Senator John McCain's seems to be led by a moral motivation that permeates all areas of his life. He's that kid in school who would never do (or admit to doing) any wrong, irking other students in the process, but also raising the bar and serving as a role model. He is quick to say what he thinks, even if it means going against his party’s line. A Senator for over 20 years, McCain has taken a particular interest in international affairs, sponsoring or co-sponsoring several pieces of legislation pertaining to the state of democracy in the Russian Federation and former Soviet Republics.
John McCain is a member of the following Senate Committees:
Armed Services
Commerce, Science, and Transportation
(Ranking Member and former Chairman)
Indian Affairs (former Chairman)
Abortion
Education
While an advocate of charter schools and school vouchers, McCain believes that more than the market is needed for schools to produce educated, thoughtful, and well-rounded citizens. He’s mentioned starting a corps of retired professionals to tutor children, teaching values in school, and helping unqualified teachers find another career (while rewarding effective teachers). McCain has not overlooked higher education, co-sponsoring the Education A-Plus Bill allowing parents to open tax-free savings account for education and related expenses. He is a proponent of states taking the lead in education.
Energy
While Sen. McCain has introduced climate change legislation, he also has stressed diversification of fuel resources, including carbon-intensive fuels. He calls for increased exploration for domestic oil reserves and for research into coal gasification, and recently became a supporter of corn ethanol. He has a split record on increasing CAFE standards, voting for smaller increases but against more ambitious ones. His statements suggest support for fuel cells, biodiesel from waste, natural gas, and plug-in hybrids. He supports nuclear energy and clean coal but hasn’t thrown his weight behind renewable energy, having voted to not fund R&D in 1999 and against nationwide RPS goals in 2002 and 2005. He voted against implementing the Kyoto Protocol but was lead sponsor of the Climate Stewardship Act, which would reduce emissions by 15% by 2020 and 65% by 2050.
Environment
Like his hero, Teddy Roosevelt, John McCain takes a great interest in the U.S. National Parks. He’s called for new investment in the parks, and the creation of capital development bonds to refurbish the parks. These bonds would contract with private fund-raising groups to issue the bonds that would be backed by park fees. However, McCain did vote to repeal President Clinton’s executive order prohibiting construction of new roads in pristine wilderness, saying that such a mandate should not come from the President. McCain has sponsored a resolution for the International Whaling Commission saying that the U.S. opposed commercial whaling and illegal trading in whale meat. He’s supported legislation to give grants to brownfields which passed the house but never became law. Lastly, McCain has supported making the EPA a cabinet-level position.
Like his hero, Teddy Roosevelt, John McCain takes a great interest in the U.S. National Parks. He’s called for new investment in the parks, and the creation of capital development bonds to refurbish the parks. These bonds would contract with private fund-raising groups to issue the bonds that would be backed by park fees. However, McCain did vote to repeal President Clinton’s executive order prohibiting construction of new roads in pristine wilderness, saying that such a mandate should not come from the President. McCain has sponsored a resolution for the International Whaling Commission saying that the U.S. opposed commercial whaling and illegal trading in whale meat. He’s supported legislation to give grants to brownfields which passed the house but never became law. Lastly, McCain has supported making the EPA a cabinet-level position.
Gun Rights
Though John McCain is not a gun owner himself, he is supportive of the right to bear arms and is critical of gun control measures, saying that they are ineffective and punish responsible gun owners, not criminals. He opposes holding gun manufacturers responsible for misuse of guns, but supports bans on certain assault weapons. However, he voted against both The Brady Bill and the 1994 assault weapon ban. That said, McCain says he is in favor of banning cheap guns (Saturday Night Specials), requiring safety locks and performing background checks for gun show purchases, though he voted against most of those measures. He also introduced the 1999 Youth Violence Prevention Act, which never made it out of committee. Despite his April 2007 statement that he favored no gun control, McCain’s mixed message on the issue has earned him a failing rating from the Gun Owners’ Association.
Though John McCain is not a gun owner himself, he is supportive of the right to bear arms and is critical of gun control measures, saying that they are ineffective and punish responsible gun owners, not criminals. He opposes holding gun manufacturers responsible for misuse of guns, but supports bans on certain assault weapons. However, he voted against both The Brady Bill and the 1994 assault weapon ban. That said, McCain says he is in favor of banning cheap guns (Saturday Night Specials), requiring safety locks and performing background checks for gun show purchases, though he voted against most of those measures. He also introduced the 1999 Youth Violence Prevention Act, which never made it out of committee. Despite his April 2007 statement that he favored no gun control, McCain’s mixed message on the issue has earned him a failing rating from the Gun Owners’ Association.
McCain does not include health care as an issue on his website. While he expresses concern about the inadequacies of the nation’s health care, he has yet to offer a plan, or shown any interest in solving this problem. He does believe that cigarettes should be taxed and classified as a drug and subject to FDA regulations. Some of his guiding principles for health care debate include choice of doctor, ability to seek redress from HMOs, and continuity of care when jobs change. He does not believe in universal health care, but favors increasing access to Health Savings Accounts and increasing tax benefits for those with lower incomes.
McCain
was a key
architect of the 2006 comprehensive reform bill and the only GOP
candidate to support the recent immigration reform bill (a compromise
between the 2006 McCain-Kennedy bills and two other immigration bills).
He has been a strong advocate of both enhanced border security and the
creation of a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants. He has also
stressed the need for a bipartisan alliance in favor of comprehensive
reform. He co-sponsored the Senate Immigration Reform Act of 2006,
which called for establishing a guest worker program as well as
creating a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants if they pay fees
and back-taxes, enroll in civic education, remain employed for six
years, and develop proficiency in English.
He has argued that border security should be our first priority and voted for the Secure Fence Act of 2006. He supports boosting the manpower and technology deployed along the border and enhanced worksite enforcement through an electronic employment eligibility verification system. He sees enhanced border security as a prerequisite for the establishment of a temporary worker program and the legalization of resident illegal immigrants.
He supports both a point-based immigration system which grants immigrants points based both on family ties and their ability to contribute to the American economy, as well as the establishment of a temporary worker program (Y-visas) which would allow foreign workers to enter the U.S. to work for 2-year periods. Similarly, he voted in favor of allowing more workers into the U.S. for seasonal agricultural jobs.
He also co-sponsored the failed Save Summer Act of 2004, a bill which would have increased the legal limit for seasonal nonagricultural worker visas (H2-B visas). He has also expressed support for expanding the H1-B visa program. McCain supports prohibiting states from passing laws that deny human services to illegal immigrants and their families.
He voted in favor of allowing illegal immigrants to participate in Social Security.
He has argued that border security should be our first priority and voted for the Secure Fence Act of 2006. He supports boosting the manpower and technology deployed along the border and enhanced worksite enforcement through an electronic employment eligibility verification system. He sees enhanced border security as a prerequisite for the establishment of a temporary worker program and the legalization of resident illegal immigrants.
He supports both a point-based immigration system which grants immigrants points based both on family ties and their ability to contribute to the American economy, as well as the establishment of a temporary worker program (Y-visas) which would allow foreign workers to enter the U.S. to work for 2-year periods. Similarly, he voted in favor of allowing more workers into the U.S. for seasonal agricultural jobs.
He also co-sponsored the failed Save Summer Act of 2004, a bill which would have increased the legal limit for seasonal nonagricultural worker visas (H2-B visas). He has also expressed support for expanding the H1-B visa program. McCain supports prohibiting states from passing laws that deny human services to illegal immigrants and their families.
He voted in favor of allowing illegal immigrants to participate in Social Security.
Though John McCain's ditty of "Bomb Iran"
to the tune of the Beach Boys' "Barbara Ann" garnered much media, John
McCain's stance on Iran has always been military option as a very last
resort. McCain has even used the word "Armageddon" to describe his thoughts on the result of a military confrontation with Iran. On his website
McCain mentions missile defense as a means of dealing with states such
as North Korea and Iran. And while McCain favors sanctions and
diplomacy, he has said
that the only thing worse than US military action against Iran is a
nuclear armed Iran. What we'd like to know is at what point McCain
would consider Iran nuclear-armed...
Iraq
Senator McCain believes that the key to success in Iraq is increasing troop levels. Before any further economic and political developments are possible, American forces must destroy insurgent strongholds, provide security, disarm militias, dismantle al-Qaeda, train the Iraqi army, and "embed American personnel in Iraqi police units". In addition to building up troop levels, McCain believes there needs to be a new counterinsurgency strategy, with a focus on creating security for the Iraqi people. In addition, McCain stresses the importance of strengthening the Iraqi Armed Forces and police – necessary for Iraq to govern and protect itself on its own and create the conditions for political and economic recovery. McCain voted for the use of force in Iraq in 2003 and today expresses "cautious optimism" about the situation in Iraq, claiming that although the war was mismanaged, we are now on the right track and with the new general and new strategy we can win. If we withdraw, he posits, Iraq will become a "base for terrorism" and chaos will spread throughout the region.
John McCain has developed a reputation as a maverick, and to a limited extent this includes LGBT issues. In the past, he has been very critical of the more conservative, homophobic elements in his party, once calling the Christian Right “agents of intolerance.” While professing his opposition to same-sex marriage, McCain was one of six Senate Republicans who in 2006 voted against the failed Federal Marriage Amendment, arguing that this was an area best left to the judgment of each state. At home in Arizona, McCain backed the 2006 referendum to amend the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage, which was ironically the only such vote thus far to be defeated. McCain has also expressed a willingness to consider domestic partnerships. However, he does not support ENDA. McCain supports “don’t ask, don’t tell,” but has called the prospect of LGBT troops “an intolerable risk” to cohesion. As a Vietnam veteran and former prisoner of war, McCain is almost always seen as having a certain legitimacy on all issues related to the military.
In
a reverse case of “I voted for it before I voted against it,” John
McCain initially opposed Bush’s tax cuts before becoming a supporter of
making said cuts permanent, fearing that not doing so would be
dangerous for a slowing economy. Also a supporter of simplifying the
tax code, McCain has suggested
reviving work done by a 2005 commission to simplify the code and having
Congress vote simply on whether or not they support such tax reform.
Many top economist support McCain’s bid for president. When it comes
to balancing the budget, McCain’s pet peeve has long been unnecessary
spending and earmarks. Programs that could potentially get the ax to reduce spending are Amtrak, Defense Department communications programs, veterans’ disability and low-income heating assistance. Critics have gone after McCain for missing a vote banning the alternative minimum tax, a ban that McCain has said he supports. McCain has also caught flak for his support of the estate tax, though he has been willing to compromise on that issue.
While John McCain has emphasized the need for a bipartisan solution on social security, he has also said that raising social security taxes is off the table. In the 2000 election, McCain called for allowing taxpayers to invest at least 20% of their payroll taxes in private accounts. Previously he had also stated that he wouldn’t use social security money for other spending, as sometimes happens. McCain is critical of the social security earnings test, which sets a level of income (roughly $13,000) for those 65-67 that, if exceeded, results in a reduction in benefits. He supports individual savings accounts.
While John McCain has emphasized the need for a bipartisan solution on social security, he has also said that raising social security taxes is off the table. In the 2000 election, McCain called for allowing taxpayers to invest at least 20% of their payroll taxes in private accounts. Previously he had also stated that he wouldn’t use social security money for other spending, as sometimes happens. McCain is critical of the social security earnings test, which sets a level of income (roughly $13,000) for those 65-67 that, if exceeded, results in a reduction in benefits. He supports individual savings accounts.
Trade Policy
John McCain has a strong pro-free trade voting record. He does not believe that free trade should be used as a tool to address environmental concerns and to protect workers' rights. He does believe that free trade is a good foreign policy tool to opening “closed societies” in the Middle East. McCain supported Bush’s plan to build a free trade area in the Middle East by 2013. He has voted in favor of free trade agreements with Singapore, Chile, the Andean nations, Vietnam, China, and the third world. He is also pro-NAFTA, pro-GATT and in favor of “fast track” presidential trade authority.
John McCain has a strong pro-free trade voting record. He does not believe that free trade should be used as a tool to address environmental concerns and to protect workers' rights. He does believe that free trade is a good foreign policy tool to opening “closed societies” in the Middle East. McCain supported Bush’s plan to build a free trade area in the Middle East by 2013. He has voted in favor of free trade agreements with Singapore, Chile, the Andean nations, Vietnam, China, and the third world. He is also pro-NAFTA, pro-GATT and in favor of “fast track” presidential trade authority.