nominee's I was glad he got the nod. He's very moderate when compared to Romney or Huckabee, and since Paul wasn't going to get it McCain was the best alternative.