[Bob J]

There is a strong anti-McCain movement on FR and while there is nothing wrong with that in general I feel that some of those involved have been in engaging in an effort of mischaracterization and misinformation on where McCain stands on the issues.

The anti-McCain crowd consistently state that there is no difference between McCain and Obama/Clinton, which is simply ridiculous. There are points where the difference is less stark than others but to make a sweeping claim such as that, IMO, demonstrates the hsyterical lengths some will go to try to get others to stay home or vote third party on election day.

Now McCain wasn't my #1 candidate as he wasn't for most FReepers, but he will be the GOP nominee and a realistic analysis of his positions free from rhetoric and hysteria is important to gaining a full understanding of what to expect from him if he were towin the election.

In the interests of having a rational discussion and attempting to soberly define where McCains stands on the issues and whether or not there is a "difference" between him and his opponents, I will post one new McCain issue standpoint a day.

To those "one issue" voters, please don't muck up these threads by bringing up the other issues not being discussed this day, you're chance will come.

[Bob J]

Previous Post - McCain on Iraq

[NavVet]

Juan McLame has a few good points in this plan such as his adoption of Fred Thompson’s tax plan. However, much of this plan simply reenforces McCain’s own admission that he really doesn’t understand the economy.

[kellynla]

Waiting for the GOP to get a testicles & spine implant and support elimination of the IRS & replace the federal income tax(which only half of Americans pay) with a national sale tax.

I’m not holding my breath...

[BloodOrFreedom]

"John McCain Will Help Americans Hurting From High Gasoline And Food Costs. Americans need relief right now from high gas prices"

No mention of drilling in ALaska and other oil-rich locations in our own country. I guess McCain would rather keep funding our enemies and allow americans to suffer astronomical gas prices. A temporary suspension of the gas tax is not going to be sufficient.

[Sybeck1]

“John McCain Believes We Should Institute A Summer Gas Tax Holiday. Hard-working American families are suffering from higher gasoline prices. John McCain calls on Congress to suspend the 18.4 cent federal gas tax and 24.4 cent diesel tax from Memorial Day to Labor Day. John McCain Will Stop Filling The Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) To Reduce Demand. International demand for oil is bolstered by federal purchases for the SPR. There is no reason to fill it when oil is so expensive, the overall SPR is of adequate size, and when it places further upward pressure on prices.”

You idiot!! There is life after labor day and then what? Stop filling the SPR? Who wrote this? Dingy Harry?

[San Jacinto]

I am very concerned about the plight of the polar bears. I was hoping we could have a presidential candidate who would promise to regulate the entire spectrum of economic activity through a cap and trade plan that would require American businesses to purchase very expensive special carbon permits from the government in order to stay in busness. Then we could use the money from these permits to help the plight of the polar bears and stuff like, you know, environmental stuff.

Are you going to post Senator’s McCain’s position on the plight of the polar bears and stuff?

[HappyinAZ]

Thanks, I think some balance is necessary as well. There are many Freepers so caught up in their hate for McCain (mostly because their guy lost the primaries) that they can’t see the “forest for the trees”. “Flamming” is not rational discussion....it’s usually just baseless one-liners repeating some isolated comment or vote...usually taken out of context.

At least McCain HAS a plan...don’t see any other than Socialism and higher taxation coming from the Dem side.

Thanks for the info and keep it up!

[willgolfforfood]

Well here's two issues then.

"Helping Americans Confront Higher Living Costs: John McCain Will Help Americans Hurting From High Gasoline And Food Costs. Americans need relief right now from high gas prices. John McCain will act immediately to reduce the pain of high gas prices. John McCain Believes We Should Institute A Summer Gas Tax Holiday. Hard-working American families are suffering from higher gasoline prices. John McCain calls on Congress to suspend the 18.4 cent federal gas tax and 24.4 cent diesel tax from Memorial Day to Labor Day. John McCain Will Stop Filling The Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) To Reduce Demand. International demand for oil is bolstered by federal purchases for the SPR. There is no reason to fill it when oil is so expensive, the overall SPR is of adequate size, and when it places further upward pressure on prices. John McCain Will End Policies That Contribute To Higher Transportation And Food Costs. Ethanol subsidies, tariff barriers and sugar quotas drive up food prices and hurt Americans. However, we cannot take the wrong direction and cut off trade for American goods."

This all sounds good. But we're going to get cap and trade to help out against "Global warming" - and cap and trade is going to add an absolutely MIND-BOGGLING amount to the energy bill of each American, counting gasoline (or diesel) and all the monthly utility bills we pay. The cost of transporting ANYTHING in this country will be markedly increased. If John thinks this helps Americans, he's an economic idiot.

Cap and trade will take much, MUCH more out of American's pockets than the savings from a few weeks of rescinding the tax on gasoline. And it's completely anti-growth, and once we get a [new] government agency overseeing the program, we'll NEVER be rid of it.

Then there's this one:

"Cutting Taxes For The Middle Class: John McCain Will Cut Taxes For Middle Class Families. John McCain will permanently repeal the Alternative Minimum Tax(AMT) – a tax that will be paid nearly exclusively by 25 million middle class families. Repealing this onerous tax will save middle class families nearly $60 billion in a single year. Under McCain's plan, a middle class family with children set to pay the AMT will save an average of over $2,700 – a real tax cut for working families."

I'm asking 'cause I don't really know - but has John McCain ever introduced a bill in the House or Senate which eliminates for all time the AMT?

[lormand]

"To those "one issue" voters, please don't muck up these threads by bringing up the other issues not being discussed this day, you're chance will come."

Yeah, and if they don't comply, perhaps McCain/Feingold II will remedy that too.

[trane250]

Under his HOME Plan, every deserving American family or homeowner will be afforded the opportunity to trade a burdensome mortgage for a manageable loan that reflects their home's market value.

Eligibility: Holders of a non-conventional mortgage taken after 2005 who live in their home (primary residence only); can prove creditworthiness at the time of the original loan; are either delinquent, in arrears on payments, facing a reset or otherwise demonstrate that they will be unable to continue to meet their mortgage obligations; and can meet the terms of a new 30 year fixed-rate mortgage on the existing home.

Pie in the sky on the taxpayer's dime.

[stockpirate]

This a pie in the sky plan that will go the way of dugout conoe’s and 8 track tapes.

Once this stupid idiot moron grants amnesty to 30,000,000 illegal immigrents, taxes will have to go up to pay them for their votes, err I mean their FREE benifits.

This new mod of voters will be dems, unless McStupid can out pander the one person more to the left then he, Obama.

[Kolb]

Gee, where to start?

Helping Americans With The Housing Crisis:

The mortgage servicer writes down and retires the existing loan, which is replaced by an FHA guaranteed HOME loan from a lender.

First, who will be paying the difference in mortgage values? Mortgage companies are NOT going to eat the balances, so that leaves the American taxpayers holding the bill (bailout). No thanks John, these life lessons need to be learned the hard way by those who used credit irresponsibly.

[Reagan Man]

There are significant differences between John McCain and the Barak Obama. Some are huge. The WOT pops up as first and foremost. Our troops deserve beter than a surrender monkey like Obama, who would basically capitualte to the Islamofascists. McCain would not. McCain has a pretty good pro-life record. Along with opposing abortion on demand, McCain believes in a strong national defense and spending reforms that would eliminate most pork barrel projects.

However, as with many of the Republicans who stood shoulder to shoulder with President Reagan in the 1980`s, McCain has sold out. Once a foot soldier in the Reagan Revolution and someone who believed in conservatism, McCain has drifted leftward. Especially in the last decade.

McCain's recent affirmation to BOR that there will be no drilling in ANWR shows why he'll have an uphill climb in getting conservatives to vote for him. In the end, it'll be a judgment call for conservatives. Will they be willing to back McCain , knowing they'll be fighting him 50% of the time, or will they settle for fighting Obama 95% of the time. A strong conservative running mate might make that decision more palatable for us.

[SJackson]

The anti-McCain crowd consistently state that there is no difference between McCain and Obama/Clinton, which is simply ridiculous. There are points where the difference is less stark than others but to make a sweeping claim such as that, IMO, demonstrates the hsyterical lengths some will go to try to get others to stay home or vote third party on election day.

I can tell the difference, and I don't need new glasses. A shame all three missed so many votes, but by ACU standards, McCain in 8 of 10, Hillary 0 for 16, and Obama a "respectable" 1 for 15. 8 for 10 for McCain, 1 for 31 for the dems. No difference at all.

----------

 

2007 Votes	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	2007	2006	YOS	Life
Obama	+	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	X	-	-	X	X	X	X	X	-	-	-	X	-	X	X	X	7	8	3	7.67
Clinton	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	X	-	-	-	X	X	X	X	X	-	-	-	-	X	X	X	0	8	7	7.71
McCAIN	+	+	X	+	+	+	-	X	-	X	X	+	+	X	X	X	X	X	+	X	X	X	X	X	X	80	65	25	82.16

1. Earmark Disclosure
S1 (Roll Call 5).  The Senate killed an amendment that would have required the disclosure of the names of Senators requesting special interest earmark spending and expanded the definition of earmarks to include federally-funded non-federal projects.  ACU favors greater transparency in “earmarked” spending and favored this amendment, which was defeated January 11, 2007 by a vote of 46-51.
TOP

2. Regulation of Grassroots Lobbying
S 1 (Roll Call 17).  The Senate adopted an amendment protecting grassroots lobbying organizations from having to reveal the names of their contributors.  ACU favored this amendment, which passed the Senate January 18, 2007 by a vote of 55-43.
TOP

3. Iraq War—Cloture
S 574 (Roll Call 51).  The Senate refused to move to a vote on a resolution disapproving the “surge” of 20,000 additional troops into Iraq.  ACU opposed this resolution.  Although the motion achieved a 56-34 majority on February 17, 2007, 60 votes are required to shut off debate, so the resolution was not approved.
TOP

4. Tax Cuts
SConRes 21 (Roll Call 107).  The Senate rejected an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2008 Budget Resolution that would have permitted the extension of the 2001 tax cuts  ACU favored the amendment, which was defeated March 23, 2007 by a vote of 46-52.
TOP

5. Alternative Minimum Tax
SConRes 21 (Roll Call 108).  The Senate rejected an amendment to the FY 2008 Budget Resolution that would have permitted the repeal of the Alternative Minimum Tax, a tax designed to apply only to millionaires, but now affecting 21 million middle-income families.  ACU favors repeal of the AMT and so supported this amendment, which failed March 23, 2007 by a vote of 44-53.
TOP

6. Estate (“Death”) Tax Repeal
SConRes 21 (Roll Call 109).  The Senate rejected an amendment to the FY 2008 Budget Resolution that would have permitted the permanent repeal of the estate tax.  ACU favors elimination of the death tax and supported the amendment, which was defeated March 23, 2007 by a vote of 44-55.
TOP

7. Stem Cell Research
S5 (Roll Call 127).  The Senate passed a bill mandating the use of federal funds in research on embryonic stem cells derived from surplus embryos at in vitro fertilization clinics.  ACU opposes such research and opposed the bill, which passed April 11, 2007 by a vote of 63-34.
TOP

8. Small Business Regulation
S 761 (Roll Call 139).  The Senate killed an amendment allowing small businesses to opt out of the most burdensome reporting provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regulating reporting of publicly-traded companies on the stock exchange.  ACU favors this exemption, but the Senate defeated it April 24, 2007, by a vote of 62-35.
TOP

9. Immigration Overhaul—Cloture
S 1348 (Roll Call 206).  The Senate refused to stop debate and move to a vote on a bill overhauling immigration law, allowing illegal aliens a path to citizenship and instituting new border security measures.  ACU opposed this measure and supported continued debate.  On June 7, 2007 the Senate defeated the cloture motion by a vote of 45-50 (60 votes are required to invoke cloture).
TOP

10. Coastal Drilling for Natural Gas
HR 6 (Roll Call 212).  The Senate rejected an amendment to the Energy Policy Bill that would have allowed Virginia to petition for natural gas exploration and drilling in the state’s coastal waters.  ACU favors development of domestic energy sources and supported this amendment, which was defeated June 14, 2007 by a vote of 43-44.
TOP

11. Energy Policy
HR 6 (Roll Call 226).  The Senate passed legislation imposing massive new regulation on the energy industry, including a rise in automobile mileage to 35 miles per gallon by 2020, a ban on the incandescent light bulb, new energy efficiency mandates for appliances, the use of 15 billion gallons of biofuels by 2015, and the taxpayer subsidy of new energy technologies.  ACU opposes this kind of direct government interference in the economy, but the bill passed June 21, 2007 by a vote of 65-27.
TOP

12. Employee Rights—Cloture
HR 800 (Roll Call 227).  The Senate refused to stop debate and move to a vote on a bill that would have stripped workers of the rights to a secret ballot when deciding on unionization.  ACU opposed the bill and supported continued debate.  On June 26, 2007, by a vote of 51-48, a majority of the Senate voted to invoke cloture, but under Senate rules 60 votes are required to stop debate.
TOP

13. Social Security Benefits for Illegal Aliens
HR 2669 (Roll Call 263).  The Senate voted to continue to allow Social Security benefits to be paid for illegal and fraudulent work, including the work of illegal aliens.  ACU opposes such payments and supported the effort to prohibit it.  Although a 57-40 majority of the Senate voted July 19, 2007 to waive the Budget Act and allow a direct vote on the prohibition, under Senate rules 60 votes are required to waive the Budget Act.
TOP

14. New Student Loan Program
S 1642 (Roll Call 273).  The Senate killed an effort to establish a new program of government loans to full-time undergraduate and graduate students.  ACU opposes the creation of new federal subsidies and opposed this amendment, which failed July 23, 2007 by a vote of 37-54.
TOP

15. U.N. Peacekeeping Operations
HR 2764 (Roll Call 317).  The Senate killed an amendment designed to stop an increase in the U.S. share of United Nations peacekeeping costs, which is now 25 percent.  ACU opposes increased assistance to the U.N. The amendment failed September 6, 2007 by a vote of 30-63.
TOP

16. Abortion and Sterilization
HR 2764 (Roll Call 318).  The Senate adopted an amendment that would bar the use of taxpayer money for any organization or program that supports or manages a program of coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization.  ACU favors such a limitation, which was approved September 6, 2007by a vote of 48-45.
TOP

17. “Mexico City” Policy
HR 2764 (Roll Call 319).  The Senate adopted an amendment repealing the Mexico City Policy, which prohibits the use of taxpayer funds by organizations that promote or perform abortions.  ACU supports this limitation and opposed the amendment, which passed September 6, 2007 by a vote of 53-41.
TOP

18. Davis-Bacon Requirement
HR 3074 (Roll Call 334).  The Senate voted to kill an amendment prohibiting implementation of the Davis-Bacon Act, which requires union rates to be paid on federal construction projects.  ACU opposes Davis-Bacon, and supported the amendment, which was defeated September 12, 2007 by a vote of 56-37.
TOP

19. District of Columbia Congressional Seat—Cloture
S 1257 (Roll Call 339).  The Senate refused to stop debate and vote on legislation increasing the size of the House of Representatives to 437, giving a seat to the District of Columbia and an additional seat to Utah.  ACU opposed this bill, and supported continued debate.  On September 18, 2007, by a vote of 57-42, a majority of the Senate voted to invoke cloture, but under Senate rules, 60 votes are required to shut off debate.
TOP

20. Hate Crimes—Cloture
HR 1585 (Roll Call 350).  The Senate voted to stop debate and vote on an amendment establishing a special category of crime if it was based on the victim's race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender or disability.  ACU opposes efforts to criminalize thought, but on September 27, 2007 the Senate invoked cloture on the amendment by a vote of 60-39, after which the amendment was adopted by voice vote.
TOP

21. Health Insurance Expansion
HR 976 (Roll Call 353).  The Senate passed a major expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) program authorizing $60 billion over five years, increasing subsidies and prohibiting the Department of Health and Human Services from requiring that poor children be covered before other groups.  The costs of the expansion were to be paid from increased tobacco taxes.  ACU opposed this massive expansion of welfare programs, but it was adopted September 27, 2007 by a vote of 67-29.
TOP

22. Energy Policy—Cloture
HR 6 (Roll Call 425).  Although the Senate had earlier voted for new energy regulations (see Vote # 11 above), the House then revised them, and the Senate refused to shut off debate and move to a final vote on the revised bill mandating increased automobile mileage, the production of 36 billion gallons of “biofuels” by 2022, and new energy efficiency standards on appliances, lights, and other consumer goods while increasing taxes on domestic oil and gas companies.  ACU opposes expansion of federal authority into the economy and so opposed this bill.  On December 13, 2007 by a vote of 59-40, a majority of the Senate voted to pass the bill, but under Senate rules, 60 votes are required to invoke cloture, so the bill failed.
TOP

23. Eminent Domain
HR 2419 (Roll Call 429).  The Senate defeated an amendment that would have prohibited federal, state and local governments from using eminent domain to take farmland or grazing land and use it for parks, open space or similar purposes.  ACU opposes misuse of eminent domain, and so supported the amendment.  However, on December 13, 2007, the Senate killed the amendment by a vote of 37-58
TOP

24. Energy Policy
HR 6 (Roll Call 430).  Voting on a  third revision of the Energy Bill (See Vote # 22 above), the Senate this time voted to pass legislation imposing massive new burdens on the energy industry of the United States while rejecting measures to increase domestic supplies of oil and gas.  ACU continued to oppose this intervention in the economy, but on December 13, 2007, the Senate adopted it by a vote of 86-8.
TOP

25. Alternative Minimum Tax Adjustment
HR 2764 (Roll Call 440).  The Senate killed a one-year extension of a provision keeping 21 million middle-income taxpayers from being hit with the Alternative Minimum Tax designed to apply to millionaires.  ACU favors complete repeal of the AMT, and so opposed this stop-gap measure.  The extension was defeated December 18, 2007 by a vote of 48-46.  Although the measure did get a majority of the votes cast, under a unanimous consent agreement, 60 votes were required to pass this bill.

[stockpirate]

Bob seeing you are with McCain, we would all like to hear the story about McCain & the boy who followed him from stop to stop wearing a penguin suit.

[PA Engineer]

Good post. There definitely is an organized group of at least eight that I have found to disenfranchise conservatives from voting. Great work.

[Grunthor]

“Helping Americans With The Housing Crisis”

Neat, more socialism.

[Little Ray]

Some of this is okay, but the “HOME Loans” and “Helping American Confront Higher Living Costs” could have come right out of the DNC. Same thing for means-testing the “Drugs for Geezers” program (which shouldn’t exist in the first place...).
Also he obviously intends to continue protection for US sugar producers.

[Gaffer]

All three candidates have platforms that are similar in that each promises he/she will.....eliminate, facilitate, coordinate, flatulate, habituate, situate, barbituate...the American Citizen (senior, middle-class family, middle-class-working family, college student, disavantaged minority, disadvantaged female, disadvantaged immigrant (legal or otherwise) --- everybody but the middle aged white male.

The Democrats are going to pay for all this by raising taxes on the rich (obliquely defined), corporations, big oil, big Blue, big WWW, big any-damn-personal-vice a friggin' liberal don't like. McCain? Well, he's just gonna do all of this by 'fiat' How's he gonna do that? How's he gonna git the majority Senate and House Dims to agree with that? McQueeg's platform is a pipe dream of the improbable meeting the immovable (legislature).

These ad-hoc defenses of him with articles and posts of what he's gonna do are as empty as the polluted, CO2 encrusted, temperature laden air the Bunny Huggers and Tree Kissers tell us we are faced with......

[E. Cartman]

There is a strong anti-McCain movement on FR and while there is nothing wrong with that in general I feel that some of those involved have been in engaging in an effort of mischaracterization and misinformation on where McCain stands on the issues.

If there's a strong anti-MacCnai current, the candidate need only look to himself to wonder why. Time and again, he's proved that his word isn't worth a bucket of spit, and everything that he says MUST be sharply discounted.