By John J. Sweeney
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He calls himself a straight talker. He's labeled a "maverick," willing to buck his own party.
But who is presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain…really?
John McCain is George W. Bush all over again. 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)
He’s a self-described “free trader” who helped ship our jobs overseas. McCain voted for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and to allow China to enter the World Trade Organization (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. He voted to allow overseas outsourcing of government contracts and to weaken Buy American laws. (H.R. 3450, Vote #395, 11/20/93; S. 1307, Vote #170, 6/30/05; H.R. 4444, Vote #251, 9/19/00; Economy Policy Institute, 10/9/07; S. 1637, Vote #32, 3/4/04; S. 2400, Vote #135, 6/22/04; S. 1050, Vote #191, 5/21/03)
McCain wants to tax our health care benefits. His health care plan undermines existing employer-based health care and pushes workers into the private market to fight big insurance companies on their own. It will reduce benefits, increase costs and leave many with no health care at all. (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 4/5/06; Health08.org Forum, 10/31/07; Los Angeles Times, 11/20/07; The Commonwealth Fund, 6/20/05)
McCain opposes our freedom to form unions and bargain. McCain voted to block the Employee Free Choice Act, which would level the playing field for workers trying to form unions, but he voted for a national "right to work" for less law that would cripple workers' unions. (H.R. 800, Vote #227, 6/26/07; S. 1788, Vote #188, 7/10/96)
McCain wants to privatize Social Security and cut Medicare. 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)
Get to know the real John McCain. Visit McCain Revealed for more information, to find out how you can make sure America knows who McCain really is and to join in demanding that he renounce the failed Bush economic agenda.
