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Katherine vs. McCain
“The tax cuts are now there and voting to revoke them would have been to--not to extend 2006: McCain Voted To End Tuition Deduction for Students. McCain voted to end tuition deductions benefiting more than 3.6 million students and families nationwide, including over 74,300 in Arizona who saved $113 million because of those benefits. McCain’s vote to eliminate these college tax breaks are coming at a time when tuition and fees at four-year public colleges have increased 40% since President Bush took office. The average student borrower leaves school saddled with $20,000 in debt. 2006: McCain Voted To End Tax Credits for Lower Income Families Saving For Retirement. McCain voted to end retirement saver’s tax credits that benefited more than 97,700 Arizonans, who saved $18 million through the program. The Saver’s Credit allows lower-income families to deduct up to 50% of the contributions they put into retirement plans. [H.R. 4279, 5/11/06, #118; IRS Data, October 2005; Kansas City Star, 4/3/05] 2006: McCain Voted to End a Tax Break for Teachers. The McCain vote also ended an educator expense deduction that benefited more than 62,000 Arizona teachers in 2003, saving them $15.4 million. The provision allowed teachers to deduct to $250 of out-of-pocket expenses they pay for books and classroom supplies. [H.R. 4279, 5/11/06, #118; IRS Data, October 2005; IRS Tax Tip]
“If I am the nominee of the party, I will put California in play and compete for it, including the Bay Area. I have addressed many issues and have taken positions that I think people in the Bay Area agree with, especially climate change.” So that is McCain’s line from yesterday on the campaign trail in San Francisco. You may have already seen it as it got a nice ride on Drudge last night. McCain was, of course, trying to make his case for why he could compete in California. And maybe, for the GOP base, he went a bit far in, eureka!, pointing out that folks in the ultra-liberal Bay Area may agree with some of his stances. It was perhaps a mini-gaffe. http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonathanmartin/0607/San_Francisco_Values.htmlMCCAIN VOTED AGAINST BUSH TAX CUTS BEFORE HE VOTED FOR THEM Katherine does whatever Bush says. McCain Voted To Maintain Bush Tax Cuts After Voting Against Them. John McCain voted to extend tax cuts supported by the president that were set to expire between 2005 and 2010. “The Senate voted 53-47…in favor of extending the president’s investor tax cuts on dividends and capital gains. Joining in this breakthrough vote was John McCain, the senator who voted against these tax cuts when they were introduced in 2003. This is an important shift for the GOP presidential frontrunner[.]” McCain’s vote was described as “a sharp reversal of his anti-tax-cut posture,” though he defended the shift, saying, “it was a gimmick,” reasoning that “the tax cuts were temporary and then had to be made permanent. [Senate vote #10, H.R. 4297, 2/2/06, passed 66-31; New York Times, 2/21/2006; Washington Times, 3/6/06; NBC News, 4/2/2006] 2006: McCain Voted For Bush Tax Cuts And Defended The Flip-Flop As A Legislative Gimmick. John McCain voted to extend tax cuts supported by the president that were set to expire between 2005 and 2010. “The Senate voted 53-47…in favor of extending the president’s investor tax cuts on dividends and capital gains. Joining in this breakthrough vote was John McCain, the senator who voted against these tax cuts when they were introduced in 2003. This is an important shift for the GOP presidential frontrunner [.]” McCain’s vote was described as “a sharp reversal of his anti-tax-cut posture,” though he defended the shift, saying, “it was a gimmick,” reasoning that “the tax cuts were temporary and then had to be made permanent. The tax cuts are now there and voting to revoke them would have been to--not to extend them would have meant a tax increase. I’ve never voted for a tax increase in my life.” [Senate vote #10, H.R. 4297, 2/2/06, passed 66-31; New York Times, 2/21/06; Washington Times, 3/6/06; NBC News, 4/2/06] 2001, 2003: McCain Voted Against Bush’s Tax Cuts. In 2001, Congress passed “the first major tax cut in two decades and gave President Bush a speedy victory on the top priority of his administration. With final votes in the House and Senate on a compromise version of the $1.35 trillion, 10-year package that nearly mirrors the original Bush proposal, the lawmakers sent the measure to the president, who is expected to quickly sign it into law.” McCain was one of two Republicans to join “the majority of Democrats against” the tax cut package. In 2003, McCain said on the floor of the Senate, “I cannot in good conscience vote in favor of tax cuts,” as “no one can be expected to make an informed decision on fiscal policy at this time with so many uncertain contingencies.” McCain called on Congress to pause before passing tax cuts, saying, “Let us wait…it is far sounder statesmanship than cutting taxes in the dark, or running up spending [.]” [Senate vote #170, H.R. 1836, 5/26/01, passed 58-33; Baltimore Sun, 5/27/01; Senate vote #196, H.R. 2, 5/23/03, passed 50-50; Statement, 3/18/03]
McCain Flip-Flopped And Voted With His Republican Colleagues To Move Forward The Permanent Repeal Of The Estate Tax Despite Saying It Hurt The Deficit Too Much Days Before. McCain voted with all but one of his Republican colleagues for cloture on the Death tax Repeal Permanency Act, which failed in the Senate, 57-41. McCain’s vote was in contradiction to actions reported only days prior by Roll Call, which wrote that McCain and other moderate Senators “argued that, given domestic spending demands 2003: McCain Voted Against Accelerating The Repeal Of The Estate Tax. In 2003, McCain voted against Senator Kyl’s amendment to S.Con.Res. 23 that would have accelerated the repeal of the estate tax from 2010 to 2009. McCain was one of four Republicans to vote against the amendment, which passed 51-48. [Vote #62, S.Amdt 288 to S.Con.Res. 23, 3/20/03, 51-48] 2002: McCain Voted Against A Permanent Repeal Of The Estate Tax. In 2002, McCain was one of two Republicans to vote against a permanent extension of the estate tax repeal. The motion failed, with a vote of 54-44. [Vote #151, S. Amdt 3833 to H.R. 8, 6/12/02, 54-44] 2001: McCain Voted Against Phasing Out The Estate Tax. In 2001, McCain was one of two Republicans to vote against the tax cut package that included an elimination of the estate tax over 10 years. The bill passed, 58-33. [Vote #170, H.R. 1836, 5/26/01, 58-33]
Still, Ed Rollins, a Republican consultant and former campaign manager for Ronald Reagan, said McCain is taking a major political risk with his position on immigration. “He’s not going to be convincing any Republicans that this is a good bill,’’ Rollins said. “This is going to hurt him.’’ Since May 18, when McCain stood with Democratic Senator Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts to announce the bipartisan deal on immigration, traders have lowered the odds that he will clinch the nomination. Two weeks ago, traders on Intrade, an online electronic exchange based in Dublin, put McCain’s odds at about 28 percent; as of May 31, the odds were about 17 percent. The Arizona senator supports the Senate proposal and said Mr. Romney has had similar views in the past. “Look at the record and look at the statements he’s made about that and a number of issues,” Mr. McCain said at a Dallas fundraiser. “The important thing is for us to move forward and get something done. ... If someone else has a better proposal, then let’s see if we can get enough support to pass it.” Mr. Romney shrugged off Mr. McCain’s criticism. “I have respect for Sen. McCain,” he said. “I guess it just shows that even when he’s wrong, he’s amusing.” Mr. McCain later responded, “I’m always amusing.” As the Senate debate over immigration raged yesterday, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) had breakfast, brunch and lunch fundraisers in Houston before heading north to gather money at a supporter’s home in Dallas and, later, from young professionals at a gourmet Mexican restaurant. The money-raising activity has proved to be something of a zero-sum game, however. On the campaign trail, the intense focus on fundraising has crowded out some of the retail campaigning that was a trademark of his first presidential campaign. The candidate who rode the Straight Talk Express for 71 days and 15,000 miles in 2000 has spent eight days on the bus so far in the 2008 campaign, aides said. Since January, McCain has missed half of the Senate’s scheduled votes -- 87 -- including all 45 votes held since first-quarter fundraising reports were released April 15 that showed McCain trailing all of the leading candidates in both parties. His absence from backroom negotiations over the immigration bill sparked a heated exchange last week with Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.), who accused him of “parachuting in” at the last minute. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/22/AR2007052201491.html
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