Race Baiters For McCain

In perhaps the saddest move of the political season CNN reports that a McCain spokesman was pushing the story of their poor campaign worker being attacked by a 6’4″ black man who carved a B in her face before the details were even released by the police department:

Note:  I do not believe John McCain in any way condoned this sick attempt at race baiting by some in his Pennsylvania camp.  This is however another example of the dirty attempts to play on peoples racial fears made by people in his camp.

McCain’s Nightmare Health Care Plan – Admits He Will Raise Taxes But That’s Just Scratching The Surface

From Think Progress:

Last week, during an interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), who has previously promised “not [to] raise your taxes nor support a tax increase,” finally admitted that his health care tax credits would not cover the costs of a comprehensive health insurance plan:

MCCAIN: Actually, my position is that it will be, it will give people actually more money to go out and purchase tax – health insurance on their own and only those with the Cadillac gold-plated health insurance policies today are the ones who might suffer from it. The ones –

STEPHANOPOULOS: So they would see their taxes go up potentially.

MCCAIN: It depends on, on, on what plan they have. But that’s usually the wealthiest people. Ordinary working Americans have the kind of – or an overwhelming majority have the health insurance plans that this tax credit, refundable tax credit, will actually put more money in their pockets for the purchase of health care than what they had before.

Watch (starts about 52 sec in):

 

Progressive Accountability takes a closer look at McCain’s plan:

McCain’s Plan Will Tax Families For Their Health Care Benefits & Force Employers To Stop Offering Coverage For Millions Of Americans

McCain’s Plan Would Remove Incentives For Employers To Provide Health Insurance. According to the New York Times, McCain’s health care plan calls “for eliminating the tax breaks that currently encourage employers to provide health insurance for their workers.” They added that, “His proposal to move away from employer-based coverage was similar to one that President Bush pushed for last year, to little effect.” [New York Times, 4/30/08]

McCain’s Plan Would Force Patients To “Buy Health Insurance On Their Own.” McCain’s healthcare plan is an attempt to force patients to “buy health insurance on their own instead of receiving it from their employers.” [New York Times, 5/1/08]

McCain’s Plan “Would Seek To Lure Workers Away From Their Company Health Plans. ”While describing the health care plan proposed by John McCain, The Washington Post wrote, “McCain’s prescription would seek to lure workers away from their company health plans.” McCain would provide families with a $5,000 tax credit to purchase their own health insurance on the free market. [Washington Post, 4/30/08]

McCain’s Flawed Policy Is Just Like The One Bush Put Forward

McCain’s Health Care Plan Is “Similar To A Proposal Put Forth By President Bush Last Year.” While describing the health care plan proposed by John McCain, The Washington Postwrote, “Sen. John McCain on Tuesday rejected calls by his Democratic opponents for universal health coverage, instead offering a market-based solution with an approach similar to a proposal put forth by President Bush last year.” McCain also proposed health savings accounts, which were “a centerpiece of Bush’s health-care efforts.” [Washington Post, 4/30/08]

McCain’s “Move Away From Employer-Based Coverage” Resembles Bush’s Failed Plan.In an article outlining McCain’s health care plan, the New York Times wrote, “His proposal to move away from employer-based coverage was similar to one that President Bush pushed for last year, to little effect.” [New York Times, 4/30/08]

When it Comes to Military Strategies, John McCain Just Doesn’t Get It

Let’s face it, John McCain’s has staked his entire military strategy around the surge.  The fact is McCain is so consumed by the surge that he is blind to the reality of the situation we are in. He continues to mention general Petraeus while saying that we will be victorious in Iraq even though Gen. Petraeus himself said he did not know if he would ever use the word “victory” when it comes to Iraq:

“This is not the sort of struggle where you take a hill, plant the flag and go home to a victory parade… it’s not war with a simple slogan.”

 

So consumed by the surge stratagy is John McCain, that he’s now claiming Iraq should be the example of how we approach Afghanistan:

“Senator Obama refuses to acknowledge that we are winning in Iraq . . . That’s what’s happening in Iraq, and it wasn’t a tactic . . . It was a stratagem. And that same strategy will be employed in Afghanistan by this great general.”

 

“Senator Obama calls for more troops, but what he doesn’t understand, it’s got to be a new strategy, the same strategy that he condemned in Iraq. It’s going to have to be employed in Afghanistan.”

Despite VP pick Sarah Pailin’s willingness to lie to the American people yesterday, the leading general in Afghanistan, Gen. McKiernan (not Mclellan as she claimed) did in fact say:

 “What I don’t think is needed — the word that I don’t use in Afghanistan is the word “surge.” There needs to be a sustained commitment of a variety of military and non-military resources, I believe. That’s my advice to winning in Afghanistan. It won’t be a short-term solution.”

Veterans Hitting John McCain Hard For His Flawed Record of Support

From Veterans Today:

Open Letter to Senator John McCain

by Jere Beery

Senator McCain, I watched the 1st Presidential debate with great interest. One particular comment made by you caught my attention. You stated “the veterans know you will take care of them’ if you are elected President. I’m one of the veterans you were apparently speaking of/for, and I take issue with your assumption. Your voting record in the Senate on veteran’s issues has been nothing less than deplorable. Most recently, you opposed the new GI Bill on the basis it was too generous. Your record speaks for itself. Why should the veterans believe you now? 

As I said, I am one of the veterans you were addressing. I am the recipient of 1 Bronze Star and 3 Purple Hearts for service in Vietnam. I have been a veteran’s advocate for over 25 years now and I am more than qualified to criticize you and your comment. I have personally been fighting for increased funding for veterans’ healthcare for three decades. I am currently involved in the nationwide movement for full mandatory funding of the VA healthcare system.

To date, our resolution for full funding has been adopted by several Presidential candidates, to include; Senator Barack Obama, Senator Hilary Clinton, Senator John Edwards, and Governor Bill Richardson. You have been approached on several occasions by members of our organization for your endorsement of the full funding concept, just to be snubbed. You have been quoted to say that you do not support fully funding veteran’s healthcare, so much for the idea that you will take care of our veterans.

Senator McCain, the simple truth is; I don’t believe you, and I’m certain that many of our veterans don’t believe you either. Pandering to the veteran community at this late date is only going to backfire on you. The veterans aren’t as dumb as you apparently think they are.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jere Beery is the Public Relations Director of Operation Firing For Effect, a veterans group. 

He can be reached by email at jerebeery@aol.com.  Operation Fire for Effect Web Site is at www.offe2008.org

More interesting facts:

The Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the country’s largest Iraq veterans’ group gave John McCain a grade of D when it comes to looking out for their issues.

In 2007, the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), after surveying McCain’s votes on healthcare issues for its 1.3 million members, gave him only 20 percent rating. 

On Webb’s GI Bill, he expressed opposition, and he was AWOL when it was time to vote on May 22. He has since tried to claim credit.

Last September, he voted against another Webb bill that would have mandated adequate rest for troops between combat deployments.

On a badly needed $1.5-billion increase for veterans medical services for fiscal year 2007 — to be funded through closing corporate tax loopholes — he voted no. He also voted against establishing a trust fund to bolster under-budgeted veterans hospitals.

In May 2006, he voted against a $20-billion allotment for expanding swamped veterans medical facilities.

On April 26, 2006, McCain voted against an amendment by Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI) that would have “provided an additional $430,000,000 for the Department of Veteran Affairs for Medical Services for outpatient care and treatment for veterans.”

March 14, 2006, McCain voted against “increasing Veterans medical services funding by $1.5 billion in FY 2007 to be paid for by closing corporate tax loopholes.” 

On March 10, 2004, McCain also voted against“creating a reserve fund to allow for an increase in Veterans’ medical care by $1.8 billion by eliminating tax loopholes.”

On Troop Funding:

John McCain has recently criticized his opponent claiming that he voted against troop funding. However, as mediamatters.org points out:

On March 29, 2007, McCain himself voted against H.R. 1591, an emergency spending bill that would have funded the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and would have provided more than $1 billion in additional funds to the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Senate passed H.R. 1591 by a margin of 51-47. Once the bill’s conference report was agreed to by the House, the Senate again passed the measure on April 26, 2007, by a vote of 51-46. McCain did not vote on that version of the bill. By contrast, Obama voted for it on both occasions. President Bush vetoedthe bill, citing its provision for a timetable for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq.

From the non-partisan Votesmart.org:

2006 Senator McCain only supported the interests of the Disabled American Veterans 20 percent of the time.

2006 Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America gave Senator McCain a grade of D.

2006  Senator McCain sponsored or co-sponsored 18 percent of the legislation favored by the The Retired Enlisted Association in 2006.

2005  Senator McCain supported the interests of the Disabled American Veterans 25 percent in 2005.

2004  Senator McCain supported the interests of the Disabled American Veterans 50 percent in 2004.

2004  Senator McCain supported the interests of the The Retired Enlisted Association 0 percent in 2004.

2003-2004  Senator McCain supported the interests of the Vietnam Veterans of America 100 percent in 2003-2004.

2003  Senator McCain supported the interests of the The American Legion 50 percent in 2003.

2001  Senator McCain supported the interests of the Vietnam Veterans of America 46 percent in 2001.

1999  Senator McCain supported the interests of the Disabled American Veterans 66 percent in 1999.

1997-1998  Senator McCain supported the interests of the Vietnam Veterans of America 0 percent in 1997-1998.

1989-1990  On the votes that the Vietnam Veterans of America considered to be the most important in 1989-1990 , Senator McCain voted their preferred position 50 percent of the time.

Fact: John McCain The Fundamental Deregulator

From TJR:

What Fellow Republicans Have to Say About John McCain

“The thought of his being president sends a cold chill down my spine. He is erratic. He is hotheaded. He loses his temper and he worries me.”

Senator Thad Cochran, R-MS

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/02/thad-cochran-ch.html

“I decided I didn’t want this guy anywhere near a trigger.”

Senator Pete Domenici, R-NM

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=4301022

“He is a vicious person. Nearly all the Republican Senators endorsed Bush because they knew McCain from serving with him in the Senate. They so disliked him that they wouldn’t support him. They have been on the hard end of his behavior.”

Former Representative Charles LeBoutillier, R-NY

http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2006/7/5/00548.shtml

“John was very rough in the sandbox. Everybody has a McCain story. If you work in the Senate for a while, you have a McCain story. He hasn’t built up a lot of goodwill.”

Former Senator Rick Santorum, R-PA

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/03/AR2008020303242_pf.html

“There would be a lot of people who would have to recalibrate their attitudes toward John.”

Senator Bob Bennett, R-UT

http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/14458.html

“His temper would place this country at risk in international affairs, and the world perhaps in danger. In my mind, that should disqualify him.”

Former Senator Bob Smith, R-NH

http://www.theseminal.com/2008/04/20/should-mccains-problem-temper-disqualify-him-from-presidency/

“I heard about his temper more from others. According to them, he really unleashed on some of them, and they couldn’t figure out why…It happened enough that it was affecting his credibility with some people.”

Grant Woods, McCain’s former Chief of Staff, former AG of Arizona, and current McCain staffer

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/19/AR2008041902224_pf.html

An “embarrassment to the party.”

Arizona GOP State Senator Susan Johnson

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/19/AR2008041902224_pf.html

“No dissent, no opinion to the contrary- however reasonable- will be entertained. Hardheaded is one way to say it. Arrogant is another way to say it. Hubristic is another way to say it. Too proud for his own good is another way to say it. It’s a quality about him that disturbs me.”

Col. Larry Wilkerson, US Army (ret.) and former chief aide to Colin Powell

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080324/dreyfuss

“I don’t like McCain. I don’t like him at all.”

Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-CO

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/new-gang-of-14-wont-back-mccain-2008-06-11.html

McCain “has a legendary temper and often uses foul and obscene language.”

Focus on Family Founder James Dobson

http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/02/dobson_blasts_mccain.php

“What has struck me about McCain is that everybody underestimated the ability of his advisers and him to hypnotize the national media, because most of us in the media in Arizona thought of him as a guy who had a terrible temper, occasionally had a foul mouth, a guy who whined and pouted unless he got his way. McCain has a temper that is bombastic, volatile, and purple-faced. Sometimes he gets out of control. Do you want somebody sitting in the White House with that kind of temper?”

Pat Murphy, former editor of the Arizona Republic, and a former friend of McCain

http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2006/7/5/00548.shtml

“Is it possible that John McCain thinks you have too much freedom? … I gotta tell you, I don’t know what’s happening to John McCain.”

Wayne LaPierre, CEO and Executive VP of the National Rifle Association

“John McCain is Bob Dole minus the charm, conservatism, and youth. Like McCain, pollsters assured us that Dole was the most electable Republican. Unlike McCain, Dole didn’t lie all the time while claiming to engage in ‘straight talk.'”

Ann Coulter, conservative columnist and author

“John’s a person I’ve had a lot of disagreements with, but you’ve got to have a lot of respect for him…I’m not speaking as if I’m a born again supporter of John McCain, I’m just trying to express it the way that I see him.”

Senator Charles Grassley, R-IA

“I think it’s his style as much as much as the positions he takes…I think it’s his attitude that it’s his way or the highway.”

Former Senator Tim Hutchinson, R-AR

“It just seems like everything we did, John was someplace else…In my mind, he is not [a conservative].”

Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-IL

“What happens if he gets angry in crisis in the presidency? It’s difficult enough to be a negotiator, but it’s almost impossible when you’re the type of guy who’s so angry at anybody who doesn’t do what he wants. It’s the president’s job to negotiate and stay calm. I just don’t see that he has that quality.”

Former Arizona GOP Chairman John Hinz

“There’s nothing redeeming about John McCain…he’s a hypocrite.”

Former House GOP Whip Tom DeLay

“He is the anti-conservative. He instinctively sides against conservatives and relishes poking them in the eye.”

Conservative talk show host and author David Limbaugh

“If either [John McCain or Mike Huckabee] gets the nomination, it’s going to destroy the Republican Party, it’s going to change it forever, be the end of it.”

Conservative talk show host and author Rush Limbaugh

“For all his supposed, newfound enlightenment about what most Americans want – protection against invasion, commitment to the rule of law, meaningful employer sanctions, an end to sanctuary cities, enforcement-by-attrition plus deportation reform, and an end to special illegal alien benefits that invite more law-breaking-The Maverick remains a Geraldo Rivera Republican. Like the ethnocentric cable TV host who can’t string a sentence about immigration together without drowning in emotional demagoguery, McCain naturally resorts to open-borders platitudes when pressed for enforcement specifics…McCain has learned nothing.”

Michelle Malkin, conservative columnist and author