Changes

*Former Senator [[Jim Jeffords]] of [[Vermont]], who left the Party and became a Democrat in 2001, giving control of the [[United States Senate|Senate]] to the Democrats.

*Former Senator [[Jim Jeffords]] of [[Vermont]], who left the Party and became a Democrat in 2001, giving control of the [[United States Senate|Senate]] to the Democrats.

*Former Governor [[Charlie Crist]] of [[Florida]], who became an independent in 2010 after it was clear he would lose his Senate bid. Crist joined the [[Democrat Party]] in 2012.

*Former Governor [[Charlie Crist]] of [[Florida]], who became an independent in 2010, after it was clear he would lose his Senate bid. Crist joined the [[Democrat Party]] in 2012, and is now running for Florida Governor once again, this time as a Democrat.  

*Former Representative [[John Anderson]] of [[Illinois]], who became an Independent after losing his party's presidential primary in 1980.

*Former Representative [[John Anderson]] of [[Illinois]], who became an Independent after losing his party's presidential primary in 1980.

*Former Governor [[Buddy Roemer]] of [[Louisiana]], who became an Independent after losing his party's presidential primary in 2012.

*Former Governor [[Buddy Roemer]] of [[Louisiana]], who became an Independent after losing his party's presidential primary in 2012.

*Disgraced former [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]] Director [[James Comey]], who became an Independent in 2016.

*Disgraced former [[FBI]] Director [[James Comey]], who became an Independent in 2016.

*Representative [[Justin Amash]] supported impeachment of President [[Donald Trump]] and left the Republican Party in 2019 to become an Independent, before joining the [[Libertarian Party]] soon afterwards.

*Representative [[Justin Amash]] supported impeachment of President [[Donald Trump]] and left the Republican Party in 2019 to become an Independent, before joining the [[Libertarian Party]] soon afterwards.

[[File:John McCain official portrait 2009.jpg|thumbnail|200px|right|[[John McCain]] ]]

[[File:John McCain official portrait 2009.jpg|thumbnail|200px|right|[[John McCain]] ]]

A majority of conservatives distrust RINO [[John McCain]] even though many of his policies are that of a true conservative. Key RINO principles rejected by McCain include support for [[gay rights]], support for [[abortion]], and support for [[earmark]]s. He has positioned his career as a bipartisan moderate, reaching across the aisle whenever possible. This is also his downfall. The era of reaching across the aisle passed—when [[statist]], [[socialist]] Democrats became Senators. His major political blunders mostly came during the 21st century political period. He was against both the Reagan and Bush [[tax cuts]], and employed [[class warfare]] rhetoric in trying to stop the tax cuts from taking effect. His support for amnesty was the complete opposite of what conservatives wanted. He has always complained about [[waterboarding|enhanced interrogation techniques]], calling them "[[torture]]". In non-election years, he likes to trash conservative positions and icons in order to get the [[Mainstream media|media]]'s and Democrats' approval. However, during the election he refused to go after [[Barack Hussein Obama]]'s associations with [[Jeremiah Wright]]. He believes in the junk science known as [[global warming]], and has supported cap-and-trade programs. Another [[Middle East]] war, without a goal, without full commitment to win, without Congressional approval- McCain supports the President. It didn't stop there and in July 2011, he called the [[Tea Party]], the people that care about fiscal sanity in Washington, "hobbits".<ref>http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/27/mccain-refers-to-tea-party-hobbits-blasts-bachmann-backed-idea/?hpt=hp_t1</ref>

A majority of conservatives distrusted the late RINO [[John McCain]] even though some of his policies were that of a true conservative. Key RINO principles rejected by McCain included support for [[gay rights]], support for [[abortion]], and support for [[earmark]]s. He positioned his career as a bipartisan moderate, reaching across the aisle whenever possible. This was also his downfall. The era of reaching across the aisle passed when [[statist]], [[socialist]] Democrats became Senators. His major political blunders mostly came during the 21st century political period. He was against both the Reagan and Bush [[tax cuts]], and employed [[class warfare]] rhetoric in trying to stop the tax cuts from taking effect. His support for amnesty was the complete opposite of what conservatives wanted. During non-election years, he liked to trash conservative positions and icons in order to get the approval of the [[Establishment]]. However, during the election, he refused to go after [[Barack Hussein Obama]]'s associations with [[Jeremiah Wright]]. He believes in the junk science known as [[global warming]], and has supported cap-and-trade programs. McCain supported more [[Middle East]]ern wars, without goals, without full commitment to win, and without Congressional approval.

 

The sacrifices he has made serving this country cannot be overlooked. John McCain has earned war hero status but also the status as a D.C. zero.

== See also ==

== See also ==

*[[Conservative Inc.]]

*[[Conservative Inc.]]

*[[RINO Backers]]

*[[RINO Backers]]