John McCain and Sara Palin are working hard to sell themselves as mavericks. This is an interesting word, straight out of our American West history:
Maverick. Etymology: after Samuel A. Maverick died 1870 American pioneer in Texas who did not brand his calves. 1 West : an unbranded range animal; especially : a calf on the range that is unbranded and not following its mother. 2 a : a refractory or recalcitrant member of a political party who bolts at will and sets an independent course b : an intellectual or a member of a social upper class or of any other group who refuses to conform and takes an unorthodox stand --Webster's Unabridged Dictionary.
John McCain and Sara Palin have adopted "maverick" as a defining statement of who they are and what to expect of them if they're elected. In debates and interviews, both candidates use the word scores of times. They are selling Maverickicity as a highly desirable quality in a politician and elected official.
At the highest levels of genius--perhaps in a Howard Hughes--the quality of being a maverick may be associated with uncommon success or achievement. However, in the real world--and in John McCain's world--refractory and recalcitrant people are more often irritating obstructionists with big egos and a lack of respect for the rights and feelings of others.
To be a maverick in politics requires one to reject or ignore the most essential tools of the trade: compromise, negotiation, and collaboration. While the essence of a maverick is independent action without due consideration for other positions or points of view, the essence of the professional politician is a grasp of larger issues and greater goods, and a skill in moving things forward through discussion, compromise, and coalition-building. These tools usually produce results that please some and displease others, but the political process as we know it can't exist without them.
In the real world, a maverick politician could never be successful. He or she would offend and alienate colleagues, and would never build up the reserves of respect, credibility, and political capital required to survive in the quid-pro-quo culture of national politics.
Why would McCain and Palin choose for their masthead a term that essentially defines a failed or incompetent politician? Most likely because they are confident that they can sculpt the notion of maverick into an image of John Wayne instead of the picture of an arrogant and belligerent curmudgeon. McCain and Palin are counting on winning votes with a cheap, bait-and-switch gimmick intended to make them look good while avoiding debate on the things that influence the lives and futures of real people.
Is this a big deal? It is, because it tells us what McCain and his camp think of voters: they are chumps who can--and should--be duped by some clever word-crafting into looking away from the real issues. Scratch beneath the surface and you can see in McCain's maverick initiative his lack of respect for voters and his lack of courage in facing his opponent on important issues like the economy, health care, and the environment. Will voters see that in their maverick initiative, McCain and Palin are playing voters for suckers, or will they buy the snake oil and elect them in November?
One thing's sure: either way, we will get what we deserve.