FALSE: MCCAIN CLAIMS THAT WITH HIS TAX PLAN EVERYONE GETS A TAX CUT
Independent Economists Confirm the McCain Tax Plan Will Leave out 101 Million Taxpayers. Economists Alexander Gelber and Jeffrey Liebman calculated how many taxpayers would be left out of the McCain tax plan. They found that “101 million taxpayers would not benefit from the increase in the dependent exemption in 2009. This calculation was intentionally generous to Sen. McCain—potentially under-estimating the number of tax filers that McCain’s plan leaves out…” [Gelber and Liebman memo, 9/3/08]
Analysts Say That Obama’s Tax Cut Plan “Offers Three Times The Break For Middle Class Families Than Proposals” Of McCain. “The tax cut plan of Democratic nominee to be Barack Obama offers three times the break for middle class families than proposals of likely Republican nominee John McCain, according to analysts working for a left-leaning think tank. Families making between $37,595 and $66,354 of annual income with Obama would get an average tax cut of $1,042 per family while McCain’s tax cut for this group would be $319, the report states.” [Nashua Telegraph, 6/12/08]
McCain’s Chief Economic Advisor: “I Used To Say That Barack Obama Raises Taxes…I Stand Corrected.” “Take this one, for instance: ‘The choice in this election is stark and simple,’ John McCain said at recent Denver event, repeating a phrase that is a staple of his stump speech. ‘Senator Obama will raise your taxes. I won’t.’ Seems clear enough, right? You already know the old argument: Republicans cut taxes, Democrats raise them. Except it’s not true, at least not in the way that it seems. But don’t take my word for it. Here is Douglas Holtz-Eakin, McCain’s chief economic policy adviser. ‘I used to say that Barack Obama raises taxes and John McCain cuts them, and I was convinced,’ he told me in a phone interview this week. ‘I stand corrected [about Obama's plans].’” [Time, 7/24/08]
McCain Would “Steer The Bulk Of The Benefits To The Wealthiest Families” And “Biggest Benefit Would Flow To Those In The Top 0.1% — Those With Incomes Above $2.8 Million … Obama Skews His Tax Cuts Toward The Lower-And Middle-End Of The Income Scale.” “Both John McCain and Barack Obama promise to cut taxes for the majority of Americans. But an Obama administration would redistribute income toward lower- and middle-class households, while a McCain White House would steer the bulk of the benefits to the wealthiest families, according to a nonpartisan analysis of the still-evolving tax plans of the presidential candidates. … Under Sen. McCain, those in the middle — making between $66,354 and $111,645 — would see their after-tax income increase by 0.7%. The biggest benefit would flow to those in the top 0.1% — those with incomes above $2.8 million — who would see their after-tax income increase by 4.4%. Sen. Obama skews his tax cuts toward the lower- and middle-end of the income scale. Those in the middle would see their after-tax income increase by 2.4%, or $1,042. Americans with incomes above $2.8 million would see their after-tax income decrease by 11.5%.” [Wall Street Journal, 6/12/08]
FALSE: MCCAIN CLAIMS HE IS DIFFERENT FROM BUSH ON SPENDING, TORTURE AND 9/11 COMMISSION
McCain Voted for 4 of 5 Bush/Republican Budgets Adding Up To $9.8 Trillion In Spending. McCain supported four of the five Republican-sponsored budgets that the Senate voted on from 2001-2006. McCain voted for the FY 2002 budget, the FY 2005 budget, the FY 2006 budget and the FY 2007 budget. The budgets added up to $9.8 Trillion in spending. [2001 Senate Vote #98; 2004 Senate Vote #58; 2005 Senate Vote #114; 2006 Senate Vote #74]
2006: McCain Voted To Provide Tax Cuts For Those Earning Over $1 Million Over Funding 9/11 Commission Report Recommendations. McCain voted against an amendment to establish a Homeland Security Trust Fund to implement all 41 recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. It would be offset by eliminating certain tax breaks for individuals with annual incomes of more than $1 million. [2006 Senate Vote #244, 9/13/2006, Obama: N, McCain: Y, Biden: N]
2006: McCain Voted Against Providing $4.1 Billion To Implement 9/11 Commission Recommendations Regarding First Responders. McCain voted against an amendment to the Security and Accountability of Every Port Act of 2006 which sought to appropriate $4.1 billion for the implementation of the 9/11 Commission’s recommendations such as the screening of all cargo, and the provision of much needed resources for first responders, including the capacity to communicate on a common radio spectrum. [2006 Senate Vote #243, 9/13/2006, Obama: Y, McCain: N, Biden: Y]
McCain Called Waterboarding “Torture.” During an appearance on Larry King Live, McCain said, “Waterboarding, in my view, is torture, and it’s illegal. We passed a Military Commissions Act which allowed the CIA to use some additional techniques not in violation of the Geneva Conventions, the Anti-Torture Convention, the Detainee Treatment Act or any of the other rules and laws and conventions that prohibit cruel and inhumane and degrading treatment.” [CNN, Larry King Live Transcript, 2/14/2008]
McCain Said He Failed To Vote For The Measure Because Waterboarding Is Already Illegal. The Los Angeles Times reported “In a statement, McCain explained his vote against the measure by saying he considers waterboarding illegal under existing U.S. law but he does not want to bind U.S. intelligence officers with restrictions designed for the military. ‘I believe that our energies are better directed at ensuring that all techniques, whether used by the military or the CIA, are in full compliance with our international obligations and in accordance with our deepest values,’ McCain said.” [Los Angeles Times, 2/14/2008]
McCain Will Not Restrict CIA Tactics He Called Torture. The Wall Street Journal wrote “Sen. McCain voted against the measure and said the law he negotiated with the Bush administration in 2006 allows some government agencies to use ‘some additional techniques’ along with those in the Army Field Manual. ‘I’ve made it very clear that I believe waterboarding is torture and illegal,’ Sen. McCain said. ‘But I will not restrict the CIA to only the Army Field Manual. That’s my position, and that’s been my position.’” [Wall Street Journal, 2/14/2008]
McCain Changed His Position on Torture. CQ Weekly reported that “While McCain has mostly been an outspoken supporter of Bush’s anti-terrorism policies, he took the lead in 2005 in pushing into law — over the strong objections of Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney — a ban on “cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment” of suspected terrorists being held at the Guant?!namo Bay, Cuba, naval base. The next year, McCain and two other GOP senators, John W. Warner of Virginia and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, led the congressional effort that forced the administration to rewrite its military commissions proposal to avoid undermining the Geneva Conventions.” [CQ Weekly, 2/10/2008]
McCain Also Called On President Bush To Veto The Legislation. The Associated Press reported, “Republican presidential candidate John McCain said President Bush should veto a measure that would bar the CIA from using waterboarding and other harsh interrogation methods on terror suspects. McCain voted against the bill, which would restrict the CIA to using only the 19 interrogation techniques listed in the Army field manual. … ‘I think if you disagree with a law, you have a constitutional right to veto that, authority to veto that,’ McCain said.” [AP, 2/20/2008]
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