John McCain has a long voting record, and it is filled with many votes that he probably regrets. Speaking of which, there are his votes against the Bush taxA tax is a mandatory payment or charge collected by local, state, and national governments from individuals or businesses to cover the costs of general government services, goods, and activities. cuts in 2001 and 2003, which he now favors extending (and more). There’s his support for non-tax issues (such as the war, McCain-Feingold, and others.) But there have been those moments in John McCain’s voting record that sound fiscal policy can speak proud of, such as these laws that ultimately were signed into law by Pres. Bush (whose fiscal policy record is nothing to praise):
Energy Bill of 2005: McCain joined six other Republicans and 20 Democrats (including Jeffords) to vote against this pathetic piece of legislation that loaded billions in subsidies to oil companies, ethanol producers, and thousands of other earmarks to various political constituencies. The only way you could have gotten any energy out of this bill would be to set it on fire. We blogged about how bad this bill was here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.
Medicare Part D: McCain opposed Pres. Bush’s attempt to essentially buy votes from seniors in the 2004 election by implementing a massive new entitlement program for a generation that has already received generous treatment from government.
The Farm Bill of (Insert Year): McCain has consistently opposed the massive handouts that members of Congress give to farmers (many of which are very wealthy) each year to plant, to not plant, or to do whatever they feel like.
A new McCain ad highlights the fact that he voted against the Energy Bill of 2005, while Sen. Obama voted in favor of it. (He should do the same about the farm bill that Obama has supported every year.)
These are the parts of his record that McCain should be proud to speak of instead of attacking Sen. Obama in other advertisements filled with half-truths about the Illinois senator.
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