My last posting in regards to our stupid electorate I focused on the Democrats. In this installment I shift to the Republicans which like it or not by one person seeking the Presidency, has turned into a race between two people. So I present you with what issues each has made for their respective campaigns right from their web sites.
Mitt Romney
Radical Islam has one goal: to replace all modern Islamic states with a worldwide caliphate while destroying the United States and converting all nonbelievers, forcibly if necessary, to a fundamentalist form of Islam.
Merely closing our eyes and hoping that Jihadism will go away is not an acceptable solution. U.S. military action alone cannot change the hearts and minds of hundreds of millions of Muslims. In the end, only Muslims themselves can defeat the violent radicals. But we must work with them. The consequences of ignoring this threat – such as a radicalized Islamic actor possessing nuclear weapons – are simply unacceptable.
This Partnership will assemble the resources of all developed nations to assure that threatened Islamic states have public schools, micro-credit and banking, the rule of law, human rights, basic health care, and competitive economic policies. Resources would be drawn from public and private institutions, and from volunteers and NGOs.
Establish Strict Spending Limits. Veto domestic nondefense discretionary appropriations that increase spending by more than inflation minus one percent.
Cut The Corporate Tax Rate From 35 To 25 Percent. A lower corporate tax rate is essential to U.S. competitiveness. America was once a low-tax business environment, but as our trade partners lowered their rates, America failed to keep pace, leaving us with the second-highest rate among the world’s advanced economies.
[1] Cutting the corporate tax will expand the U.S. economy, creating jobs and opportunities for prosperity. A recent analysis of tax policy options estimated that a cut less than half this size could increase long-term growth by 0.5 percent, or $100 billion in a single year.
[2] Lower corporate taxes leads to higher wages. Recent studies have shown that corporate taxes are in large part passed on to labor through lower wages. One study noted that a one percent hike in the corporate tax results in a 0.8 percent decrease in manufacturing wages.
[3] Accordingly, cutting corporate taxes can increase wages for American workers. Allow First-Year Deduction, Or “Expensing”, Of Equipment And Technology Investments. Expensing of equipment and technology will provide an immediate boost to capital expenditures and reward investments in cutting-edge technologies. The additional investment stimulated by a change to expensing of equipment and technology will drive to economic growth. A recent estimate of a modest expensing provision predicted a gain of 1.5 percent in long term economic growth.
[4] The complexity of our tax code needlessly burdens American businesses and families with $140 billion in compliance costs.[5] Allowing expensing will eliminate the need for complicated accounting for depreciation. Establish Permanent Tax Credit Equal To 10 Percent Of Wages Spent On R&D. The R&D tax credit will simplify the tax code, reward activity in the United States, and make us more competitive with other countries. A permanent credit will provide an incentive to innovate and remove uncertainty. At a time when our companies need to be more competitive, we need to provide a permanent incentive to innovate, and remove the uncertainty now hanging over businesses as they make R&D investment decisions.
These Are Essential First Steps On The Path To Fundamental Tax Reform, Which Could Increase U.S. GDP By As Much As 10 Percent Over The Long Term.
McCain Tax Cut Plan Pro-Growth Tax Agenda John McCain believes taxes should be low, simple, and fair and has a track record of commitment to these principles.
Cut Taxes On The Middle Class
Cut Taxes For Middle Class Families: Hard-working American families need lower taxes. John McCain will permanently repeal the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) -- a tax that will be paid nearly exclusively by 25 million middle class families. John McCain will repeal this onerous tax, saving 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.
Pro-Growth Tax Policy
Keep Tax Rates Low: Entrepreneurs are at the heart of American innovation, growth and prosperity. Entrepreneurs create the ultimate job security -- a new, better opportunity if your current job goes away. Entrepreneurs should not be taxed into submission. John McCain will make the Bush income and investment tax cuts permanent, keeping income tax rates at their current level and fighting the Democrats' plans for a crippling tax increase in 2011. Left to their devices, Democrats will impose a massive $100 billion tax hike, almost $700 per taxpayer every year. Make It Harder To Raise Taxes: John McCain believes it should require a 3/5 majority vote in Congress to raise taxes. Reward Saving, Investment and Risk-Taking: Low taxes on dividends and capital gains promote saving, channel investment dollars to innovative, high-value uses and not wasteful financial planning. John McCain will keep the current rates on dividends and capital gains and fight anti-growth efforts by Democrats.
Pro-Innovation Tax Cuts
Ban Internet Taxes: John McCain believes we must make a farsighted, robust, and fervent commitment to innovation and new technologies to sustain our global competitiveness, meet our national security challenges, achieve less costly and more effective health care, reduce dangerous dependence on foreign sources of oil, and raise the quality of education in the United States. John McCain has been a leader in keeping the Internet free of taxes. As President, he will seek a permanent ban on taxes that threaten this engine of economic growth and prosperity. Ban New Cell Phone Taxes: John McCain understands that the same people that would tax e-mail will tax every text message -- and even 911 calls. John McCain will prohibit new cellular telephone taxes. Permanent R&D Tax Credit: Innovation is fueled by access to sufficient risk capital, a light regulatory burden, skilled workers, and good incentives to pursue new ideas. John McCain will reform and make permanent the research and development (R&D) tax credit to keep America competitive and provide a stable environment for entrepreneurs.
Retirement Tax Cut
Lower Medicare Premiums: Seniors face a growing threat from higher Medicare premiums that tax away their Social Security and retirement savings. John McCain has proposed comprehensive, pro-market health care and Medicare reforms to reduce health care costs and control increases in premiums -- while delivering high-quality health care. REFORMING WASHINGTON TO REGAIN THE TRUST OF TAXPAYERS Wasteful spending in Washington has gone from irresponsible to indefensible. Right now, even the government reports that one-fifth of programs are receiving failing marks. John McCain will restore the trust that Americans have lost in their government spending their hard earned money wisely.
Eliminating Wasteful Spending
Stop Earmarks, Pork-Barrel Spending, And Waste: John McCain will veto every pork-laden spending bill and make their authors famous. As President, he will seek the line-item veto to reduce waste and eliminate earmarks that have led to corruption. Earmarks restrict America's ability to address genuine national priorities and interfere with fair, competitive markets.
Leadership, Courage And Choices: Reduced spending means making choices. John McCain will provide the courageous leadership necessary to control spending, including: Eliminate broken government programs. The federal government itself admits that 1 in 5 programs do not perform. Reform our civil service system to promote accountability and good performance in our federal workforce. Eliminate earmarks, wasteful subsidies, and pork-barrel spending. Reform procurement programs and cut wasteful spending in defense and non-defense programs.
Budgetary Reform To Give Tax Cuts A Fair Chance
Congress Has Unfairly Stacked The Deck To Spend More And Raise Taxes. If a spending program is on the books, budgets assume that it is on the books forever -- and continues to grow -- even if the law says it expires. If low taxes are on the books, budgets don't assume that they last forever. When they expire, those taxes are automatically raised. John McCain will reform budgeting to treat equally spending and taxes and to stop damaging tax hikes.
Reforming Entitlement Programs For The 21st Century
Reform Social Security: John McCain will fight to save the future of Social Security and believes that we may meet our obligations to the retirees of today and the future without raising taxes. John McCain supports supplementing the current Social Security system with personal accounts -- but not as a substitute for addressing benefit promises that cannot be kept. John McCain will reach across the aisle, but if the Democrats do not act, he will. No problem is in more need of honesty than the looming financial challenges of entitlement programs. Americans have the right to know the truth and John McCain will not leave office without fixing the problems that threatens our future prosperity and power. Control Medicare Growth: The growth of spending on Medicare threatens our fiscal future. John McCain has proposed comprehensive health care reforms that will reduce the growth in Medicare spending, protect seniors against rising Medicare premium payments, and preserve the advancements in medical science central to providing quality care.
Trade and Displaced Workers
Lowering Barriers to Trade: John McCain believes that globalization is an opportunity for American workers today and in the future. Ninety-five percent of the world's customers lie outside our borders and we need to be at the table when the rules for access to those markets are written. To do so, the U.S. should engage in multilateral, regional and bilateral efforts to reduce barriers to trade, level the global playing field and build effective enforcement of global trading rules.
Competitive American Workers: John McCain understands that globalization will not automatically benefit every American. We must prepare the next generation of workers by making American education worthy of the promise we make to our children and ourselves. We must be a nation committed to competitiveness and opportunity. We must fight for the ability of all students to have access to any school of demonstrated excellence. We must 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.
John McCain will overhaul unemployment insurance and make it a program for retraining, relocating and assisting workers who have lost a job. The unemployment insurance system needs to be modernized to meet the goals of helping displaced workers make ends meet between jobs and moving people quickly on to the next opportunity. John McCain will reform the half-dozen training programs to approaches that can be used to meet the bills, pay for training, and get back to work. John McCain believes that we can strengthen community colleges and technical training, and give displaced workers more choices to find their way back to productive and prosperous lives.
Health Care Reform
Comprehensive Health Care Reform: John McCain believes health care reform should address the rising costs that threaten families' budgets, business competitiveness, and government programs by making the entire system responsive to the needs of American families. Families should receive quality, accountable care at lower costs by harnessing market competition.
Market-Based Energy Reform
National Strategy For Energy Security: John McCain will deliver a national energy strategy that declares independence from the risk bred by our reliance on oil imported from petro-dictators the vulnerability to the troubled politics of their lands. John McCain is a proven conservative, and his strategy will not rely on subsidies, rifle-shot tax breaks, line-items for lobbyists, or big-government debacles. It will promote the diversification and conservation of our energy sources and substantially reduce the impact of our energy consumption on the planet. It will rely on the genius and technological prowess of American industry and science. Government must set achievable goals, but the markets should be free to produce the means.
Government Spending, Lower Taxes and Economic Prosperity
Enforcing Fiscal Discipline
As president, John McCain will work to ensure that money spent by Congress, and contributed by hardworking American taxpayers, is used wisely and prudently on legitimate national priorities, not squandered on wasteful pet projects and special interest earmarks.
American families rightly expect the government to wisely manage the dollars they send to Washington. As responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars, the federal government must respect the bottom line, just as families do when balancing their own checkbooks.
As president, John McCain will not just talk about fiscal discipline, he will exercise it. The practice of excessive borrowing and deficit spending in Washington must stop. To do otherwise robs the American people of their right to responsible government, and places on future generations of Americans the burden of paying the bill for today's waste and indiscipline.
Ending Pork Barrel Spending
"The federal government spends too much money, squanders precious resources on questionable projects pushed by special interests, and ignores the priorities of the American taxpayer."
-Senator John McCain
Year after year, powerful members of Congress divert taxpayer dollars to special interest pet projects with little or no national value. This practice is especially egregious during wartime, when any federal spending wasted on parochial programs to satisfy special interests represents a failure by the federal government to properly steward tax dollars. John McCain has steadfastly fought to reform this broken system and end the self-serving largesse that defines the current budget process.
As president, John McCain will oppose spending money on projects that siphon away tax dollars collected to fund these important commitments. Setting priorities, and keeping them, is a crucial step toward fiscal restraint and an important priority for a McCain presidency. Every dollar irresponsibly spent by Congress is a dollar diverted from pressing national priorities including lowering the tax burden on working Americans, supporting the men and women fighting the war on terror, making good on the nation's financial commitments at home, including to senior citizens, and paying down the national debt.
Increasing Transparency
Accountability and transparency are the pillars of essential reform. Americans deserve to know how their elected representatives are spending their money. Members of Congress who request earmarks in legislation should be identified and their request should be fully described. Too often, wasteful spending is obscured or buried in hundreds of pages of legislation. Demanding transparency in the budget process will identify elected officials with their fiscal decisions and will ensure Americans know exactly how each of their hard-earned tax dollars is spent.
Making Tough Choices
As president, John McCain is prepared to make the tough, fair, and responsible choices that honor our promises to current beneficiaries and to our children. Every year these decisions are delayed makes meeting this responsibility more difficult and expensive.
Promises made to previous and current generations have placed the United States on an unsustainable budget pathway. Unchecked, Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare obligations will grow as large as the entire federal budget is now in just a few decades. Without comprehensive bipartisan reform to America's entitlement programs, the nation will be unable to meet the challenges of providing vital medical and social security assistance to future generations.
Leadership
America has a proud tradition of improving life for each generation. John McCain is a leader with the courage to do what's right. As president, he will be a common sense steward of the national treasury who we can count on to respect taxpayers and their money, meet priorities, and safeguard the freedom and prosperity of this and future generations.
Path to Lower Taxes
John McCain has always believed in the power of the American people, and the importance of keeping marginal tax rates low. But, tax cuts work best when accompanied by lower spending. Higher taxes and greater spending discourage entrepreneurship, foster wasteful tax-planning and slow long-term growth. Intelligently-formulated tax cuts and sensible tax reform will deliver much higher growth when they are accompanied by lower spending.
Opening Markets & Opportunity
America has proven that empowering free markets and free people is the bulwark of liberty and the surest means to prosperity. We have much to be hopeful about, but duty requires that we face the very real threats that endanger our prosperity. The United States has succeeded because we have been more willing to embrace and encourage change than our competitors. Advances in information technologies have made us better at discovery, quicker to find the new idea that works. Today, American firms spend more money each year researching new ideas and processes than they do on new buildings and machines. And we have opened our doors to the best and brightest from other countries to seek the American dream.
That willingness to change has brought us great wealth, but it has produced justified anxiety as well. Change can cause dislocation and fear, and the opportunities of economic growth are not always apparent to all Americans. These anxieties are exacerbated when those elected to govern spend more of our time on our own ambitions than their concerns. We face serious challenges, and many Americans worry that their government cannot be relied on to face them forthrightly. We have given them cause for that concern.
A global rising tide of economic isolationism is threatening our entrepreneurs. Opening new markets is a key to U.S. economic success. Today, despite all the defeatist rhetoric, America is the world's biggest exporter, importer, producer, saver, investor, manufacturer and innovator. Americans do not shy from the challenge of competition: they welcome it. Because of that, we attract foreign investment from all over the world. Our government should welcome competition as our people do, and not pretend that we can wall off our economy.
Neither should we fail to recognize that competition can lead to painful dislocations for some individuals. We must remain committed to education, retraining, and help for displaced workers all the while reminding ourselves that our ability to change is a great strength of our nation. Indeed, Washington must keep pace with this change and develop new approaches to ensure that our ideas are protected, our intellectual property rights are respected, and our economic outreach serves the American workers today and in the future.
Straight Talk on Health System Reform
John McCain is willing to address the fundamental problem: the rapidly rising cost of U.S. health care.
Bringing costs under control is the only way to stop the erosion of affordable health insurance, save Medicare and Medicaid, protect private health benefits for retirees, and allow our companies to effectively compete around the world. Families should be in charge of their health care dollars and have more control over their care. We can improve health and spend less, while promoting competition on the cost and quality of care, taking better care of our citizens with chronic illness, and promoting prevention that will keep millions of others from ever developing deadly and debilitating disease. While we reform the system and maintain quality, we can and must provide access to health care for all our citizens - whether temporarily or chronically uninsured, whether living in rural areas with limited services, or whether residing in inner cities where access to physicians is often limited.
America's veterans have fought for our freedom. We should give them freedom to choose to carry their VA dollars to a provider that gives them the timely care at high quality and in the best location.
Controlling health care costs will take fundamental change - nothing short of a complete reform of the culture of our health system and the way we pay for it will suffice. Reforms to federal policy and programs should focus on enhancing quality while controlling costs: Promote competition throughout the health care system - between providers and among alternative treatments.
Make patients the center of care and give them a larger role in both prevention and care, putting more decisions and responsibility in their hands.
Make public more information on treatment options and require transparency by providers regarding medical outcomes, quality of care, costs, and prices.
Facilitate the development of national standards for measuring and recording treatments and outcomes.
Reform the payment systems in Medicare to compensate providers for diagnosis, prevention, and care coordination. Medicare should not pay for preventable medical errors or mismanagement.
Dedicate federal research on the basis of sound science resulting in greater focus on care and cure of chronic disease.
Give states the flexibility to, and encourage them to experiment with: alternative forms of access; risk-adjusted payments per episode covered under Medicaid; use of private insurance in Medicaid; alternative insurance policies and insurance providers; and, different licensing schemes for medical providers.
Build genuine national markets by permitting providers to practice nationwide. Promote rapid deployment of 21st century information systems.
Support innovative delivery systems, such as clinics in retail outlets and other ways that provide greater market flexibility in permitting appropriate roles for nurse practitioners, nurses, and doctors.
Where cost-effective, employ telemedicine, and community and mental health clinics in areas where services and providers are limited.
Foster the development of routes for safe, cheaper generic versions of drugs and biologic pharmaceuticals. Develop safety protocols that permit re-importation to keep competition vigorous.
Pass tort reform to eliminate frivolous lawsuits and excessive damage awards. Provide a safe harbor for doctors that follow clinical guidelines and adhere to patient safety protocols.
Protect the health care consumer through vigorous enforcement of federal protections against collusion, unfair business actions, and deceptive consumer practices.
John McCain believes that insurance reforms should increase the variety and affordability of insurance coverage available to American families by fostering competition and innovation.
Reform the tax code to eliminate the bias toward employer-sponsored health insurance, and provide all individuals with a $2,500 tax credit ($5,000 for families) to increase incentives for insurance coverage. Individuals owning innovative multi-year policies that cost less than the full credit can deposit remainder in expanded health savings accounts. Families should be able to purchase health insurance nationwide, across state lines, to maximize their choices, and heighten competition for their business that will eliminate excess overhead, administrative, and excessive compensation costs from the system. Insurance should be innovative, moving from job to home, job to job, and providing multi-year coverage.
Require any state receiving Medicaid to develop a financial "risk adjustment" bonus to high-cost and low-income families to supplement tax credits and Medicaid funds.
Allow individuals to get insurance through any organization or association that they choose: employers, individual purchases, churches, professional association, and so forth. These policies will be available to small businesses and the self-employed, will be portable across all jobs, and will automatically bridge the time between retirement and Medicare eligibility. These plans would have to meet rigorous standards and certification.
John McCain Believes in Personal Responsibility
We must do more to take care of ourselves to prevent chronic diseases when possible, and do more to adhere to treatment after we are diagnosed with an illness. Childhood obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure are all on the rise. We must again teach our children about health, nutrition and exercise - vital life information. Public health initiatives must be undertaken with all our citizens to stem the growing epidemic of obesity and diabetes, and to deter smoking.
Human Dignity & the Sanctity of Life
Overturning Roe v. Wade
John McCain believes Roe v. Wade is a flawed decision that must be overturned, and as president he will nominate judges who understand that courts should not be in the business of legislating from the bench. Constitutional balance would be restored by the reversal of Roe v. Wade, returning the abortion question to the individual states. The difficult issue of abortion should not be decided by judicial fiat.
However, the reversal of Roe v. Wade represents only one step in the long path toward ending abortion. Once the question is returned to the states, the fight for life will be one of courage and compassion - the courage of a pregnant mother to bring her child into the world and the compassion of civil society to meet her needs and those of her newborn baby. The pro-life movement has done tremendous work in building and reinforcing the infrastructure of civil society by strengthening faith-based, community, and neighborhood organizations that provide critical services to pregnant mothers in need. This work must continue and government must find new ways to empower and strengthen these armies of compassion. These important groups can help build the consensus necessary to end abortion at the state level. As John McCain has publicly noted, "At its core, abortion is a human tragedy. To effect meaningful change, we must engage the debate at a human level."
Promoting Adoption
"Americans are part of something providential - a great experiment to prove to the world that democracy is not only the most effective form of government, but the only moral government. And through the years, generations of Americans have held fast to the belief that we were meant to transform history. What greater cause could we ever serve?"
-Senator John McCain
In 1993, John McCain and his wife, Cindy, adopted a little girl from Mother Teresa's orphanage in Bangladesh. She has been a blessing to the McCain family and helped make adoption advocacy a personal issue for the Senator.
The McCain family experience is not unique; millions of families have had their lives transformed by the adoption of a child. As president, motivated by his personal experience, John McCain will seek ways to promote adoption as a first option for women struggling with a crisis pregnancy. In the past, he cosponsored legislation to prohibit discrimination against families with adopted children, to provide adoption education, and to permit tax deductions for qualified adoption expenses, as well as to remove barriers to interracial and inter-ethnic adoptions.
Protecting Marriage
As president, John McCain would nominate judges who understand that the role of the Court is not to subvert the rights of the people by legislating from the bench. Critical to Constitutional balance is ensuring that, where state and local governments do act to preserve the traditional family, the Courts must not overstep their authority and thwart the Constitutional right of the people to decide this question.
The family represents the foundation of Western Civilization and civil society and John McCain believes the institution of marriage is a union between one man and one woman. It is only this definition that sufficiently recognizes the vital and unique role played by mothers and fathers in the raising of children, and the role of the family in shaping, stabilizing, and strengthening communities and our nation.
As with most issues vital to the preservation and health of civil society, the basic responsibility for preserving and strengthening the family should reside at the level of government closest to the people. In their wisdom, the Founding Fathers reserved for the States the authority and responsibility to protect and strengthen the vital institutions of our civil society. They did so to ensure that the voices of America's families could not be ignored by an indifferent national government or suffocated through filibusters and clever legislative maneuvering in Congress.
Addressing the Moral Concerns of Advanced Technology
Stem cell research offers tremendous hope for those suffering from a variety of deadly diseases - hope for both cures and life-extending treatments. However, the compassion to relieve suffering and to cure deadly disease cannot erode moral and ethical principles.
For this reason, John McCain opposes the intentional creation of human embryos for research purposes. To that end, Senator McCain voted to ban the practice of "fetal farming," making it a federal crime for researchers to use cells or fetal tissue from an embryo created for research purposes. Furthermore, he voted to ban attempts to use or obtain human cells gestated in animals. Finally, John McCain strongly opposes human cloning and voted to ban the practice, and any related experimentation, under federal law.
As president, John McCain will strongly support funding for promising research programs, including amniotic fluid and adult stem cell research and other types of scientific study that do not involve the use of human embryos.
Where federal funds are used for stem cell research, Senator McCain believes clear lines should be drawn that reflect a refusal to sacrifice moral values and ethical principles for the sake of scientific progress, and that any such research should be subject to strict federal guidelines.
Protecting Children from Internet Pornography
John McCain believes the Internet offers tremendous promise in terms of freedom of expression, information sharing, and the spread of knowledge and commerce. It represents the greatest innovation of the modern era in terms of the democratization of free speech and access to information. From human rights groups in China to bloggers here in the United States, the Internet has opened a global dialogue that has propelled the world into an exciting new century of connectivity and communication.
However, there is a darker side to the Internet. Along with the access and anonymity of the Internet have come those who would use it to peddle child pornography and other sexually explicit material and to prey upon children.
John McCain has been a leader in pushing legislation through Congress that requires all schools and libraries receiving federal subsidies for Internet connectivity to utilize technology to restrict access to sexually explicit material by children using such computers. While the first line of defense for children will always be strong and involved parents, when they send their child to school or drop their child off at the library, parents have the right to feel safe that someone is going to be looking out for their children.
Protecting Children from Online Predators
America's most precious asset is its children. The innocence of childhood provides hope for the future and refreshes and restores the ideals of this great country. However, there are those who prey upon this innocence and the Internet offers these predators unprecedented, often anonymous, access to children. John McCain has taken a hard line against pedophiles that would use the Internet to prey upon children by proposing the first-of-its-kind national online registry for persons who have been convicted of sex crimes against children. Senator McCain's legislation requires that sex offenders register all online accounts in a national database that can be used by law enforcement to investigate crimes against children. If these predators fail to register they would be sent to prison for ten years. The legislation also makes use of the Internet an "aggravating factor" in sex crimes against children, adding an additional ten years to any conviction. It is the responsibility of government to do all that can be done to protect children from predators who lurk on the Internet.
The Greatest Honor is to Serve the Cause of Human Dignity
There is no greater nobility than to sacrifice for a great cause and no cause greater than protection of human dignity. Decency, human compassion, self-sacrifice and the defense of innocent life are at the core of John McCain's value system and will be the guiding principles of a McCain Presidency.
"To sacrifice for a cause greater than yourself, and to sacrifice your life to the eminence of that cause, is the noblest activity of all."
John McCain is the son and grandson of military officers. He served as a Navy pilot, honored to live in the company of heroes as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, and is a beloved husband and father. Senator McCain has enjoyed the quiet blessings found in serving others.
Lobbying & Ethics Reform
Seal the Pork Barrel
Among the most glaring abuses in Washington is the willful setting aside of taxpayer dollars for the pet projects of special interests, often through last minute additions to appropriations bills. Pork barrel spending is an insult to taxpayers, a waste of public resources, and an abdication of our leaders' responsibility to be good and honorable stewards of the public treasury, for the benefit of all Americans, not just a few.
Too often it appears that elected leaders use the treasury as a campaign kitty, channeling taxpayer dollars for pet projects to preserve incumbency rather than to meet national needs. John McCain has been a tireless warrior against wasteful spending, and one of the few leaders who has the guts to challenge abusive Congressional earmarks and the pork barrel politics that grip Washington. John McCain understands that, fundamentally, wasteful spending is an issue of ethics.
As he pointed out recently as part of his longstanding, principled, and often lonely vigil against pork barrel earmarks in Congress: "Earmarked dollars have doubled just since 2000, and more than tripled in the last 10 years. This explosion in earmarks led one lobbyist to deride the appropriations committees as favor factories. The time for us to fix this broken process is long overdue." As President, John McCain would shine the disinfecting light of public scrutiny on those who abuse the public purse, use the power of the presidency to restore fiscal responsibility, and exercise the veto pen to enforce it.
Stop the revolving door and restore ethics
"A democratic government operates best in the disinfecting light of the public eye. Ethics and transparency are not election year buzz words; they are the obligations of democracy and the duties of honorable public service."
-Senator John McCain
America deserves and demands a government that serves the country, not itself. Most people believe that elected leaders are more interested in the perks and privileges of office than in public service, and that too often the special interest lobbyists with the fattest wallets and best access carry the day when issues of public policy are being decided.
John McCain has fought the good fight against the practices that alienate the public from their elected leaders. He has fought for public disclosure of those who lobby lawmakers for a living, and to prohibit them from providing gifts to elected officials.
He has fought for greater transparency regarding the official activities of lobbyists, disclosure of those who arrange for lawmakers' travel, and require members to pay full charter rates when using corporate aircraft.
He has fought the "revolving door" by which lawmakers and other influential officials leave their posts and become lobbyists for the special interests they have aided.
He has fought for an independent ethics office in Congress to help restore the public's faith in the integrity of the legislative branch.
Most Americans understand that competitive elections in a free country require money. Since campaigns require spending funds to communicate with voters, they know we can never take money completely out of politics, nor should we. Americans have a right to support the candidates and the parties they endorse, including financially if they so choose.
But what most Americans worry about profoundly is corporations or individuals with huge checks seeking the undue influence on lawmakers that such largesse is intended to purchase. That is why John McCain has fought to enforce long-standing prohibitions on corporate and union contributions to federal political parties, for sensible donation limits, disclosure of how candidates and campaigns are funded, and the diligent enforcement of these common sense rules that promote maximum public participation in the political process and limit opportunities for corruption.
John McCain understands that in America the people are sovereign, and deserve a political process worthy of the sacrifices that have been made by so many to keep us free and proud. As President, John McCain will see to it that the institutions of self-government are respected pillars of democracy, not commodities to be bought, bartered, or abused.
Strategy for Victory in Iraq
Bolster Troops on the Ground
Implement New Counterinsurgency Strategy
Strengthen the Iraqi Armed Forces and Police
Create the security necessary for political progress and stability
Accelerate political and economic reconstruction in a secure environment
Keep Senior Officers in Place
Call for International Pressure on Syria and Iran
Win the Homefront
Border Security & Immigration Reform
As president, I will secure the border. I will restore the trust Americans should have in the basic competency of their government. A secure border is an essential element of our national security. Tight border security includes not just the entry and exit of people, but also the effective screening of cargo at our ports and other points of entry.
But a secure border will contribute to addressing our immigration problem most effectively if we also:
Recognize the importance of building strong allies in Mexico and Latin America who reject the siren call of authoritarians like Hugo Chavez, support freedom and democracy, and seek strong domestic economies with abundant economic opportunities for their citizens.
Recognize the importance of assimilation of our immigrant population, which includes learning English, American history and civics, and respecting the values of a democratic society.
Protecting Second Amendment Rights
John McCain believes that the right of law abiding citizens to keep and bear arms is a fundamental, individual Constitutional right that we have a sacred duty to protect. We have a responsibility to ensure that criminals who violate the law are prosecuted to the fullest, rather than restricting the rights of law abiding citizens. Gun control is a proven failure in fighting crime. Law abiding citizens should not be asked to give up their rights because of criminals - criminals who ignore gun control laws anyway.
Gun Manufacturer Liability
John McCain opposes backdoor attempts to restrict Second Amendment rights by holding gun manufacturers liable for crimes committed by third parties using a firearm, and has voted to protect gun manufacturers from such inappropriate liability aimed at bankrupting the entire gun industry.
Assault Weapons
John McCain opposes restrictions on so-called "assault rifles" and voted consistently against such bans. Most recently he opposed an amendment to extend a ban on 19 specific firearms, and others with similar characteristics.
Importation of High Capacity Magazines
John McCain opposes bans on the importation of certain types of ammunition magazines and has voted against such limitations.
Gun Locks
John McCain believes that every firearms owner has a responsibility to learn how to safely use and store the firearm they have chosen, whether for target shooting, hunting, or personal protection. He has supported legislation requiring gun manufacturers to include gun safety devices such as trigger locks in product packaging.
Banning Ammunition
John McCain believes that banning ammunition is just another way to undermine Second Amendment rights. He voted against an amendment that would have banned many of the most commonly used hunting cartridges on the spurious grounds that they were "armor-piercing."
DC Personal Protection
As part of John McCain's defense of Second Amendment rights, he cosponsored legislation to lift a ban on the law abiding citizens of the District of Columbia from exercising their Constitutional right to bear arms.
Criminal Background Checks
John McCain supports instant criminal background checks to help prohibit criminals from buying firearms and has voted to ensure they are conducted thoroughly, efficiently, and without infringing on the rights of law abiding citizens.
Background Checks at Gun Shows
At a time when some were trying to shut down gun shows in the name of fighting crime, John McCain tried to preserve gun shows by standardizing sales procedures. Federal law requires licensed firearm sellers at gun shows to do an instant criminal background check on purchasers while private firearm sellers at gun shows do not have to conduct such a check. John McCain introduced legislation that would require an instant criminal background check for all sales at gun shows and believes that such checks must be conducted quickly to ensure that unnecessary delays do not effectively block transactions.
The Firearm Purchase Waiting Period
John McCain has opposed "waiting periods" for law abiding citizen's purchase of firearms.
John McCain opposes the confiscation of firearms from private citizens, particularly during times of crisis or emergency. He voted in favor of an amendment sponsored by Senator David Vitter prohibiting such confiscation.
Stiffer Penalties for Criminals who use a Firearm in the Commission of a Crime
John McCain believes in strict, mandatory penalties for criminals who use a firearm in the commission of a crime or illegally possess a firearm. Enforcing the current laws on the books is the best way to deter crime.
Supports repealing Roe v. Wade. (May 2007) Voted YES on barring HHS grants to organizations that perform abortions. (Oct 2007) Voted YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines. (Apr 2007) Voted YES on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions. (Jul 2006) Voted NO on $100M to reduce teen pregnancy by education & contraceptives. (Mar 2005) Voted YES on criminal penalty for harming unborn fetus during other crime. (Mar 2004) Voted YES on banning partial birth abortions except for maternal life. (Mar 2003) Voted YES on maintaining ban on Military Base Abortions. (Jun 2000) Voted YES on banning partial birth abortions. (Oct 1999) Voted YES on banning human cloning. (Feb 1998) Rated 0% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record. (Dec 2003) Expand embryonic stem cell research. (Jun 2004) Rated 75% by the NRLC, indicating a mixed record on abortion. (Dec 2006)
Ban on same-sex marriage is unRepublican; leave it to states. (Nov 2006) Voted YES on recommending Constitutional ban on flag desecration. (Jun 2006) Voted NO on constitutional ban of same-sex marriage. (Jun 2006) Voted NO on adding sexual orientation to definition of hate crimes. (Jun 2002) Voted YES on loosening restrictions on cell phone wiretapping. (Oct 2001) Voted NO on expanding hate crimes to include sexual orientation. (Jun 2000) Voted YES on setting aside 10% of highway funds for minorities & women. (Mar 1998) Voted NO on ending special funding for minority & women-owned business. (Oct 1997) Voted YES on prohibiting same-sex marriage. (Sep 1996) Voted NO on prohibiting job discrimination by sexual orientation. (Sep 1996) Voted YES on Amendment to prohibit flag burning. (Dec 1995) Voted YES on banning affirmative action hiring with federal funds. (Jul 1995) Supports anti-flag desecration amendment. (Mar 2001) Require 90 day delay for compliance before ADA lawsuits. (May 2002) Limit interstate class-action lawsuits to federal courts . (May 2002) Rated 0% by the ACLU, indicating an anti-civil rights voting record. (Dec 2002) Rated 33% by the HRC, indicating a mixed record on gay rights. (Dec 2006) Rated 7% by the NAACP, indicating an anti-affirmative-action stance. (Dec 2006)
Judges have limited scope under the Constitution. (Nov 2006) More death penalty; stricter sentencing. (Jan 2000) More community policing; enough hate crime laws. (Jan 2000) Prosecute youths as adults, but separately; explore sources. (Jan 2000) Urges hearings on how FBI can deter Hate Crimes. (Aug 1999) 1st Amend. not a shield for hate groups. (Aug 1999) Pro-death penalty; more prisons; increased penalties. (Jul 1998) Voted YES on limiting death penalty appeals. (Apr 1996) Voted YES on limiting product liability punitive damage awards. (Mar 1996) Voted NO on restricting class-action lawsuits. (Dec 1995) Voted YES on repealing federal speed limits. (Jun 1995) Voted YES on mandatory prison terms for crimes involving firearms. (May 1994) Voted YES on rejecting racial statistics in death penalty appeals. (May 1994) Rated 29% by CURE, indicating anti-rehabilitation crime votes. (Dec 2000) Rated 85% by the NCJA, indicating a "tough-on-crime" stance. (Dec 2005) Establish an FBI registry of sexual offendors. (Oct 1996)
Mexico should extradite drug dealers to the US. (Mar 2007) Administration is AWOL on the war on drugs. (Mar 2000) Public/private partnerships for drug treatment. (Jan 2000) Prevention & education apply to alcohol as well as marijuana. (Oct 1999) We’re losing drug war - just say no. (Oct 1999) $1B for detection equipment for more border interdiction. (Mar 1999) Mexico: balancing act between free trade & stopping drugs. (Mar 1999) Restrict methadone treatment programs. (Feb 1999) Stricter penalties; stricter enforcement. (Jul 1998) Voted YES on spending international development funds on drug control. (Jul 1996)
Teaching creationism should be decided by school districts. (Jun 2007) Believes in evolution, but sees the hand of God in nature. (May 2007) Against nationally imposed standards & funding strings. (Feb 2000) Teach virtues in all schools. (Dec 1999) Enlist retirees for tutoring. (Nov 1999) Good teachers should earn more than bad lawyers. (Oct 1999) Decisions on teaching evolution should be made locally. (Aug 1999) Help unqualified teachers find other lines of work. (Jul 1999) Supports tax-free savings accounts for education expenses. (Jul 1999) Supports “Reading Excellence”; and rewarding good schools. (Jul 1999) Supports at-risk programs; homeless ed.; anti-drop-out ed. (Jul 1999) Internet access, with filters, at every school & library. (Jun 1999) Merit pay & competency testing for teachers. (Jun 1999) Ed-ACT Bill: college plans; language proficiency. (May 1999)
Charters, homeschooling, & vouchers are key to success. (Dec 2007) Local charters are the best Arizona schools. (Mar 2000) Let states decide if they link vouchers to student testing. (Feb 2000) Use sugar, oil, and ethanol subsidies to finance vouchers. (Jan 2000) Tax breaks for charters - not from public school funds. (Dec 1999) Vouchers & charters will improve our school system. (Oct 1999) Nationwide test of school vouchers. (Sep 1999) $5B program for 3-year test of school vouchers. (Jul 1999) Tax-funded vouchers for private schools or charter schools. (Jun 1999) Shift policy-making from bureaucrats to parents. (May 1999) Vouchers needed where teachers fail. (May 1999) Vouchers for any schools; more charter schools. (Jul 1998)
Unrestricted block grants--let states decide spending. (Feb 2000) Voted NO on $52M for "21st century community learning centers". (Oct 2005) Voted NO on $5B for grants to local educational agencies. (Oct 2005) Voted NO on shifting $11B from corporate tax loopholes to education. (Mar 2005) Voted NO on funding smaller classes instead of private tutors. (May 2001) Voted NO on funding student testing instead of private tutors. (May 2001) Voted NO on spending $448B of tax cut on education & debt reduction. (Apr 2001) Voted YES on declaring memorial prayers and religious symbols OK at schools. (May 1999) Voted YES on allowing more flexibility in federal school rules. (Mar 1999) Voted YES on education savings accounts. (Jun 1998) Voted YES on school vouchers in DC. (Sep 1997) Voted YES on $75M for abstinence education. (Jul 1996) Voted YES on requiring schools to allow voluntary prayer. (Jul 1994) Voted NO on national education standards. (Feb 1994) Focus educational resources to help those with greatest need. (Jul 2001) Require state standards, regular assessments, and sanctions. (Jul 2001) Support Ed-Flex: more flexibility if more accountable. (Jul 2001) Rated 45% by the NEA, indicating a mixed record on public education. (Dec 2003)
FactCheck: Oil independence will take 25 years, not 5 years. (Dec 2007) Climate change is real; nuclear power is solution. (Oct 2007) Public pressure on oil industry to invest in alternatives. (Oct 2007) FactCheck: nuclear plants do emit no GHGs, but do have waste. (Jun 2007) Reinvest oil profits in nuclear power. (Jun 2007) Ethanol made no sense in `05 but with $60/bbl it makes sense. (May 2007) Strength Clean Air & Water Acts; but not Kyoto. (Jan 2000) Supports alternative fuels, emission controls, & CWA. (Jul 1998) Voted YES on disallowing an oil leasing program in Alaska's ANWR. (Nov 2005) Voted NO on $3.1B for emergency oil assistance for hurricane-hit areas. (Oct 2005) Voted NO on reducing oil usage by 40% by 2025 (instead of 5%). (Jun 2005) Voted YES on banning drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. (Mar 2005) Voted NO on Bush Administration Energy Policy. (Jul 2003) Voted YES on targeting 100,000 hydrogen-powered vehicles by 2010. (Jun 2003) Voted YES on removing consideration of drilling ANWR from budget bill. (Mar 2003) Voted NO on drilling ANWR on national security grounds. (Apr 2002) Voted NO on terminating CAFE standards within 15 months. (Mar 2002) Voted YES on preserving budget for ANWR oil drilling. (Apr 2000) Voted YES on defunding renewable and solar energy. (Jun 1999) Voted YES on approving a nuclear waste repository. (Apr 1997) Voted NO on do not require ethanol in gasoline. (Aug 1994) Rated 17% by the CAF, indicating opposition to energy independence. (Dec 2006) Supports immediate reductions in greenhouse gases. (Sep 1998)
John McCain on Environment FactCheck: Criticized $3M "bear DNA" study, but voted for it. (Nov 2007) Economic & environmental interests not mutually exclusive. (Sep 2007) Preserve and help our National Parks. (Jan 2000) Repeal ban on new roads in wilderness due to bad process. (Dec 1999) Use park visitor fees for park development bonds. (Dec 1999) Preserve natural resources for future. (Jul 1999) Voted YES on including oil & gas smokestacks in mercury regulations. (Sep 2005) Voted YES on confirming Gale Norton as Secretary of Interior. (Jan 2001) Voted YES on transportation demo projects. (Mar 1998) Voted NO on reducing funds for road-building in National Forests. (Sep 1997) Voted NO on continuing desert protection in California. (Oct 1994) Voted YES on requiring EPA risk assessments. (May 1994) End commercial whaling and illegal trade in whale meat. (Jun 2001) Supports grants for brownfields remediation. (May 2002) Make EPA into a Cabinet department. (May 2002) Rated 53% by the LCV, indicating a mixed record on environment. (Dec 2003) EPA must do better on mercury clean-up. (Apr 2004) Focus on results, not regulation. (Sep 1998)
John McCain on Families & Children Supports flex-time & unpaid family leave. (Nov 2004) Unfiltered Internet robs our children of their innocence. (Dec 1999) Parents should be active in media kids are exposed to. (Jul 1999) Label violent media products like we label cigarettes. (Jun 1999) Media Responsibility Act requires video & music labeling. (Jun 1999) Violence in media caused Littleton shootings. (Apr 1999) Voted YES on killing restrictions on violent videos to minors. (May 1999) Rated 83% by the Christian Coalition: a pro-family voting record. (Dec 2003)
John McCain on Foreign Policy
Maintain Cuban embargo; indict Castro. (Dec 2007) Situation in Pakistan very serious, but not nuclear threat. (Oct 2007) Naive to exclude nukes; naive to exclude attacking Pakistan. (Aug 2007) We have good reason to expect solidarity of our allies. (Aug 2004) Suu Kyi and the people of Burma will rule themselves someday. (Apr 2004) Overthrow “rogue” governments to keep Americans safe. (Feb 2000) Our conscience influences US intervention, as in Rwanda. (Feb 2000) Africa: Money for AIDS would be lost to corruption. (Jan 2000) Concern over Chechnya spreads to Caucasus oil reserves. (Jan 2000) Russia: Sanctions until Putin exits Chechnya. (Jan 2000) IMF’s Russia policies bad, but agency is OK. (Oct 1999) Urge Japan to open economy to ensure Asian recovery. (May 1999) Clinton abandoned framework of “assertive multilateralism”. (Apr 1999) Korea: ease starvation, but avoid war during death throes. (Apr 1999) Pay dues to UN after UN reforms. (Jul 1998) ChinaSupport the One-China policy, don’t weaken it. (Mar 2000) $1M political donations by Chinese Army should not be legal. (Jan 2000) China: Advocate for political reforms, and guard Taiwan. (Jun 1999) Inaction on spying led to Chinese nuclear improvement. (May 1999) Engage with China as they become a great power. (Apr 1999)
Cuba: No diplomatic and trade relations. (Jul 1998) Voted NO on killing a bill for trade sanctions if China sells weapons. (Sep 2000) Voted YES on cap foreign aid at only $12.7 billion. (Oct 1999) Voted YES on limiting the President's power to impose economic sanctions. (Jul 1998) Voted NO on limiting NATO expansion to only Poland, Hungary & Czech. (Apr 1998) Voted YES on $17.9 billion to IMF. (Mar 1998) Voted YES on Strengthening of the trade embargo against Cuba. (Mar 1996) Voted YES on ending Vietnam embargo. (Jan 1994) Libyan disarmament was a CIA success story. (Mar 2005) Impose sanctions and an import ban on Burma. (Oct 2007)
Voting Record
Pro-NAFTA, pro-GATT, pro-MFN, pro-Fast Track. (Jul 1998) Voted YES on free trade agreement with Oman. (Jun 2006) Voted YES on implementing CAFTA for Central America free-trade. (Jul 2005) Voted YES on establishing free trade between US & Singapore. (Jul 2003) Voted YES on establishing free trade between the US and Chile. (Jul 2003) Voted YES on extending free trade to Andean nations. (May 2002) Voted YES on granting normal trade relations status to Vietnam. (Oct 2001) Voted NO on removing common goods from national security export rules. (Sep 2001) Voted YES on permanent normal trade relations with China. (Sep 2000) Voted YES on expanding trade to the third world. (May 2000) Voted YES on renewing 'fast track' presidential trade authority. (Nov 1997) Voted NO on imposing trade sanctions on Japan for closed market. (May 1995) Promote the Andean Free Trade Agreement. (May 2002) Rated 100% by CATO, indicating a pro-free trade voting record. (Dec 2002)
There's only one president; V.P. sticks to official duties. (Aug 2007) Differentiate “electioneering” from real issue ads. (Mar 2001) Reform election system, and get rid of electors. (Nov 2000) Supported then opposed transparency in grassroots reporting. (Jan 2007) Close corporate loopholes; veto pork-barrel spending. (Jan 2000) No term limits; they throw away the good with the bad. (Jan 2000) Drain the big money swamp to kill lobbyist mosquitoes. (Dec 1999) Influence peddling helps the Chinese Army. (Sep 1999) End sugar subsidy; corporate welfare at its worst. (Aug 1999) Politicans poll, posture, & influence-peddle. (Jun 1999) Supports Line-Item Veto and Balanced Budget. (May 1999) Supports term limits on Congress. (Jul 1998) Campaign Finance ReformThe 527s need to be eliminated. (Oct 2007) 527s are clearly illegal; reform intended for small donors. (Apr 2007) CFR passes Senate; focus on House, not court challenges. (Apr 2001) Clearer rules about campaign finance; no soft money. (Jan 2001) Replace battle of bucks with battle of ideas. (Feb 2000) Fight iron triangle: special interests, money, & legislation. (Feb 2000) Campaign reform that’s best for country, not for GOP. (Jan 2000) Take away soft money & “hurt the unions bad”. (Jan 2000) Money corrupts politics, and soft money corrupts absolutely. (Dec 1999) Campaign Finance: ban both labor union & corporate donations. (May 1999)
Voting Record
Gets legislation passed despite lack of congeniality. (Mar 2000) Voted NO on granting the District of Columbia a seat in Congress. (Sep 2007) Voted YES on requiring photo ID to vote in federal elections. (Jul 2007) Voted YES on allowing some lobbyist gifts to Congress. (Mar 2006) Voted YES on establishing the Senate Office of Public Integrity. (Mar 2006) Voted YES on banning "soft money" contributions and restricting issue ads. (Mar 2002) Voted YES on require photo ID (not just signature) for voter registration. (Feb 2002) Voted YES on banning campaign donations from unions & corporations. (Apr 2001) Voted NO on funding for National Endowment for the Arts. (Aug 1999) Voted YES on favoring 1997 McCain-Feingold overhaul of campaign finance. (Oct 1997) Voted YES on Approving the presidential line-item veto. (Mar 1996) Voted NO on banning more types of Congressional gifts. (Jul 1995) Supports Shays-Meehan Campaign Finance Reform. (Jul 2001) Rethink flawed Presidential daily intelligence briefings. (Mar 2005) CIA yielded to conventional wisdom, not political pressure. (Mar 2005) Reduce federal government size & scope, including military. (Sep 1998)
I know how to use guns; but I don't own one. (Nov 2007) Prosecute criminals, not citizens for gun ownership. (Sep 2007) Don't hold gun manufacturers liable for crimes. (Sep 2007) Opposes restrictions on assault weapons and ammunition types. (Sep 2007) Ban cheap guns; require safety locks; for gun show checks. (Aug 1999) Supports ban on certain assault weapons. (Aug 1999) Voted against Brady Bill & assault weapon ban. (Aug 1999) Guns are a problem, but so are violent web sites & videos. (Aug 1999) Punish criminals who abuse 2nd Amendment rights. (May 1999) Youth Violence Prevention Act restricts guns for kids. (May 1999) Repeal existing gun restrictions; penalize criminal use. (Jul 1998)
Voted YES on prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers. (Jul 2005) Voted YES on banning lawsuits against gun manufacturers for gun violence. (Mar 2004) Voted NO on background checks at gun shows. (May 1999) Voted YES on more penalties for gun & drug violations. (May 1999) Voted YES on loosening license & background checks at gun shows. (May 1999) Voted YES on maintaining current law: guns sold without trigger locks. (Jul 1998)
Voting Record
Allow appealing HMO decisions externally & in court. (Jul 1999) Voted NO on expanding enrollment period for Medicare Part D. (Feb 2006) Voted YES on increasing Medicaid rebate for producing generics. (Nov 2005) Voted YES on negotiating bulk purchases for Medicare prescription drug. (Mar 2005) Voted NO on $40 billion per year for limited Medicare prescription drug benefit. (Jun 2003) Voted YES on allowing reimportation of Rx drugs from Canada. (Jul 2002) Voted YES on allowing patients to sue HMOs & collect punitive damages. (Jun 2001) Voted YES on funding GOP version of Medicare prescription drug benefit. (Apr 2001) Voted NO on including prescription drugs under Medicare. (Jun 2000) Voted YES on limiting self-employment health deduction. (Jul 1999) Voted YES on increasing tobacco restrictions. (Jun 1998) Voted NO on Medicare means-testing. (Jun 1997) Voted NO on blocking medical savings acounts. (Apr 1996) Tax credits for those without employee health insurance. (May 2002) Tax deduction for long-term care insurance. (May 2002) Support telemedicine for underserved areas. (May 2002) $350 billion for prescriptions for poor seniors. (May 2002) Rated 25% by APHA, indicating a anti-public health voting record. (Dec 2003)
Waterboarding is torture; we're not going to torture people. (Nov 2007) Waterboarding is torture; & as A.G., Mukasey will declare it. (Nov 2007) Consult lawyers on war decisions; no half-cocked war basis. (Oct 2007) Ran the largest squadron in the US Navy. (Oct 2007) After 9/11, ask Americans to join military or AmeriCorps. (Oct 2007) Let loose smart, tough spies to catch Bin Laden. (Oct 2007) I've spent my life leading on national security issues. (Sep 2007) Torture supported only by people without military experience. (Sep 2007) Radical Islamic extremism is a hydra-headed challenge. (Aug 2007) Torture is ineffective as interrogation & for world opinion. (May 2007) Close Guantanamo Bay prison; announce no-torture policy. (Apr 2007) Torture has never worked throughout history. (Apr 2007) We must provide our children a strong, better country. (Aug 2004) A lack of complacency shouldn't provoke a lack of confidence. (Aug 2004) We don't have as much to fear as we had in the past. (Apr 2004) Those who gave their lives deserve to be remembered. (Apr 2004) “Rogue state rollback” avoids use of US troops. (Mar 2000) Disagrees with Perot: No more POWs in Vietnam. (Feb 2000) Accepts gays in military under current policy. (Jan 2000) Military’s political leaders need military backgrounds. (Jan 2000) Women have proven themselves in combat-no restrictions. (Dec 1999) Bombing useless targets in Vietnam destroyed US morale. (Nov 1999) Vietnam was a worthy cause despite losing. (Nov 1999) Pres. needs experience more than briefing books. (Sep 1999) Discard ABM Treaty and develop a missile defense. (Apr 1999) Use force, with US control, only for vital interests. (Apr 1999) Defense SpendingClean up waste in defense acquisition. (May 2007) Eliminate defense pork, but increase most other defense. (Nov 2004) Terminate C-130, B-2, and Seawolf; use funds to modernize. (Dec 1999) Politicians keep unneeded bases open for political purposes. (Dec 1999) Keep health care promises to aging veterans. (Nov 1999) $6.4B of military spending waste is a disgrace. (Oct 1999) Raise military pay to avoid military draft. (Aug 1999) Military personnel on food stamps is a national disgrace. (Aug 1999) Europeans should spend more on defense, within NATO. (Apr 1999) TortureHiding torture is wrong, and harms US credibility abroad. (Dec 2007)
Voting Record
Keep “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy - it works. (Jan 2000) Voted NO on limiting soldiers' deployment to 12 months. (Jul 2007) Voted NO on preserving habeus corpus for Guantanamo detainees. (Sep 2006) Voted NO on requiring CIA reports on detainees & interrogation methods. (Sep 2006) Voted YES on reauthorizing the PATRIOT Act. (Mar 2006) Voted YES on extending the PATRIOT Act's wiretap provision. (Dec 2005) Voted NO on restricting business with entities linked to terrorism. (Jul 2005) Voted NO on restoring $565M for states' and ports' first responders. (Mar 2005) Voted NO on adopting the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. (Oct 1999) Voted YES on allowing another round of military base closures. (May 1999) Voted YES on cutting nuclear weapons below START levels. (May 1999) Voted YES on deploying National Missile Defense ASAP. (Mar 1999) Voted YES on military pay raise of 4.8%. (Feb 1999) Voted NO on prohibiting same-sex basic training. (Jun 1998) Voted NO on favoring 36 vetoed military projects. (Oct 1997) Voted YES on banning chemical weapons. (Apr 1997) Voted YES on considering deploying NMD, and amending ABM Treaty. (Jun 1996) Voted NO on 1996 Defense Appropriations. (Sep 1995) Federalize aviation security. (Nov 2001) Rated 0% by SANE, indicating a pro-military voting record. (Dec 2003) Innovate intelligence-gathering for future hard targets. (Mar 2005) Assessments of al Qaida in Afghanistan in 2001 were accurate. (Mar 2005) CIA needs more focus on counterterrorism. (Mar 2005) So-called Legal Issues are myths; not real CIA hindrances. (Mar 2005) Intelligence community shares information poorly. (Mar 2005) CIA should work more with scientists to understand WMDs. (Mar 2005)
Do everything I can to help all immigrants learn English. (Dec 2007) Illegal immigrants are God's children as well. (Nov 2007) 12 million illegals in country now is de facto amnesty. (Sep 2007) Amnesty is forgiveness; we offer fines; lines; & long waits. (Sep 2007) No official English; Native Americans use own languages. (Jun 2007) Immigration reform needed for national security. (Jun 2007) Hispanics serve our country, like every wave of immigrants. (Jun 2007) America expects us to work on immigration together. (May 2007) Bipartisanship shows preparedness for presidency. (May 2007) Change rule barring immigrants from running for president. (May 2007) Comprehensive reform requires temporary worker program. (May 2007) Comprehensive reform must include border security first. (Apr 2007) Make possible for immigrants to do a job Americans won't do. (Oct 2004) Give everyone in the world an opportunity to come to America. (Oct 2004) More help for legal immigrants when immigrating & once here. (Jul 1998)
Voting Record
No more ballot initiatives against immigration. (Mar 1999) Voted YES on comprehensive immigration reform. (Jun 2007) Voted YES on declaring English as the official language of the US government. (Jun 2007) Voted YES on building a fence along the Mexican border. (Sep 2006) Voted YES on establishing a Guest Worker program. (May 2006) Voted YES on allowing illegal aliens to participate in Social Security. (May 2006) Voted YES on giving Guest Workers a path to citizenship. (May 2006) Voted YES on allowing more foreign workers into the US for farm work. (Jul 1998) Voted YES on visas for skilled workers. (May 1998) Voted YES on limit welfare for immigrants. (Jun 1997) English immersion over bilingual education. (Jul 2001) Rated 18% by USBC, indicating an open-border stance. (Dec 2006)
Unions are monopolies; don't compel people to join. (Oct 2007) Family farms: Crop insurance; reduce inheritance tax. (Jan 2000) Ethanol is not worth it, even in Iowa. (Dec 1999) Ethanol bad for environment & bad for consumers. (Nov 1999) End sugar subsidy; it hurts consumers & helps only tycoons. (Aug 1999) Ethanol subsidy is outdated; use funds for education. (Jul 1999) Voted NO on restricting employer interference in union organizing. (Jun 2007) Voted YES on increasing minimum wage to $7.25. (Feb 2007) Voted NO on raising the minimum wage to $7.25 rather than $6.25. (Mar 2005) Voted YES on repealing Clinton's ergonomic rules on repetitive stress. (Mar 2001) Voted YES on allowing workers to choose between overtime & comp-time. (May 1997) Voted YES on replacing farm price supports. (Feb 1996) Rated 15% by the AFL-CIO, indicating an anti-union voting record. (Dec 2003)
I didn't manage for profit, I led for patriotism. (Oct 2007) Romney is conning people about conservatism of his record. (Oct 2007) Absent from Values Voter Presidential Debate. (Sep 2007) Voted with Republican Party 87.3% of 165 votes. (Sep 2007) Not youngest candidate, but certainly the most prepared. (May 2007) Reform gov't, fight Islamic extremism; & restore integrity. (Apr 2007) I am here to serve, but not necessarily as president. (Apr 2007) Looks to Reagan, Teddy Roosevelt, & Eisenhower as models. (Apr 2007) Loyalty is important, but performance should come first. (Apr 2007) If I lose capacity for anger, I lose capacity to serve. (Apr 2007) Poll: Hillary vs. McCain in 2008 would be "nailbiter". (May 2006) Needs independents to win '08 primary; but GOP dislikes them. (Oct 2005) Courage is the capacity for action despite our fears. (Apr 2004) Humility from surviving veterans is remarkable. (Apr 2004) Just government is derived from the consent of the governed. (Apr 2004) We need moral courage to be honest all the time. (Apr 2004) Do the thing you think you cannot do. (Apr 2004) The allure of pride affects adults like it affects children. (Apr 2004) We are indebted to those who shed blood for us. (Apr 2004) It's love that makes courage necessary. (Apr 2004) Faith bridges unbridgeable gaps in humanity. (Feb 2000) Calls himself conservative who attracts political center. (Feb 2000) Foreign policy should not be shaped by photo-ops & polls. (Jan 2000) Restore, renew, reform, & reinvigorate government. (Sep 1999) “New Patriotic Challenge”: stand against cynicism. (Sep 1999) Public officials have failed to set example for society. (Aug 1999)
We need personal savings accounts. (Oct 2007) Willing to compromise on raising cap above $90K. (May 2007) Save benefits by bipartisan agreement; but without new tax. (Apr 2007) Trust Fund is a ticking time bomb, set to go off in 2014. (Jan 2000) More believe in Elvis than in getting Social Security check. (Jan 2000) Option to invest 20% of payroll taxes in private accounts. (Jan 2000) Every dollar off-budget - no ifs, ands, or excuses. (Sep 1999) Disallow using Trust Fund for “emergency” spending. (Jun 1999) Allow workers to invest privately. (Jun 1999) Earnings test penalizes productivity in retirees. (Jun 1999) Eliminate the “earnings test” which taxes benefits. (May 1999) Lock up Trust Fund; devote 62% of budget surplus to it. (May 1999) Put surplus into Trust Fund; fulfill promised benefits. (Jul 1998) Voted YES on using the Social Security Surplus to fund tax reductions. (Jul 1999) Voted YES on Social Security Lockbox & limiting national debt. (Apr 1999) Voted YES on allowing Roth IRAs for retirees. (May 1998) Voted YES on allowing personal retirement accounts. (Apr 1998) Voted YES on deducting Social Security payments on income taxes. (May 1996) Rated 40% by the ARA, indicating a mixed record on senior issues. (Dec 2003) Supports individual savings accounts and work incentives. (Sep 1998)
We need a simpler, fairer tax code, but not FairTax. (Nov 2007) Tax system is fair; wealthy pay bulk of taxes. (Oct 2007) Won't sign no-tax pledge; focus on cutting spending. (Sep 2007) Make tax reform commission & vote yes-or-no on outcome. (Aug 2007) FactCheck: Families spend $20B on tax prep, not $140B. (Aug 2007) Opposed Bush tax cuts, but must extend them now. (May 2007) New tax cuts account for contingencies and over-spending. (May 2007) Alternative minimum tax is eating Americans alive. (May 2007) Bush tax cuts fiscally reckless & favored rich;but keep them. (Apr 2007) Tax plan: $238B over 5 years; $500B over 10 years. (Feb 2000) Double child tax credit; add family incentives. (Feb 2000) “Balanced approach”, and starts a flat tax system. (Feb 2000) Reagan Republican: simplify taxes; cut waste. (Feb 2000) Big money interests fear closing loopholes. (Jan 2000) Remove charitable deduction; it only benefits rich. (Jan 2000) Replace employer-provided benefits with a tax cut. (Jan 2000) Middle-class tax cut: expand 15% tax bracket. (Jan 2000) Don’t promise tax cuts from future surpluses we may not have. (Jan 2000) 1st step to simplify taxes: close special interest loopholes. (Dec 1999) Supports flat tax; stop complexity by special interests. (Oct 1999) Keep lump-sum earned income tax credit. (Oct 1999) Cut marriage tax, inheritance tax, & earnings test. (Sep 1999) Taxes should be flatter, lower, and simpler. (Apr 1999)
Voting Record
Voted against Bush tax cuts for not reining in spending. (May 2007) Voted YES on repealing the Alternative Minimum Tax. (Mar 2007) Voted YES on raising estate tax exemption to $5 million. (Mar 2007) Voted YES on supporting permanence of estate tax cuts. (Aug 2006) Voted YES on permanently repealing the `death tax`. (Jun 2006) Voted NO on $47B for military by repealing capital gains tax cut. (Feb 2006) Voted YES on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends. (Feb 2006) Voted YES on extending the tax cuts on capital gains and dividends. (Nov 2005) Voted NO on $350 billion in tax breaks over 11 years. (May 2003) Voted YES on reducing marriage penalty instead of cutting top tax rates. (May 2001) Voted NO on increasing tax deductions for college tuition. (May 2001) Voted YES on eliminating the 'marriage penalty'. (Jul 2000) Voted YES on phasing out the estate tax ("death tax"). (Jul 2000) Voted NO on across-the-board spending cut. (Oct 1999) Voted YES on requiring super-majority for raising taxes. (Apr 1998) Rated 72% by NTU, indicating "Satisfactory" on tax votes. (Dec 2003) Rated 50% by CTJ, indicating a mixed record on progressive taxation. (Dec 2006) Implement socially fair, broad-based tax cuts. (Sep 1998)
Don't police Internet crime; go after money to reduce crime. (Oct 2007) Veto pork barrel; focus transportation spending on repairs. (Aug 2007) Special interest influence corruptly took HDTV frequencies. (May 2007) FactCheck: Special interests only delayed HDTV transfer. (May 2007) Provide unused spectrum to emergency officials. (Mar 2007) Uses Internet to read news & to get donations. (Mar 2000) Digital Divide requires tax credits for equipment & teachers. (Jan 2000) Internet tax ban saved consumers $600M this Xmas. (Jan 2000) Free TV & radio to candidates as a public interest. (Dec 1999) Make Internet tax moratorium permanent. (Dec 1999) Encourage teachers to learn high tech. (Oct 1999) Technology can hasten end of haves vs. have-nots. (Sep 1999) Get more government documents on-line. (Aug 1999) Telecommuncations Act was an influence-peddling scheme. (Jul 1999) Internet access, with filters, at every school & library. (Jun 1999) No government control over computer encryption. (Apr 1999) Voted NO on restoring $550M in funding for Amtrak for 2007. (Mar 2006) Voted NO on disallowing FCC approval of larger media conglomerates. (Sep 2003) Voted YES on Internet sales tax moratorium. (Oct 1998) Voted NO on telecomm deregulation. (Feb 1996)
John McCain on War & Peace
Iran & Syria must not get nukes; they'll exterminate Israel. (Nov 2007) Iran is state sponsor of terrorism; no more evidence needed. (Nov 2007) Congressional consultation before attacking Iran's nukes. (Oct 2007) Sanctions to prevent Iranian nukes; but don't count on UN. (Sep 2007) Follow Osama bin Laden to the gates of hell. (May 2007) Prefers not to take troops out of Afghanistan. (Jan 2007) McCain Principle: Committing troops means completing mission. (Jan 2007) The War on Terror is the overriding and transcendent issue. (Oct 2004) The War on Terror is a fight between good and evil. (Aug 2004) The War on Terror a war we must fight. (Aug 2004) Avoiding the War on Terror has cost us dearly. (Aug 2004) Bush promised enemies would soon hear from us and they did. (Aug 2004) Our adversaries express a hatred for all good in humanity. (Aug 2004) Iran is sponsor of terrorism; US strike if they get nukes. (May 2007) Palestine: Against declaration of statehood. (Feb 1999) IranKeep military option open against Iran, even if no nukes. (Dec 2007) No direct talk with Iran; talk is over-rated. (Dec 2007) Iraq WarHelp Maliki government move forward as rapidly as possible. (Nov 2007) I would much rather lose a campaign than lose a war. (Oct 2007) Stategy in Iraq: defeat al-Qaeda; limit Iran's influence. (Sep 2007) Iraq is now the central front in the war against al-Qaeda. (Sep 2007) Americans want to win; bin Laden thinks he's winning now. (Sep 2007) Democrats proposing failure in Iraq by withdrawing. (Sep 2007) Reducing military presence has never in history won a war. (Sep 2007) Bring troops home the right way: home with honor. (Sep 2007) Surge is working; let it continue until it succeeds. (Sep 2007) Support the surge even if benchmarks are not met. (Aug 2007) Did not read NIE before war vote, but was fully briefed. (Jun 2007) If new strategy not working by Sept., we still must succeed. (Jun 2007) Willing to be last man standing for US involvement in Iraq. (May 2007) Consequences of failure: regional chaos & we must come back. (May 2007) In hindsight, Iraq invasion was still justified. (May 2007) Timetable would be catastrophe, even if Iraq wants it. (May 2007) Advocated leaving Somalia, but no comparison to Iraq. (May 2007) War has been mismanaged, but we are now on the right track. (May 2007) War in Iraq has not gone well: dire but not hopeless. (Mar 2007) Al Qaeda may take over Iraqi oilwells. (Mar 2007) Prefers more troops for surge, but 20,000 is sufficient. (Jan 2007) Bush now has the right strategy, and it's our last chance. (Jan 2007) Generals advising "no more troops" was a failed policy. (Jan 2007) If we leave Iraq, terrorists will follow us home. (Jan 2007) Send in a heavy wave of troops to Iraq to establish order. (Nov 2006) Looting, terrorism in Iraq a result of US mistakes. (Sep 2004) The Iraqi war was necessary after years of failed diplomacy. (Aug 2004) Saddam would have acquired terrible weapons again. (Aug 2004) The Iraqi war was necessary, achievable and noble. (Aug 2004) The cause of the Iraqi war was just. (Apr 2004)
Congress has no authority to cut off funds for Iraqi use. (Jan 2007) Voted NO on redeploying non-essential US troops out of Iraq in 9 months. (Dec 2007) Voted NO on redeploying troops out of Iraq by July 2007. (Jun 2006) Voted NO on investigating contract awards in Iraq & Afghanistan. (Nov 2005) Voted YES on requiring on-budget funding for Iraq, not emergency funding. (Apr 2005) Voted YES on $86 billion for military operations in Iraq & Afghanistan. (Oct 2003) Voted YES on authorizing use of military force against Iraq. (Oct 2002) Voted NO on allowing all necessary force in Kosovo. (May 1999) Voted YES on authorizing air strikes in Kosovo. (Mar 1999) Voted YES on ending the Bosnian arms embargo. (Jul 1995) Supports $48 billion in new spending for anti-terrorism. (Jan 2002) CIA assessments ib Iraqi WMDs were all wrong. (Mar 2005) Belief in Iraqi nukes was poor analysis of aluminum tubes. (Mar 2005) Belief in Iraqi BWs was based on one unreliable person. (Mar 2005) Belief in Iraqi CWs was based on flawed imagery. (Mar 2005) Iraq never had delivery systems to attack US mainland. (Mar 2005) CIA never questioned assumption that Saddam had WMDs. (Mar 2005) Conclusions on Iran and North Korea are all classified. (Mar 2005) Move the US Embassy to Jerusalem. (Nov 1995)
John McCain on Welfare & Poverty
Require 40 hours work per week from welfare recipients. (Nov 2004) Supports block grants, welfare-to-work, state control. (Jan 2000) Anti-poverty shared by gov’t & faith-based orgs. (Jan 2000) List unoccupied HUD-owned homes, & give them away. (Feb 1999) Use tax code to address unemployment & working conditions. (Jul 1998) More housing assistance; tax breaks against homelessness. (Jul 1998) Pro-block grants; pro-welfare-to-work. (Jul 1998) Voted YES on welfare block grants. (Aug 1996) Voted NO on eliminating block grants for food stamps. (Jul 1996) Voted YES on allowing state welfare waivers. (Jul 1996) Voted YES on welfare overhaul. (Sep 1995) Fully fund AmeriCorps. (Jun 2003)
Our military personnel and their families deserve the nation's unfailing gratitude, respect, and support. As a former naval officer with a distinguished record of military service, John McCain understands the profound sacrifices made by our men and women who serve in the uniform of our country and their families.
He believes one of America's most solemn obligations is to treat our military personnel with the same sense of devotion and duty as they demonstrate in rendering their service to the nation. John McCain has fought for improved military pay and benefits, and an improved quality of life for military families.
America's deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan rely heavily on Reserve and National Guard forces. John McCain has worked hard to ensure that benefits for deployed Reservists and National Guardsmen are brought in line with our active-duty military forces.
As president, he will make sure that just as we are always proud of our military personnel for what they do for the country, the country can be proud of what we do for them.
Honoring our Nation's Commitments to Veterans and Military Retirees
John McCain has worked tirelessly to protect increased benefits for America's veterans. He understands that our country has a duty to care for veterans who have honorably served. John McCain will continue to look out for the men and women who have answered our nation's call.
America must never leave its military retirees in any doubt that it will keep its commitments to them for their many years of faithful service. John McCain has been a champion of military retirees in the Senate and believes that it is especially important to ensure retired service personnel enjoy full health care and benefits comparable to that received by retired federal employees. John McCain understands that a key to recruiting and retaining a new generation of American military personnel is demonstrating that our government keeps its promises to retired service members. He will remain an unwavering champion for the rights of military retirees and their families.
The most important weapons in the U.S. arsenal are the men and women of American armed forces. John McCain believes we must enlarge the size of our armed forces to meet new challenges to our security. For too long, we have asked too much of too few – with the result that many service personnel are on their second, third and even fourth tours of duty in Afghanistan and Iraq. There can be no higher defense priority than the proper compensation, training, and equipping of our troops.
Our existing force is overstretched by the combination of military operations in the broader Middle East and the need to maintain our security commitments in Europe and Asia. Recruitment and retention suffer from extended overseas deployments that keep service personnel away from their homes and families for long periods of time.
John McCain believes that the answer to these challenges is not to roll back our overseas commitments. The size and composition of our armed forces must be matched to our nation's defense requirements. As requirements expand in the global war on terrorism so must our Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard be reconfigured to meet these new challenges. John McCain thinks it is especially important to increase the size of the Army and Marine Corps to defend against the threats we face today.
John McCain knows that the most difficult and solemn decision a president must make is sending young Americans into harm's way. Having experienced firsthand the brutality of war, as president, John McCain would never make the decision to use force lightly, only when the cause is just, and our nation's values and interests absolutely demand it.
Modernizing the Armed Services
Modernizing American armed forces involves procuring advanced weapons systems that will help rapidly and decisively defeat any adversary and protect American lives. It also requires addressing force protection needs to make sure that America's combat personnel have the best safety and survivability equipment available.
Modernizing the armed forces also means adapting our doctrine, training, and tactics for the kind of conflicts we are most likely to face. Today, American forces are engaged in dangerous operations throughout the world. From Iraq and Afghanistan to Somalia and the Philippines, American forces are fighting the battles of the 21st century against terrorists and insurgents. These asymmetric conflicts require a very different force structure than the one we used to fight and win the Cold War.
The missions of the 21st century will not center on traditional territorial defense or mass armor engagements. Instead, the men and women of the U.S. armed forces will be engaged in, among other things, counter insurgency, counter terrorism, missile defense, counter proliferation and information warfare. This calls not just for a larger and more capable military, but for a new mix of military forces, including civil affairs, special operations, and highly mobile forces capable of fighting and prevailing in the conflicts America face.
- Comments: As you might notice McCain seems to be a supporter of our second ammendment yet Gun Owners Of America and the NRA have a very different oppinion of his record. One never knows which side he will support and it seems that it is not arrived at on the ammendments words alone.
- Also you might notice Mr. Banana claims he listened and learned to the people about immigration, the Illegal Types. Yet he states that 2000 criminals will be deported and the rest will have to go to the back of the line with no privileges, and they will have to pay a "fine" and "learn english". Well Mr. Banana, the fact the rest will not have to leave the country to get in the back of the line is a special privelege that others waiting in line do NOT have. In my opinion he has not listened to the people and he'll bring on his AMNESTY bill the minute he can.
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