Leaders Agree: McCain More of the McSame

MILWAUKEE —  McCain’s record in the Senate supporting George W. Bush’s disastrous agenda has hurt working families and people in every corner of the state.

McCain’s support for the Bush agenda of unfair trade policies, more tax cuts for the wealthy, corporations and Big Oil, privatizing Social Security, the endless war in Iraq and opposition to proper women’s health care and affordable health care for all have hurt the economy, seniors and families throughout Wisconsin.

“We desperately need good, family-supporting jobs here in Wisconsin and throughout the nation, but on President Bush’s watch, we’ve lost more than three million good manufacturing jobs in this country,” said Wisconsin State AFL-CIO Sara Rogers. “Senator McCain’s voting record clearly shows he’d continue this downward spiral. As a vocal supporter of NAFTA and other unfair trade deals, he’d do nothing to end the constant flow of our jobs overseas or to protect workers’ rights worldwide.”

McCain, who famously said he “doesn’t really understand economics,” is pushing for billions more in tax breaks for Big Oil despite record gas prices. McCain previously voted for $5 billion in Bush tax cuts for Big Oil.

“John McCain supports the same Bush policies and special interests that keep us in the grip of oil companies and have caused gas prices to skyrocket,” said Rosemary Wehnes, Sierra Club Midwest Representative. “The last thing we need is the McCain plan for $4 billion in tax cuts for Big Oil.”

McCain has opposed affordable health care for all and his health care plan, taken from a 2007 Bush proposal, would tax health care benefits for the first time. The average family would have over $7,000 worth of the health care benefits they receive at work taxed as regular income. Currently, employer-based health insurance benefits are not taxed.

“We are deeply concerned because John McCain has adopted George Bush’s wrongheaded, dangerous ideas about health care,” said Linda Honold, Executive Director of Citizen Action of Wisconsin. “The plan McCain has released will undermine employer-based health care insurance and leave Wisconsin families on their own with the insurance companies.”

McCain has consistently voted against reproductive freedom when it comes to women’s health care, including sex education and family planning services. McCain voted against getting low-income women cervical and breast cancer screening and has a zero-percent rating from Planned Parenthood for his voting record.

“Sen. McCain’s and Gov. Palin’s approach to decreasing abortions in the United States by outlawing abortion is a continuation of the same old Bush-style anti-choice policies,” said Carmen Marg-Patton, Political Director of NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin. “Outlawing abortion won’t decrease the number of abortions; it will make abortion more difficult and dangerous for women. American women need commonsense policies to prevent unintended pregnancies and the need for abortion such as comprehensive sex education and ensuring health insurance companies cover contraception.”

McCain has also put seniors at risk by supporting Bush’s plan to privatize Social Security. Almost 950,000 Wisconsinites rely on Social Security, according to the Social Security Administration, including 640,000 retirees. Over 17 percent of the state’s population relies on Social Security benefits every month.

“Social Security has been one of the most successful programs in American history to provide help to those who need it most,” said Leon Burzynski, President of the Alliance for Retired Americans Wisconsin. “I ask Sen. McCain to withdraw his support for a risky privatization scheme which could place nearly one million Wisconsinites at risk.”

Wisconsin progressives will be attending Friday’s McCain event in Cedarburg to talk more about the failed Bush-McCain agenda and its harm on the people of Wisconsin.