McCain Watch: The Voting Record -- Danger Will Robinson!

Just in case you or someone you know is thinking "Well, John McCain doesn't seem that bad." Please, please read over some of his more extreme voting record below, gathered from OnTheIssues:

On Abortion:

• Supports repealing Roe v. Wade. (May 2007)
• Voted YES on barring HHS grants to organizations that perform abortions. (Oct 2007)
• Voted NO on $100M to reduce teen pregnancy by education & contraceptives. (Mar 2005)
• Voted YES on maintaining ban on Military Base Abortions. (Jun 2000)
• Rated 0% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record. (Dec 2003)

On Civil Rights:

• Voted YES on recommending Constitutional ban on flag desecration. (Jun 2006)
• Voted NO on adding sexual orientation to definition of hate crimes. (Jun 2002)
• Voted YES on loosening restrictions on cell phone wiretapping. (Oct 2001)
• Voted YES on setting aside 10% of highway funds for minorities & women. (Mar 1998)
• Voted YES on prohibiting same-sex marriage. (Sep 1996)
• Voted NO on prohibiting job discrimination by sexual orientation. (Sep 1996)
• Voted YES on banning affirmative action hiring with federal funds. (Jul 1995)
• Require 90 day delay for compliance before ADA lawsuits. (May 2002)
• Rated 0% by the ACLU, indicating an anti-civil rights voting record. (Dec 2002)
• Rated 33% by the HRC, indicating a mixed record on gay rights. (Dec 2006)
• Rated 7% by the NAACP, indicating an anti-affirmative-action stance. (Dec 2006)

On Education:

• Voted NO on $52M for "21st century community learning centers". (Oct 2005)
• Voted NO on $5B for grants to local educational agencies. (Oct 2005)
• Voted NO on shifting $11B from corporate tax loopholes to education. (Mar 2005)
• Voted NO on funding smaller classes instead of private tutors. (May 2001)
• Voted NO on funding student testing instead of private tutors. (May 2001)
• Voted NO on spending $448B of tax cut on education & debt reduction. (Apr 2001)
• Voted YES on declaring memorial prayers and religious symbols OK at schools. (May 1999)
• Voted YES on school vouchers in DC. (Sep 1997)
• Voted YES on $75M for abstinence education. (Jul 1996)
• Voted YES on requiring schools to allow voluntary prayer. (Jul 1994)
• Voted NO on national education standards. (Feb 1994)
• Rated 45% by the NEA, indicating a mixed record on public education. (Dec 2003)

Health Care:

• Voted NO on expanding enrollment period for Medicare Part D. (Feb 2006)
• Voted NO on including prescription drugs under Medicare. (Jun 2000)
• Rated 25% by APHA, indicating a anti-public health voting record. (Dec 2003)

Homeland Security:

• Keep “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy - it works. (Jan 2000)
• Voted NO on limiting soldiers' deployment to 12 months. (Jul 2007)
• Voted NO on preserving habeas corpus for Guantanamo detainees. (Sep 2006)
• Voted NO on requiring CIA reports on detainees & interrogation methods. (Sep 2006)
• Voted YES on reauthorizing the PATRIOT Act. (Mar 2006)
• Voted YES on extending the PATRIOT Act's wiretap provision. (Dec 2005)
• Voted NO on restricting business with entities linked to terrorism. (Jul 2005)
• Voted NO on restoring $565M for states' and ports' first responders. (Mar 2005)
• Voted NO on adopting the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. (Oct 1999)
• Sponsored bill for Iraq budget to be part of defense budget. (Jun 2006)
• Rated 0% by SANE, indicating a pro-military voting record. (Dec 2003)

McCain Watch: McCain’s extremist opposition to gay adoption

Barack Obama reversed his pledge to stand up against FISA. I think that's wrong and I'll continue to say it. But lest you think I'm not aware what a disaster it would be for this country -- and the world -- were John McCain to slip into the White House (yes, I'm talking to you, Donald!), here's yet another reason why we must not let McCain get elected in November. From ThinkProgress:

In a revealing interview with the New York Times, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) — an adoptive parent himself — declared that he opposed the right of gay couples to adopt children, even if it meant leaving children in orphanages:

Q: President Bush believes that gay couples should not be permitted to adopt children. Do you agree with that?

Mr. McCain: I think that we’ve proven that both parents are important in the success of a family so, no I don’t believe in gay adoption.

Q: Even if the alternative is the kid staying in an orphanage, or not having parents.

Mr. McCain: I encourage adoption and I encourage the opportunities for people to adopt children I encourage the process being less complicated so they can adopt as quickly as possible. And Cindy and I are proud of being adoptive parents.

Q: But your concern would be that the couple should a traditional couple —

Mr. McCain: Yes.

McCain’s position is an extreme one, considering that only one state, Florida, forbids all forms of gay adoption. A March 2007 study estimated that 65,000 adopted children are living with a gay or lesbian parent, and determined that a national ban on LGBT foster care could cost anywhere from $87 million to $130 million.

From the American Academy of Pediatrics:

A growing body of scientific literature demonstrates that children who grow up with 1 or 2 gay and/or lesbian parents fare as well in emotional, cognitive, social, and sexual functioning as do children whose parents are heterosexual. Children’s optimal development seems to be influenced more by the nature of the relationships and interactions within the family unit than by the particular structural form it takes.

Just one more example of John McCain's extreme ignorance and narrow-mindedness.

The McCain energy plan: Drill, drill, and drill some more!

As Barack Obama gains the endorsement of Al Gore, John McCain announces his plan for solving our energy problem int he US: Lift those pesky offshore drilling moratoriums!

"We must embark on a national mission to eliminate our dependence on foreign oil. We have untapped oil reserves of at least 21 billion barrels in the United States. But a broad federal moratorium stands in the way of energy exploration and production. . . . It is time for the federal government to lift these restrictions."

As the Washington Post notes:

McCain's announcement is a reversal of the position he took in his 2000 presidential campaign and a break with environmental activists, even as he attempts to win the support of independents and moderate Democrats. Since becoming the presumptive GOP nominee in March, McCain has presented himself as a friend of the environment by touting his plans to combat global warming and his opposition to drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and in the Everglades.

McCain On Whether Cheney Might Serve In His Administration: ‘Hell, Yeah’

From ThinkProgress:

As Vice President Dick Cheney makes the rounds on “the GOP’s rubber chicken circuit” these days to raise funds for conservative candidates, he always implores his audiences “to make sure that we elect John McCain the 44th President of the United States.” But worried about being labeled a third Bush term, the McCain campaign has made strides to distance the candidate from Cheney by blasting “Vice President Cheney’s energy bill.”

But before Cheney became a political albatross, McCain overflowed with kind things to say about him. In fact, in July 2004, McCain described Cheney as one of the best vice presidents ever:

At a July 15 appearance in Michigan, McCain dampened the speculation by calling Cheney “one of the most capable, experienced, intelligent and steady vice presidents this country has ever had.”

In interviews for Stephen Hayes’ 2007 biography of Cheney, McCain “strongly” asserted that Cheney “has been of enormous help to this president of the United States.” Politico’s Jonathan Martin reports today that in unpublished comments to Hayes, McCain also said that he would consider Cheney for a post in his administration:

Going further, McCain even told Hayes in comments heretofore unpublished that he’d consider Cheney for an administration post.

Asked whether he’d be interested in Cheney had the vice president not already have served under Bush for two terms, McCain said: “I don’t know if I would want him as vice president. He and I have the same strengths. But to serve in other capacities? Hell, yeah.”

Read the rest of the the post here.

McCain Watch BONUS! "An awkward smile"

McCain Watch: "McGreen"

That 'ol maverick is at it again! From the Wonk Room at Think Progress:

After Standing Against Everglades Restoration, McCain Visits Park To Bolster Environmental Credentials

Tomorrow, to bolster his environmental credentials, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) will tour and likely marvel at the pristine Florida Everglades. What a difference a year makes: in 2007, McCain displayed far less concern for “one of America’s greatest national treasures.”

Bucking environmentalists and the state’s political establishment, who had spent seven years lobbying for sweeping Everglades cleanup legislation, McCain, too busy on the campaign trail to vote on the measure, “opposed spending $2 billion on restoring the national park,” and urged colleagues to let President Bush’s veto of the preservation bill stand:

I believe that we should be passing a bill that will authorize legitimate, needed projects without sacrificing fiscal responsibility.

But it’s not clear if McCain is familiar with what’s “needed” for Everglades restoration. The senator, who has called himself an environmentalist, “did not participate in the landmark debate over the state-federal partnership to preserve the Everglades in 2000″ and “was ‘out of town’ for the 85-1 vote in the Senate.”

In fact, McCain has “skipped every one of the 15…critical measures for the environment” in the past year and scored “a stunning zero out of 100 on the latest League of Conservation Voters Scorecard, which rates elected officials on their votes in the most recent Congress.”

Yes, that's right -- he's rated zero out of 100 from the League of Conservation Voters! And now he's portraying himself as an environmentalist. That is a maverick!

Human Rights Campaign PAC Releases Comprehensive Report on Sen. John McCain’s Record on GLBT Issues

Oh, "my friends." This is a good one ....

WASHINGTON – The Human Rights Campaign PAC, the federal political action committee of the nation’s largest gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, today announced the release of a comprehensive report – "Senator John McCain: A Record of Opposing the Interests of GLBT Americans."

As the general election nears, Sen. John McCain will tout his reputation as a maverick, an independent and a moderate, but a review of Sen. McCain’s record paints a different picture. The report provides an in-depth view of Sen. John McCain’s record on GLBT issues and the likelihood that a McCain presidency would be similar to that of President George W. Bush. The full report and a summary can be viewed online at www.hrc.org/McCain.

"We’ve witnessed President Bush over the last seven years repeatedly side with ultra-conservatives and the religious right at the expense of protections for GLBT Americans. Judging by his record, a McCain presidency would be another four years of more of the same," said Human Rights Campaign Vice President David Smith. "Similar to Bush, Sen. John McCain opposes equal benefits for same-sex couples; opposes the Employment Non-Discrimination Act to prohibit discrimination against GLBT Americans in the workplace; opposes expanding the hate crimes act to include sexual orientation and gender identity, and supports the military’s discriminatory Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy."

Highlights from "Senator John McCain: A Record of Opposing the Interests of GLBT Americans":

• Opposed Ending Discrimination Against GLBT Americans in the Workplace. Senator McCain cast a deciding vote against the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act.
• Opposed Protecting GLBT Americans from Hate Crimes. Senator McCain voted three times against expanding the federal hate crimes law to include sexual orientation and gender identity.
• Proponent of Discriminatory Military Policy. Senator McCain
  supports Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and does not believe that gays should serve in the military.
• Opponent of Equal Benefits for Same-Sex Couples. Senator McCain voted for the Defense of Marriage Act which prohibits same-sex couples from receiving federal rights and benefits in any state.
• Actively Supported State Ban on Domestic Partnerships. Senator McCain campaigned for a ban on same-sex relationship recognition in his home state of Arizona – even appearing in a campaign television ad.
• Supported the Confirmation of Anti-GLBT Equality Judges. Senator McCain voted to confirm President Bush’s judicial nominees who had taken anti-GLBT positions. He has pointed to Justice Samuel Alito as a role model for future Supreme Court appointments.
• Supported a Discriminatory HIV/AIDS Policy. Senator McCain supported a Jesse Helms strategy to cut off funding for prevention efforts aimed at the gay community and voted to prohibit foreign nationals with HIV from immigrating to the United States.

The press sure HEARTS McCain!

Peter Hart has written an excellent summary of the long love affair between the mainstream media and John McCain, posted over at FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting).

If you pay even passing attention to national politics, you know that presumptive GOP presidential candidate John McCain is a maverick who bucks his own party’s line and never wavers in his political beliefs. At least, that’s what the corporate media say—reality tells a very different story.

The origin of the McCain the Maverick storyline is hard to pin down, but it gained a serious boost after CBS’s 60 Minutes delivered a mostly fawning segment headlined “The Maverick From Arizona” (10/12/97) that celebrated his quest to reform the campaign finance system. CBS interviewed several of McCain’s harshest home-state critics, but that tape was left on the cutting room floor (New Republic, 5/24/99). And CBS’s allegedly tough-as-nails correspondent Mike Wallace was clearly enamored with McCain, going so far as to say that he was considering joining his campaign: “I’m thinking I may quit my job if he gets the nomination,” Wallace declared (Washington Post, 6/8/98).

It’s hard to overstate how vital this “maverick” meme is to media coverage of McCain.

“McCain is nothing if not a maverick,” declared U.S. News & World Report (4/7/08), while CBS host Bob Schieffer (7/15/07) called him the “most famous maverick of the last half of the 20th century.” Time magazine (1/21/08) dubbed McCain “a free-ranging, fence-jumping, kick-the-corral maverick.”

...

McCain wasn’t much of a maverick when the media affixed that label to him. He became one very briefly, and then returned more or less back to where he started.

McCain’s voting pattern bears out this analysis. Before the 2000 campaign, McCain was consistently among the party’s most conservative members. In the 107th Congress (2001–02), McCain was the sixth most liberal Republican senator, according to the VoteView statistical analysis of voting patterns. In the next congressional session, he was the fourth most conservative.

And he’s more or less stayed there since. According to VoteView, McCain’s voting record in 2005–06 made him the second-most conservative senator in the 109th Congress, and the eighth-most conservative in the 110th Senate. Outside of McCain’s brief tack to the middle, his overall voting record makes him a reliable member of his party’s caucus.

Read the rest of the story here ....

Parsley, rage, xenophobia, and time

Yes, "time." As in air time, of which this story has received very little in the MSM. However, from the MotherJones article, McCain's Spiritual Guide: Destroy Islam, we have this:

Senator John McCain hailed as a spiritual adviser an Ohio megachurch pastor who has called upon Christians to wage a "war" against the "false religion" of Islam with the aim of destroying it.

Parsley, who refers to himself as a "Christocrat," is no stranger to controversy. In 2007, the grassroots organization he founded, the Center for Moral Clarity, called for prosecuting people who commit adultery. In January, he compared Planned Parenthood to Nazis. In the past Parsley's church has been accused of engaging in pro-Republican partisan activities in violation of its tax-exempt status.

So, how does Parsley really feel about Islam? In his own words:

I cannot tell you how important it is that we understand the true nature of Islam, that we see it for what it really is. In fact, I will tell you this: I do not believe our country can truly fulfill its divine purpose until we understand our historical conflict with Islam. I know that this statement sounds extreme, but I do not shrink from its implications. The fact is that America was founded, in part, with the intention of seeing this false religion destroyed, and I believe September 11, 2001, was a generational call to arms that we can no longer ignore.

Some McCain loyalists argue that no candidate can be held responsible for what all of their supporters say. True enough, Clinton, Obama, and all the others have all had their share of supporter-foot-in-mouth disease. But Parsley is not just another supporter -- just as Reverend Wright was not just another supporter of Obama. Reverend Parsley has had a long relationship with McCain, and McCain has described him publicly as “one of the truly great leaders in America,” “a moral compass,” and a “spiritual guide.”

McCain was one of the first to demand that Barack Obama denounce the Rev. Wright. Now McCain has been forced to do the same with Rev. Parsley and Ref. Hagee. The difference? Are you getting tired of hearing about Parsley? No? Of course not, because it has not been covered day and night by every major news outlet, the way the Rev. Wright story was covered.

Personally, I don't think Obama holds any of the same views espoused by Rev. Wright. I think he sat in that church for 20 years as a future political candidate, gathering a reputation in a popular African American church. I doubt McCain holds the outrageous views of Hagee and Parsley, either. He is a politician first and foremost, and I think he's trolling for votes wherever he can find them. It's a shame that he's trolling amongst the bottom feeders, but even more shameful is the fact that the press is giving this story such little attention.

McCain Watch Bonus!

Please take a moment to watch this great new video from Brave New Films, "The Real McCain 2." And then, please forward, repost, whatever you can do to help inform the American public.

McCain Watch: The anti-lobbyist candidate's lobbying campaign staffers quitting in droves

One of the things John McCain most likes to say is that lobbyists are bad. Bad, bad, bad. So it must kind of suck for him to watch this keep happening:

McCain's national finance co-chair resigns

WASHINGTON (AP) — John McCain's national finance co-chairman has stepped down, the latest casualty of a presidential campaign eager to cauterize damage caused by its ties to lobbyists.

Former Texas Rep. Thomas G. Loeffler, one of McCain's key fundraisers, resigned in the wake of a new McCain policy on conflicts of interest that required campaign volunteers to disclose their lobbying connections

"Mr. Loeffler has resigned from his position with the campaign," McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds said Sunday.

Loeffler, who runs the lobbying shop The Loeffler Group, is the highest profile departure from McCain's inner circle since a summer 2007 shake-up cost McCain his campaign manager and chief strategist.

Among Loeffler's clients is the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co., the parent company of plane manufacturer Airbus. Northrop Grumman Corp. and EADS won a lucrative contract to provide air refueling tankers for the Air Force. McCain helped scuttle an earlier contract in 2004 that would have gone to a competitor, Boeing Co.

This seems to be sort of a trend with the McCain campaign:

McCain advisers Doug Goodyear, who was to run the Republican convention in St. Paul, Minn., and Doug Davenport, a regional campaign director for the Mid-Atlantic states, also resigned this month. Both worked for DCI Group, a consulting firm hired to improve the image of Myanmar's military junta.

When the policy was announced last week, McCain fired energy policy adviser Eric Burgeson, who represents energy companies as a lobbyist.

The campaign also asked Craig Shirley to resign from McCain's Virginia leadership team because he was behind an independent group that has been criticizing Democrats Hillary Rodham Clinton and Obama on the Internet. McCain's new policy also states that no one with a campaign title or position may participate in so-called 527 groups, which can raise unlimited amounts of money for television ads not controlled by campaigns.

I mean, the irony alert is on high. This is what McCain recently said on the campaign trail in New Orleans:

This practice is not only bad in itself, revealing a disregard of the common good. The abuses of lobbying and earmark spending are also symptomatic of even larger problems in Washington, like the broken windows of buildings in a badly governed city. When we attack these abuses with aggressive reform, we are signaling an entirely new attitude, a higher and better standard in how we conduct the people's business.

Dude, you're surrounded by broken windows ....

McCain Watch: "Elections have consequences"

Hey, he said it, not me:

"Elections have consequences. One of the consequences is the president of the United States gets to name his or her nominees to the bench."

Yeah, let that sink in for a minute. "President" McCain would most likely be nominating one -- if not two -- Supreme Court Justices. From NewsDay:

As models, McCain named Roberts and Alito, both solid conservative votes on rulings, and the late Chief Justice William Rehnquist, an Arizona native and for years the most conservative member of the court.

That's in contrast to the type of judges both Obama and Clinton have said they would nominate - jurists who would uphold civil rights, privacy and other social issues opposed by conservatives. McCain attacked both Democrats, but singled out Obama for his sharpest critique, suggesting Obama sounded like a "judicial activist" himself in defending his no vote on Roberts.

Yeah, I'm depressed that Hillary Clinton didn't do better in the primaries yesterday. But I have no doubt of the importance of keeping John McCain out of the White House. No doubt.