Questions That McCain Should Answer

In anticipation of Senator John McCain’€™s Racine town hall meeting Thursday, several concerned Wisconsinites that will be unable to attend offered five questions that they would like McCain to answer.

John Valko, President of UAW Local 180 in Racine is concerned about the loss of good paying, family supporting jobs. He wants to ask Senator McCain why the country should continue the harmful policies that he supports which have caused our current economic crisis. This crisis includes the loss of some 92,000 manufacturing jobs in Wisconsin during the Bush administration. Specifically Valko cites John McCain’€™s support for disastrous Bush policies including unfair trade deals, and massive tax cuts for big corporations and the wealthiest individuals.

John Valko’s question: ‘€œThe policies you have championed have resulted in an economic nightmare for families across Wisconsin, so my question is: Why would we want to continue your failed policies which have devastated our country?”

Racine’€™s Ruthie Lacy is a Certified Nursing Assistant and health care is a top concern for her. Under the policies of George W. Bush and John McCain, insurance premiums have continued to skyrocket and millions of people have lost their health care coverage. To make matters worse, John McCain is now pushing a plan that would raise taxes on millions of middle income families while doing nothing to make coverage more affordable for the uninsured. He has also proposed an end to incentives that encourage employers to provide health care for workers.

Ruthie Lacy’s question: ‘€œSenator McCain, your plan does nothing to control escalating health care costs but would instead shift more costs onto families ‘€“ how can that possibly help Americans?’€

Chris Gulbrandson, Business Manager of IBEW Local 430 in Racine is disturbed most by the unprecedented jump in gas prices which have accompanied the Bush-McCain-led economic collapse. Gas prices have tripled under Bush polices and McCain is not only calling for more of the same but also wants to give some $4 billion in tax breaks to Big Oil.

Chris Gulbrandson’s question: ‘€œSen. McCain, with so many people hurting because of out-of-control gas prices, why do you want to reward Big Oil, rather than hold it accountable for gouging Americans?”

Johndalyn Smith lives in southeastern Wisconsin and is facing the loss of her home due to the failing economic polices of Bush and McCain. She is further concerned that predatory lending practices have exploded through investment deregulation supported by Phil Gramm, McCain’€™s former chief economic advisor. 

Johndalyn Smith’s question: ‘€œI am facing the loss of my home, despite working as hard as I can. You previously said to people like me that many of our economic problems are ‘psychological.’ Sen. McCain, why do people in Wisconsin who are working hard and playing by the rules, but are facing the loss of their homes not entitled to the same protection and help you want to give big Wall Street investment firms?’€

Jason Moon of Milwaukee is a 33-year-old Army Veteran. He joined the Army in 1993 and served for eight years. He re-enlisted with the National Guard to guard the nation’€™s interior after 9/11, instead he was sent to Tallil, Iraq, spending 10 additional months stop-lossed because of the poor planning and execution of the war by the Bush administration.

Jason Moon’s question: ‘€œSen. McCain, despite your service to our country, you have voted in the Senate dozens of times against funding for health care for returning veterans. Most recently, you failed to support Sen. Webb’s bipartisan GI Bill and didn’t bother to show up for the vote on it. Sen. McCain, given that you have shown steadfast support for the failed Bush strategy in Iraq which has left our military dangerously stretched and forced our troops to serve longer tours where they are stop-lossed far longer than their original commitment, why have you refused to be there for them when they return home?”

Although these individuals will not be able to actually ask their questions at the McCain town hall Thursday, OWN, representatives from labor unions, progressive organizations, and community activists will demonstrate outside the McCain town hall. OWN will be doing a repeat performance of its ‘€œStamporee’€ to demonstrate that when it comes to the failing polices of George W. Bush, Sen. John McCain is actually McSame’€”a literal rubber stamp demonstrated by his votes in the U.S. Senate.

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