While we Democrats may still have a primary race on our hands, the Republicans have settled on their candidate. Now, thanks to our labor friends at the AFL-CIO, we can start studying up on John “W” McCain, and start getting in his and their faces early and often!
Introducing … … …
Those clever folks in labor are making it easy to know where McCain stands on pocket-book issues, and now you can too!
Where does he stand on the economy (fundamentally strong and not heading for recession) or workers’ rights (voted to block Employees Free Choice Act)?
How about health care? Under the McCain plan, for example, your health care benefits would become taxable.
This nifty website has not only McCain’s views on the issues critical to working families but shows where he would continue the policies of BushCo that have been so devastating to middle-income Americans for the past 7+ years.
Armed with real facts, union activists are showing up at different John “W” McCain fundraisers across the country as he spends this interregnum roaming the land, stuffing his coffers in preparation for the general election. Here are a couple of reports: Mortgage Crisis Fuels Missouri Working Families at McCain Event and McCain-o-nomics: Warmed Over Bush.
So, click on the book or the url above and check it out. Here’s a good jumping off point as to why we need to get ready NOW to take John “W” McCain down in November.
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JOHN McCAIN: WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
- Will Increase Health Care Costs and Reduce Access. McCain’s plan undermines existing employerbased health care and pushes workers into the private market to fight big insurance companies on their own. He will make health care premiums part of taxable income, essentially creating a new tax for working families. His plan will reduce benefits, increase costs and leave many with no health care at all. (CBPP, 4/5/06; Health08.org, Forum, 10/31/07; Los Angeles Times, 11/20/07; Commonwealth Fund, 6/2005)
- Supports Unfair Trade Deals. McCain voted for NAFTA and CAFTA, and to allow China to enter the WTO although the United States has lost more than 1 million jobs because of NAFTA and 1.8 million jobs since China entered the WTO. (H.R. 3450, Vote #395, 11/20/93; S. 1307, Vote #170, 6/30/05; H.R. 4444, Vote #251, 9/19/00; Economic Policy Institute, 10/9/07)
- More of the Same. McCain supported President Bush’s positions 95 percent of the time in 2007 and an average of 89 percent over Bush’s two terms in office. (Congressional Quarterly Voting Study, 110th Congress)
- Opposes Our Right to Bargain. McCain voted against the Employee Free Choice Act, which would level the playing field for workers trying to form unions, and for a national Right-to-Work-for-Less law that would attempt to eliminate unions altogether. (H.R. 800, Vote #227, 6/26/07; S. 1788, Vote #188, 7/10/96)
- Jeopardized Our Retirement Security. McCain supports privatizing Social Security, putting our retirement at risk, and raising the Medicare eligibility age. (SCR 83, Vote #68, 3/16/06; SCR 18, Vote #49, 3/15/05; S. Amdt.144 to SCR 18, Vote #47, 3/15/05; SCR 86, Vote #56, 4/1/98; SCR 86, Vote #77, 4/1/98; S. 947, Vote #112, S. Amdt. 445, Vote #115, 6/25/97)
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cross-posted from EENR
3 comments
no matter who our nominee is. This man is dangerous the well being of our working men and women and he is dangerous for the world.
than Bush (either poppy or W, for that matter).
It will really be interesting to see how both the GOP and Democratic party play this one. The GOP wants McCain to look more like a true conservative (which he is) than a “maverick” for the base, but they don’t mind making him seem more “moderate” for a general election. I kinda figured that once he locked up the nomination, he’d start playing to the middle. However, the GOP base is so dissatisfied, he may have to throw them more red meat.
As for our side of the race, I’m hoping we get a nominee soon – whomever it is. A lot of crap is getting played out in the media against both candidates, although I think it’s probably a good thing to get this mud out NOW instead of in September or October.
My wild-assed guess is that if Obama wins the nomination, McCain will run right – play hard to his miltary background and embrace the “stay in Iraq for a long time to defeat terrorism” meme (i.e. keep hugging GWB). He’ll play up his conservative roots and touch on how he “works well with others”. (BTW, I put that in quotes because I’ve watched McCain closely for decades, and I can guarantee he’s not a guy who works well with others. He’s a cranky, cantankerous bastard who can put on a good show of appearing funny & charming when it is politically expedient). Bottom line, he’ll try to portray Obama as a neophyte, not ready for the gig, whereas he is “seasoned, experienced, and grown up.” Obama can counter this by two ways: he is the one who is new, positive, and bringing hope and change; and he picks a VP who has a strong military and/or executive level experience.
If Clinton wins the nomination, he won’t run so far to the right. He’ll call her polarizing and try to make her out to be an uncontrollable, uncontrolling bitch. He won’t have to go to the right, because the base wants to see her lose. He can play up more of his supposed “maverick” status and paint her and her husband as a divisive force. Clinton’s best bet is to pick a VP who has strong military credentials and is very likeable (i.e. Wesley Clark, who I’ve been predicting for 2 years would end up as Hillary’s VP). She might instead go for someone with even stronger popular appeal, like Edwards… though I doubt it.
Either way, I think the Democrats have a winning hand against McCain. I was truly worried about him a year ago, when I was certain he’d get the nomination (and that we should worry about Huckabee also rising from the ashes. I never thought Mitt or Rudy would get very far in their campaigns). Seeing how the race has unfolded so far, and seeing how McCain is not inspiring the base and keeps putting his foot in his mouth (example:” I don’t know much about the economy”), I’m not worried that either of our remaining candidates will have difficulty winning the Presidency.
As long as there isn’t too much spying going on, that will smear our candidate come October.
points are very helpful when discussing McCain with independents and people who lean Republican. The other points are great for Democrats, but are also something most strong Republicans would agree with McCain on.
This is hepful stuff – thanks for posting it.