What if McCain won in 2000 instead?

instead of Bush

The budget would be in better shape, our taxes would be higher, the court probly wouldn't be as conservative, and we probly wouldn't have a good ruling coming along on the 2nd Amendment.  As bad as the rest of the Bush presidency was, I think his judicial appointments are looking good so far.

Although now we have a unique situation wherein McCain says he opposes a tax increase, and so if we elect him now, we have an opportunity to *hopefully* control spending *AND* benefit from the lower tax rates at the same time.

McCain would then also (if he does as he promises) appoint more good strict constructionist judges to the supreme court and widen the conservative majority for future cases with regard to issues like the 2nd Amendment and expanding liberties in that regard.

McCain would NOT have just sat there after Condi's August 2001 briefing on bin Laden and yawned, and equally so, he would NOT have just sat there reading a children's book while airplanes were flying into more buildings.  He would NOT have removed the authority of theatre commanders to respond before checking with the Vice President.  In short, McCain would have either STOPPED 911 during the planning phase, or he would have made it possible to shoot down at least one of those planes.

In contrast, America voted for the Boy King and got exactly what it deserved.

Quotes from McCain's Website on Education: 

"The deplorable status of preparation for our children, particularly in comparison with the rest of the industrialized world, does not allow us the luxury of eliminating options in our educational repertoire. John McCain will fight for the ability of all students to have access to all schools of demonstrated excellence, including their own homes."

"Public education should be defined as one in which our public support for a child's education follows that child into the school the parent chooses."

"John McCain believes our schools can and should compete to be the most innovative, flexible and student-centered - not safe havens for the uninspired and unaccountable. He believes we should let them compete for the most effective, character-building teachers, hire them, and reward them.

If a school will not change, the students should be able to change schools. John McCain believes parents should be empowered with school choice to send their children to the school that can best educate them just as many members of Congress do with their own children. He finds it beyond hypocritical that many of those who would refuse to allow public school parents to choose their child's school would never agree to force their own children into a school that did not work or was unsafe. They can make another choice. John McCain believes that is a fundamental and essential right we should honor for all parents."

"John McCain will place parents and children at the center of the education process, empowering parents by greatly expanding the ability of parents to choose among schools for their children. He believes all federal financial support must be predicated on providing parents the ability to move their children, and the dollars associated with them, from failing schools."

John McCain sounds like he has some DIRELY needed educational reforms to put in place.  America can't afford to have the kind of SHITTY and EXPENSIVE educational system we've had for many years now....