Political views of John McCain

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Main article: John McCain

Here are some of Senator John McCain's votes and remarks on various issues.

[edit] Foreign policy

McCain delivers keynote address at the Pentagon on National POW/MIA Recognition Day, Sept. 19, 1997

Senator John McCain interviewed at Fort Sam Houston, Texas prior to the ribbon cutting ceremony of The Center for the Intrepid, a $50 million physical rehabilitation facility designed for servicemembers wounded in operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom (January 29, 2007).

[edit] Iraq War

McCain has consistently shown himself to be a prominent hawk on foreign policy. McCain supported the 2003 invasion of Iraq; the U.S. decision to overthrow the Saddam Hussein regime; a continued and increased military presence in Iraq; and most of Bush's foreign policies.^[1] His speech at the 2004 Republican National Convention centered on that theme.

Despite offering support for war, McCain has urged the Bush administration to make "significant policy changes" in the Iraq War. He criticized The Pentagon several times, most notably concerning low troop strength in Iraq,^[2] and has called for a diversification of Iraqi national forces to better represent the multiple ethnic groups contained within the country.

He stated that the United States government must do more to keep public support high for the war, stressing that "America, Iraq and the world are better off with Saddam Hussein in prison rather than in power…and we must honor their sacrifice by seeing this mission through to victory." McCain's full speech on the matter from mid-November 2005 can be read at his Senate website.^[3]

McCain has stated that he had "no confidence" in former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, but refused to act on his words to call for his resignation, explaining that "the president picks his team, and the president has the right to stay with that team if he wants to."^[4]

On 4 February 2007, McCain criticised a bipartisan non-binding resolution opposing a troop buildup in Iraq by claiming it was a "vote of no confidence" in the US military.^[5] (An actual "vote of no confidence" is a motion used in Parliamentary democracies to express a general lack of confidence in the government leadership, not in the military.) One day later, McCain said, "I don't think it's appropriate to say that you disapprove of a mission and you don't want to fund it and you don't want it to go, but yet you don't take the action necessary to prevent it".^[6]

[edit] Middle East

McCain firmly supports the State of Israel. He demonstrated his strong support when he made a speech addressing AIPAC on April 23, 2002.^[7] During the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict, McCain said Israel's response to the assault by Islamic guerrillas is appropriate. "What would we do if somebody came across our borders and killed our soldiers and captured our soldiers?", says McCain. "Do you think we would be exercising total restraint? Such restraint should come from Hezbollah and the nations sponsoring it, notably Iran", McCain said in remarks that became a freewheeling, far-reaching speech on foreign policy, including his views on matters involving North Korea, Iraq and the U.S. war on terrorism.^[8]

McCain tried to persuade FIFA to ban Iran from the 2006 World Cup^[9] given Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's Holocaust denial (which is a criminal offense in Germany where the competition was held).

[edit] Detention and torture of extrajudicial prisoners

For further details on this topic, see McCain Detainee Amendment and Military Commissions Act of 2006

The McCain Detainee Amendment was an amendment to the United States Senate Department of Defense Authorization bill, commonly referred to as the Amendment on (1) the Army Field Manual and (2) Cruel, Inhumane, Degrading Treatment, amendment #1977 and also known as the McCain Amendment 1977. It became the Detainee Treatment Act of 2005 as Title X of the Department of Defense Authorization bill. The amendment prohibits inhumane treatment of prisoners, including prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, by confining interrogations to the techniques in FM 34-52 Intelligence Interrogation.

McCain, as a former POW, was previously recognized for his sensitivity to the issue of the detention and interrogation of detainees from the War on Terror. On October 3, 2005, McCain introduced the McCain Detainee Amendment to the Defense Appropriations bill for 2005. On October 5, 2005, the United States Senate voted 90-9 to support the amendment.^[10]

On December 15, 2005, President Bush announced that he accepted McCain's terms and will "make it clear to the world that this government does not torture and that we adhere to the international convention of torture, whether it be here at home or abroad."^[11] President Bush made clear his interpretation of this legislation on December 30, 2005, in a signing statement, reserving what he interpreted to be his Presidential constitutional authority in order to avoid further terrorist attacks.^[12]

McCain argues that American military and intelligence personnel in future wars will suffer for abuses committed in 2006 by the US in the name of fighting terrorism. He fears the administration's policy will put American prisoners at risk of torture, summary executions and other atrocities by chipping away at Geneva Conventions. He argues that his rival bill to Bush’s plan gives defendants access to classified evidence being used to convict them and will set tight limits on use of testimony obtained by coercion. Furthermore it offers CIA interrogators some legal protections from charges of abuse, but rejects the administration’s plan to more narrowly define the Geneva Conventions’ standards for humane treatment of prisoners. McCain insists this issue overrides politics.

McCain, whose six years of captivity and torture in Vietnam made him a national celebrity, negotiated (in September 2006) a compromise in the Senate for the Military Commissions Act of 2006, suspending habeas corpus provisions for anyone deemed by the Executive Branch an "unlawful combatant" and barring them from challenging their detentions in court. Coming on the heels of a Supreme Court decision adverse to the White House, McCain's compromise gave a retroactive, nine-year immunity to U.S. officials who authorized, ordered, or committed acts of torture and abuse, and permitted the use of statements obtained through torture to be used in military tribunals so long as the abuse took place by December 30, 2005.^[13] McCain's compromise permitted the President to establish permissible interrogation techniques and to "interpret the meaning and application" of international Geneva Convention standards, so long as the coercion fell short of "serious" bodily or psychological injury.^[14] Widely dubbed McCain's "torture compromise", the bill was signed into law by George W. Bush on October 17, 2006, shortly before the 2006 midterm elections. However George W. Bush appended a signing statement in which he went back on his word and rejected the compromise.^[15]

[edit] Economic policy

[edit] Environmental issues

McCain was Rated 53% by the LCV, indicating a mixed record on environment.^[16] McCain's stances on global warming and other environmental issues have put him at odds with the Bush administration and other Republicans.^[17] He has also stated opposition to drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and his voting record generally reflects this.^[18][19] McCain has also sided with the Bush Administration at times, including a vote in favor of confirming Gale Norton as Secretary of Interior, a vote in favor of preserving the budget for ANWR oil drilling, and a vote in favor of reducing funding of renewable and solar energy.^[20]

McCain opposes ethanol subsidies. In 2000, he skipped most of the Iowa caucuses, in large part because his opposition to ethanol was a nonstarter in a state where making corn into fuel is a big and lucrative business.^[21]

The McCain-Lieberman Climate Stewardship Act of 2003 was defeated in October 2004 by a margin of 43-55.^[22] The Climate Stewardship and Innovation Act of 2007^[23] was introduced by Lieberman, McCain and other co-sponsors in January 2007, with McCain commenting "we continue to learn more about the science of climate change and the dangerous precedence of not addressing this environmental problem. The science tells us that urgent and significant action is needed".^[24]

On Feb. 21, 2007 it was reported that McCain and Gov. Schwarzenegger called for a nationwide roll-out of California's new low carbon fuel standard.^[25]

McCain is a member of the Honorary Board of the Republicans for Environmental Protection organization.^[26]

[edit] Budget

McCain has emphasized deficit reduction over tax cutting. The contrast with George Bush's preference for tax cuts was prominent during the 2000 presidential campaign,^[27] and after Bush became president McCain opposed his tax cut proposals.^[28] McCain is also one of the Senate's most outspoken critics of pork barrel spending.^[29]

[edit] Social policy

[edit] Gay rights

McCain voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment, arguing that each state should be able to choose whether to recognize gay marriage^[30][31] He supported the Arizona initiative to ban gay marriage, which failed in 2006.^[32]

[edit] Abortion

On June 26, 1984, McCain voted for H.AMDT.942 to H.R.5490 “An amendment to define "person" as including unborn children from the moment of conception".^[33] This measure is similar to H.R. 552, The Right to Life Act, which was introduced on February 2, 2005 by US Representative Duncan Hunter, who's also running for President. The purpose of the bill is to "implement equal protection ... for the right to life of each born and preborn human person."^[34] McCain voted yes on killing restrictions on violent videos to minors, however McCain also has a 83% rating from the Christian Coalition, which indicates many socially conservative views which includes voting yes on $75M for abstinence education,yes on recommending Constitutional ban on flag desecration,and voting yes on declaring that memorial prayers and religious symbols at school. McCain is also against birth control and sex education which includes a vote of no on $100M to reduce teen pregnancy by education & contraceptives.^[35] On February 18, 2007 McCain stated "I do not support Roe versus Wade. It should be overturned."^[36] However, in 1999 McCain was quoted in the Washington Post, "I'd love to see a point where it is irrelevant, and could be repealed because abortion is no longer necessary. But certainly in the short term, or even the long term, I would not support repeal of Roe v. Wade, which would then force X number of women in America to [undergo] illegal and dangerous operations."[1]

[edit] Gun Politics

The Gun Owners of America, a gun rights organization, have described John McCain's gun-rights voting record as "abysmal, wretched, and pathetic."^[37]

[edit] Illegal immigration

John McCain's has generally supported loose immigration policies-earning him a D grade from Americans for Better Immigration.[2] McCain has initiated legislation to grant eventual citizenship to the estimated 12-20 million illegal aliens in the United States, and to create a guestworker program for Immigrants, meaning that a pre-determined number of Immigrants would be allowed into the U.S. to work, but would have to return to their country after a certain amount of time. His legislation, coauthored with Senator Kennedy, was a major focus of debate in 2006, and caused much friction among the conservative wing of his own party. He has supported some moves to expand immigration to the US,^[38] including expansion of the H-1B visa program (though H-1B is technically a non-immigrant visa about 50% of all recipients eventually do immigrate). In 2005, he co-sponsored a bill with Ted Kennedy that would expand use of guest worker visas.^[39] However, he voted for the permanent ban on the immigration of individuals living with HIV.^[40] Speaking about the immigration reform protests, McCain warned the Hispanic community that it may experience a backlash if too many Hispanic flags were flown during the protests.^[41] In an interview with Vanity Fair, McCain was asked about an immigration bill (that contained funding for a fence on the Mexican border) and how it played to the Republican base. "In the short term, it probably galvanizes our base", he said. "In the long term, if you alienate the Hispanics, you'll pay a heavy price. By the way, I think the fence is least effective. But I'll build the goddamned fence if they want it."^[42]

[edit] Education

McCain received a 45% rating by the NEA, indicating a mixed record on public education. Some of McCains votes include voting yes on school vouchers in DC, yes on education savings accounts, yes on allowing more flexibility in federal school rules, and voting no on $5B for grants to local educational agencies.^[43]

McCain has announced that he supports the inclusion of intelligent design teaching in schools.^[44] In 2005, McCain told the Arizona Daily Star that he believes "all points of view" should be available to students.^[44]

McCain is a member of The Republican Main Street Partnership and supports embryonic stem cell research despite his earlier opposition.^[45]

[edit] Structure of government policy

[edit] "Gang of 14" and Senate filibuster

Main article: Gang of 14

On May 23, 2005, McCain was one of fourteen Senators to forge a compromise on the Democrats' use of the judicial filibuster, thus eliminating the need for the Republican leadership's attempt to implement the so-called "nuclear option". Under the agreement, Senators would retain the power to filibuster a judicial nominee, the Democrats would agree to use this power against Bush nominees only in an "extraordinary circumstance", the Republicans involved would agree to vote against the nuclear option if implemented, and three of the most contested Bush appellate court nominees (Janice Rogers Brown, Priscilla Owen and William Pryor) would receive a vote by the full Senate.

[edit] Campaign finance regulation

An advocate of government restrictions on campaign spending and contributions, McCain made campaign finance reform a central issue in his 2000 presidential bid. With Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin he pushed the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 which banned unlimited donations to national political parties ("soft money") and curtailed issue-advocacy ads.^[46] Because of McCain and Feingold's involvement, the law is commonly referred to as the "McCain-Feingold Act."

[edit] Notes