Does McCain Stand with America's Families?
February 28, 2008
President Bush today said he opposed a housing bill that would help struggling families and communities suffering from the housing crises. John McCain, who has admitted "[t]he issue of economics is not something I've understood as well as I should," has been reluctant to support important efforts by Democrats in Congress to help families suffering from the housing crisis-- surprising considering he has been campaigning in Ohio, one of the states hardest hit by home foreclosures. [Boston Globe, 12/18/07]
"You'd think John McCain would want to demonstrate to the American people that he understands the crisis they are facing with home foreclosures and join Democrats in supporting this bill," said Democratic National Committee Communications Director Karen Finney. "If he's really a maverick, why won't he put what's right for America's families ahead of his political ambition and do the right thing? America doesn't need another four years of the Bush-McCain economy of deficits and fiscal mismanagement."
McCain Says He Doesn't Understand the Economy. McCain admitted to reporters "[t]he issue of economics is not something I've understood as well as I should." [Boston Globe, 12/18/07]
Republicans Postponing Consideration of Housing Bill So McCain Doesn't Have to Make a Hard Vote. "Consideration of the mortgage package was delayed earlier in the week when a debate over the Iraq War lasted longer than expected. At the time, Majority Whip Richard J. Durbin, D-Ill., maintained that Republicans were intentionally delaying consideration of the mortgage package so that Arizona Sen. John McCain -- the presumptive GOP presidential nominee -- would not have to cast a vote on the bill before the March 4 Ohio primary." [Congressional Quarterly Today, 2/27/2008]
McCain's Only Plan to Curb a Recession? Cut Pork Barrel Spending. In response to George Stephanopoulos' question about what to do about an impending recession, McCain only talked about pork barrel spending. "I think it's very important that we send a signal to the American people we're going to stop the earmark pork barrel spending…Well, one reason is if you -- in the last two year, the president signed into law $35 billion worth of pork barrel projects. That would have been a thousand-dollar tax credit for every child in America. Wouldn't it have been better for our economy to give a thousand-dollar tax credit for every child in America as opposed to a bridge to nowhere in Alaska? And it also has a confidence impact. A confidence impact that the American people see their tax dollars being frittered away in wasteful and unnecessary spending." [ABC's This Week, 2/17/08]
McCain Skips Vote to Give Tax Rebates to Seniors and Disabled Veterans. "McCain skipped a difficult Senate vote Wednesday on whether to make 20 million seniors and 250,000 disabled veterans eligible for rebate checks as part of a proposed economic stimulus package" despite the fact that he "was actually in Washington -- his plane landed at Dulles Airport by 5 p.m., leaving plenty of time to make" the vote." [AP, 2/6/08; Politico.com, 2/6/08]
