OWN Debuts ‘McCain & UnAble’ Comic Series to Highlight Bush-McCain Follies

MILWAUKEE — Sen. John McCain has served as a rubber stamp for the disastrous agenda of George W. Bush, and a new comic series created by One Wisconsin Now called “McCain & UnAble,” shows what would happen if the wealthy ideological soulmates were forced to go out into the real world and deal with the consequences of their failed policies.

The first episode, “McCain & UnAble Go to the Gas Station,” brings the duo face to face with the record gas prices Americans have endured this year. In July, gas prices topped $4.11 a gallon in Wisconsin and diesel was nearly $4.8o a gallon.

“John McCain and George W. Bush stood arm in arm to pass $5 billion in tax breaks for Big Oil,” said Scot Ross, One Wisconsin Now Executive Director. “That wasn’t enough for John McCain and he wants give Big Oil another $4 billion of our money.”

While the McCain & UnAble comic series is a light-hearted look at the McCain-Bush agenda, the issues are serious. McCainandUnAble.com includes exhaustive, documentation and research about the impact of McCain-Bush policies on the American economy, including:

McCain has 29 Big Oil lobbyists working for him. At least 29 top advisers or fundraisers for McCain have lobbied for Big Oil. They have represented 4 of the 9 oil companies in the 2008 Fortune 200, including: McCain’s senior campaign adviser, Charlie Black, who is a registered lobbyist for two Russian oil companies who firm was hired by the China National Off-Shore Oil Corporation. [Roll Call 7/18/05, Senate Lobbying Disclosure Records]

McCain, like Bush, offers billions in giveaways for Big Oil, pennies for families. Like Bush, McCain offers billions in tax cuts for Big Oil, but no relief for families. McCain’s tax plan gives nearly $4 billion in tax breaks to the top five American oil companies, but gives families very little. Economists have panned McCain’s gas tax holiday, saying it won’t help families with gas prices. [Center for American Progress, 3/27/08]

Oil company profits skyrocket while families get left behind. Oil companies’ profits continue to rise as the price of gasoline hovers at $4.00 a gallon. Exxon Mobil even reported their highest-ever three month profit – over $11.6 billion.

McCain voted against reducing dependence on foreign oil. In 2005, McCain voted against legislation calling on the President to submit a plan to reduce foreign petroleum imports by 40 percent. [Senate Roll Call Vote #140, 6/16/05]

McCain’s ‘zero’ for energy future, billions for Big Oil. Since launching his campaign for president in 2007, Sen. McCain has skipped out on every key environmental vote the Senate has considered, earning him a zero on the League of Conservation Voters scorecard this session. In one such instance, his absence killed the rollback of billions of dollars in oil subsidies for renewable energy investment. [LCV, 2008]

“The record is clear: John McCain and George W. Bush’s policies have hurt Americans,” said Ross. “And the idea of continuing those policies isn’t funny at all.”

Visit www.McCainandUnAble.com to view “McCain & UnAble Go to the Gas Station.” To receive updates when new episodes are produced, sign up on the website.