Political positions of John McCain

Template:JohnMcCainSegmentsU.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ), a candidate and the presumptive nominee of the Republican Party in the 2008 U.S. Presidential election, has taken positions on many political issues through his public comments and his senatorial voting record.

Online, McCain uses his Senate web site and his 2008 campaign web site to describe his political positions.

Regarding the general notion of consistency of political positions over time, McCain said in June 2008: "My principles and my practice and my voting record are very clear. Not only from 2000 but 1998 and 1992 and 1986. And you know, it's kind of a favorite tactical ploy now that opponents use, of saying the person has changed. Look, none of my principles or values have changed. Have I changed position on some specific issues because of changed circumstances? I would hope so! I would hope so!"

See also: Comparison of United States presidential candidates, 2008

Foreign policy

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

McCain has been perceived to be relatively hawkish on foreign policy, despite his advocacy of the withdrawal of US troops from Lebanon in 1982 (prior to the attack on the Marine barracks), Somalia in 1993, and Haiti in 1994.

In February 2000, during a Republican debate, McCain and other candidates were asked what foreign policy they would change immediately if they became president. "I'd institute a policy that I call 'rogue state rollback,'" McCain said. "I would arm, train, equip, both from without and from within, forces that would eventually overthrow the governments and install free and democratically- elected governments."

McCain's 2006 foreign policy rating, compiled by the Almanac of American Politics (2008) , was 58% conservative, 40% liberal. 2005 figures were similar: 54% conservative, 45% liberal. In March 2008, McCain said that the United States should "strengthen our global alliances as the core of a new global compact -- a League of Democracies -- that can harness the vast influence of the more than one hundred democratic nations around the world to advance our values and defend our shared interests." He said that the United States did not single-handedly win the Cold War, but rather the NATO alliance did so, "in concert with partners around the world."

Among McCain's advisers are Robert Kagan and William Kristol, the co-founders of PNAC and neo-conservatives who were influential in implementing the Iraq War. McCain has also allied himself with George W. Bush who brought into his administration a large number of PNAC members and neo-conservatives. Many even argue that McCain's statements, such as "100 years in Iraq," "there will be other wars," and "I would arm, train, equip, both from without and from within, forces that would eventually overthrow the governments and install free and democratically- elected governments.", approach imperialistic over-tones like that reflected in the PNAC.

Arab-Israeli conflict

In a speech to AIPAC on April 23, 2002, McCain said that "no American leader should be expected to sell a false peace to our ally, consider Israel's right to self-defense less legitimate than ours, or insist that Israel negotiate a political settlement while terrorism remains the Palestinians' preferred bargaining tool." During the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict, McCain said, regarding Israel's role in the conflict with Lebanon and Hezbollah, "What would we do if somebody came across our borders and killed our soldiers and captured our soldiers? Do you think we would be exercising total restraint?"

Detention and torture of extrajudicial prisoners

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

In October 2005, McCain, a former POW, introduced an amendment to the Defense Appropriations bill for 2005. That month, the U.S. Senate voted 90-9 to support the amendment. The amendment was 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 Army Field Manual 34-52, "Intelligence Interrogation".

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." 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.

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 enemy 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. 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. 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.

McCain said in March 2007 that he would "immediately close Guantanamo Bay, move all the prisoners to Fort Leavenworth and truly expedite the judicial proceedings in their cases". However, on September 19, 2007, he voted against restoring habeas corpus to detainees.

In October 2007, McCain said of waterboarding that, "They [other presidential candidates] should know what it is. It is not a complicated procedure. It is torture." However, in February 2008 he voted against HR 2082, the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008, which included provisions that would have prevented the CIA from waterboarding prisoners. The bill in question contained other provisions to which McCain objected, and his spokesman stated: "This wasn't a vote on waterboarding. This was a vote on applying the standards of the [Army] field manual to CIA personnel."

Iran

McCain has said that "We continue to be concerned about Iranian influence and assistance to Hezbollah as well as Iranian pursuit of nuclear weapons." McCain has also said "the military option cannot be taken off the table" in dealing with Iran, although he sees it as a "last option". That has long been his position.

McCain stated that "Iran is dedicated to the destruction of Israel. That alone should concern us but now they are trying for nuclear capabilities. I totally support the president when he says we will not allow Iran to destroy Israel." He stopped short of saying whether he would bomb Iran.

McCain tried to persuade FIFA to ban Iran from the 2006 World Cup, referring to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's Holocaust denials as the reason since such denials in Germany, where the competition was held, are illegal.

Iraq War

In February 2000, McCain said "As long as Saddam Hussein is in power, I am convinced that he will pose a threat to our security."

McCain supported the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the U.S. decision to overthrow the Saddam Hussein regime. But he has criticized the Bush Administration's waging of that war on a number of occasions, and pushed for "significant policy changes" in the Iraq War. He criticized The Pentagon on a number of occasions, most notably in December 2004, concerning low troop strength in Iraq, and has called for a diversification of Iraqi national forces to better represent the multiple ethnic groups contained within the country.

In January 2005, McCain said that "one of our big problems has been the fact that many Iraqis resent American military presence. ... as soon as we can reduce our visibility as much as possible, the better I think it is going to be."

In November 2005 McCain said in a speech that the U.S. government must do more to keep public support high for the war, and that more troops were needed, as well as a number of other changes in the U.S. approach to the war. He concluded his speech by saying 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."

In October 2006, McCain said that he had "no confidence" in then-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, but was not calling for his resignation at that time, saying that "the president picks his team, and the president has the right to stay with that team if he wants to."

On January 10, 2007, President Bush announced the commitment of more than 20,000 additional troops as a part of the Iraqi troop surge of 2007. McCain was a leading advocate for the move, leading some Democrats to call the policy the "McCain Doctrine". Days after the announcement, McCain appeared on CBS' Face the Nation and said, "This is a chance under the new leadership of General Petraeus and Admiral Fallon to have a chance to succeed. Do I believe it can succeed? Yes, I do." On February 4, he criticised a bipartisan non-binding resolution opposing the troop buildup, calling it a "vote of no confidence" in the US military. The next day, 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".

On September 19, 2007, McCain voted against requiring minimum periods between deployments.

In November 2007, on the Charlie Rose show on PBS, Rose asked if South Korea might be an analogy of where Iraq might be, in terms of an American presence, over the next 20 to 25 years. McCain replied that he didn't think so - even if there were no (ongoing) casualties, saying "I can see an American presence for a while. But eventually I think because of the nature of the society in Iraq and the religious aspects of it that America eventually withdraws.

On January 3, 2008 at a campaign stop in Derry, New Hampshire, when a questioner said, "President Bush has talked about our staying in Iraq for 50 years," McCain responded:

"Make it a hundred. We've been in Japan for 60 years, we've been in South Korea for 50 years or so. That'd be fine with me as long as Americans are not being injured or harmed or wounded or killed. That's fine with me. I hope it will be fine with you if we maintain a presence in a very volatile part of the world where Al Qaeda is training, recruiting, equipping, and motivating people every single day."

In March 2008, McCain said of Iraq and terrorism that "Gen. Petraeus is correct when he says that the central battleground in the struggle against al Qaeda is Iraq and Osama bin Laden just confirmed that again with his comments last week." In April 2008 he said, "There are tough decisions ahead and America deserves leaders that are up to the challenge. As president, I will ensure that our troops come home victorious in this war that is part of the larger struggle against radical Islamic extremism and will continue to make keeping our nation secure my highest priority."

In a May 15, 2008 speech in Columbus, Ohio, McCain said:

By January 2013, America has welcomed home most of the servicemen and women who have sacrificed terribly so that America might be secure in her freedom. The Iraq War has been won….Iraq is a functioning democracy, although still suffering from the lingering effects of decades of tyranny and centuries of sectarian tension. Violence still occurs, but it is spasmodic and much reduced….The United States maintains a military presence there, but a much smaller one, and it does not play a direct combat role.

In a June 11, 2008 interview on NBC's Today Show, McCain was asked whether, in light of recent progress from the troop surge in Iraq, he had a clearer idea of when U.S. troops could begin withdrawing. He replied:

No, but that's not too important. What's important is casualties in Iraq. Americans are in South Korea. Americans are in Japan. American troops are in Germany. That's all fine. American casualties, and the ability to withdraw. We will be able to withdraw. ... But the key to it is we don't want any more Americans in harm's way.

North Korea

In October 2006, McCain said the he believed the former President Bill Clinton and his administration were to blame for the North Korea's weapons of mass destruction. He said that the U.S. had "concluded an unenforceable and untransparent agreement", allowing North Korea to keep plutonium rods in a reactor. In an article he wrote for the November/December 2007 issue of Foreign Affairs, he referred to North Korea as a "totalitarian regime," and said that it was necessary for North Korea be committed to "verifiable denuclearization" and "full accounting of all its nuclear materials and facilities" before any "lasting diplomatic agreement can be reached."

Nuclear weapons

McCain voted in favor of the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction in 1991. He voted to ratify the START II strategic arms limitation treaty in 1996.

McCain voted against the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty in 1999.

In March 2008, McCain said that United States should reduce its nuclear arsenal to encourage other nations to reduce their arsenals:

"Forty years ago, the five declared nuclear powers came together in support of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and pledged to end the arms race and move toward nuclear disarmament. The time has come to renew that commitment. We do not need all the weapons currently in our arsenal. The United States should lead a global effort at nuclear disarmament consistent with our vital interests and the cause of peace."

Pakistan

McCain maintains a relatively moderate stance concerning Pakistan, although he has recognized the South Asian nation as an important part of US Foreign Policy. In the aftermath of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's assassination (in December 2007) McCain appeared to rule out the option of US forces entering Pakistan, saying that it was not an appropriate time to "threaten" Pakistan.

Russia

McCain has been one of the foremost Senate critics of Russian President Vladimir Putin: "I looked into his eyes and saw three letters: a K, a G and a B". He has said that Putin is "going to cause a lot of difficulties" and that he is "trying to reassert the Russian empire." In January 2007, McCain said that he thought Putin was using Russia's energy sources as a political weapon.

In 2005 McCain and Connecticut senator Joseph Lieberman brought a draft resolution with the requirement to suspend membership of Russia in the G8, an international forum. The same year he initiated Senate acceptance of a resolution charging the Russian government with "political motivations" in litigation concerning Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev. In October 2007, McCain again called for removal of Russia from the G8:

Today, we see in Russia diminishing political freedoms, a leadership dominated by a clique of former intelligence officers, efforts to bully democratic neighbors, such as Georgia, and attempts to manipulate Europe's dependence on Russian oil and gas. We need a new Western approach to this revanchist Russia. The G8 should again become a club of leading market democracies: it should include Brazil and India but exclude Russia.

However, in May 2008, McCain said that he would support friendly talks with Russia on nuclear armaments, distancing himself from the Bush administration.

Cuba

When McCain was running for president in 2000, he supported the normalizing of relations with Cuba, even if Fidel Castro remained in power, provided that the Cuban government did certain things to democratize Cuba. McCain compared the situation to normalizing relations with Vietnam.

Economic policy

McCain's 2006 rating by the Almanac of American Politics (2008) on Economic Policy is 64% conservative, 35% liberal (52% conservative, 47% liberal in 2005). McCain fleshed out the main points of his economic in an April 15, 2008 speech at Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania. In summary, McCain would make the Bush tax cuts permanent instead of letting them expire, he would eliminate the Alternative Minimum Tax in order to assist the middle-class, he would double the personal exemption for dependents, reduce the corporate tax rate, and offer a new research and development tax credit. At the same time, he pledges to eliminate pork-barrel spending, freeze nondefense discretionary spending for a year or more, and reduce Medicare growth. He is also opposed to extravagant salaries and severance deals of corporate CEOs.

Budget, taxes, and deficit

While McCain has historically opposed tax cuts in favor of deficit reduction, he now favors tax cuts. He says that he would reduce government spending to make up for the tax cuts, but analysts say that his numbers don't add up and that the deficit would grow under his proposal.

McCain has declined to sign the pledge of the group Americans for Tax Reform to not add any new taxes or increase existing taxes. In 2002, Sen. McCain was one of only two Republicans to twice vote against the permanent repeal of the Estate Tax, and has recently stated opposition to a permanent repeal of the Estate Tax. McCain was one of two Republicans who voted against Bush's tax cuts in 2001. He opposed accelerating the cuts in 2003, saying that he was not in favor of cutting taxes during a time of war. In 2004 McCain appeared on Meet The Press with Tim Russert where he was asked about his opposition to the Bush tax cuts. McCain explained himself by saying, "I voted against the tax cuts because of the disproportional amount that went to the wealthiest Americans. I would clearly support not extending those tax cuts in order to help address the deficit" However, McCain supported the Bush tax cut extension in May 2006, and January 2008 he told Russert that he favors making those tax cuts permanent to prevent an increase in taxes while the economy was "shaky". He also said that his tax proposal would focus more on middle-income Americans than on the wealthy.

McCain has stated that he believes in keeping marginal tax rates low, but that lower taxes work best "when accompanied by lower spending." McCain's tax proposals to decrease the federal deficit have been criticized by a number of experts. In March 2008, Jared Bernstein of the liberal Economic Policy Institute said, "I don't think anybody's numbers add up when they run for president [but] I do fear that [McCain's] don't add up the most."

In a major economic speech on April 15, 2008, McCain proposed a number of tax reductions and backed away from his pledge to balance the budget by the end of his first term, saying it would take him eight years. His speech focused on cuts to corporate tax rates and the extension of the Bush tax cuts, and also called for eliminating the alternative-minimum tax and doubling the value of exemptions for dependents to $7,000, This is in contrast to McCain's historical emphasis on deficit reduction over tax cuts. McCain's proposal for decreasing the federal budget deficit includes reforming the "self-serving largesse that defines the current budget process."

In the speech, McCain said that the savings from eliminating earmarks, reviewing federal programs and other budget reforms would be “on the order of $100 billion annually.” The New York Times reported, after the speech, that it was unclear how McCain "plans to pay for the other tax cuts that he outlined while the nation incurs large expenses fighting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan." An analysis by the Center for American Progress Action Fund, a liberal think tank, estimated the overall cost of McCain’s proposed tax cuts to be $300 billion annually, and questioned whether his programs would really save $100 billion a year. Another analysis by them stated that by 2013, McCain's budget deficit would reach $780 billion. The San Jose Mercury News estimated the price of the tax cuts, including the Bush tax cut extension, to be over $400 billion annually. The Washington Post noted that "much of what he detailed was a corporate special pleader's dream: a cut in the corporate income tax rate, from 35 percent to 25 percent, a proposal to allow businesses to write off the cost of new equipment and technology from their taxes, a ban on Internet and new cellphone taxes, and a permanent tax credit for research and development." It also noted that McCain promised to remove the "myriad corporate tax loopholes that are costly, unfair and inconsistent with a free-market economy," but offered no specifics.

McCain says he hopes to stop special interests from lobbying for special projects. His 2008 campaign website includes the statement that "The federal government spends too much money, squanders precious resources on questionable projects pushed by special interests, and ignores the priorities of the American taxpayer." Earmarks total about $18 billion a year, according to independent estimates. However, on August 2, 2007, he voted against a bi-partisan bill to provide greater transparency in the legislative process and to regulate lobbyists.

Altogether, McCain has proposed more than $650 billion in tax cuts a year, offset by cuts of $160 billion a year in federal expenditures, without providing specifics about all the expenditures to be reduced according to his critics. McCain's chief economic adviser, Douglas Holtz-Eakin, said in April 2008 that McCain didn't have to find offsetting spending cuts for extending the Bush Administration's tax cuts or for eliminating the AMT for middle-class families because those policies are assumed in Washington.

Free trade

McCain is a strong proponent of free trade. He supports the NAFTA agreement, the existing GATT agreements, and U.S. participation in the World Trade Organization, and opposes renegotiation of trade agreements,, saying, "...the U.S. should engage in multilateral, regional and bilateral efforts to reduce barriers to trade, level the global playing field and build effective enforcement of global trading rules." In 2004, when McCain was asked, "Should trade agreements include provisions to address environmental concerns and to protect workers' rights?", he answered, "No."

Regarding protectionism, in 2007 McCain said, "I'm a student of history. Every time the United States has become protectionist ... we've paid a very heavy price. The Smoot-Hawley Tariff Acts in the 1930s were direct contributors to World War II. It sounds like a lot of fun to bash China and others, but free trade has been the engine of our economy. Free trade should be the continuing principle that guides this nation's economy."

Social Security and Medicare

In June 1999, McCain said "The only way to increase the yield on Social Security dollars is by allowing workers to make investment decisions for themselves; by empowering American families to invest, in most robust portfolios, a portion of their earnings for Social Security that they would otherwise pay in taxes to Social Security." In January 2000, he repeated his strong support for creating private Social Security accounts.

In April 2008, McCain proposed that seniors with higher incomes should pay higher premiums for government-provided prescription drug benefits (Medicare Part D) as a way to reduce federal spending on health care.

As of May 2008, McCain's web site says:

John McCain will fight to save the future of Social Security and believes that we may meet our obligations to the retirees of today and the future without raising taxes. John McCain supports supplementing the current Social Security system with personal accounts -- but not as a substitute for addressing benefit promises that cannot be kept.

Subprime mortgage crisis

Regarding the subprime mortgage crisis, McCain said its root cause was loose credit and greed. On January 31, 2008, he said, "I think there are some greedy people on Wall Street that perhaps need to be punished." He also praised the George W. Bush administration's handling of the crisis. McCain later addressed the situation in a speech:

"I will not play election year politics with the housing crisis. I will evaluate everything in terms of whether it might be harmful or helpful to our effort to deal with the crisis we face now. I have always been committed to the principle that it is not the duty of government to bail out and reward those who act irresponsibly, whether they are big banks or small borrowers. Government assistance to the banking system should be based solely on preventing systemic risk that would endanger the entire financial system and the economy."

McCain went on to say he would entertain the thought to only give temporary assistance to homeowners for their primary homes, but not to others who owned homes to rent out nor to speculators. He also proposed that mortgage lenders do more to help the economy by helping their customers. He suggested an approach that General Motors did after the attacks of September 11, 2001 when they reduced interest rates for their customers. "We need a similar response by the mortgage lenders. They've been asking the government to help them out. I'm now calling upon them to help their customers, and their nation out. It's time to help American families. "

Health care

[In an ownership society], the key to health care reform is to restore control to the patients themselves.

McCain is against publicly-funded health care, universal health care, or health coverage mandates, instead favoring tax credits of up to $5,000 for families that get health insurance. His plan focuses on enhancing competition in the health care industry as a way to lower costs. To that end, McCain would allow citizens to purchase health insurance nationwide instead of limiting them to in-state companies, and to buy insurance through any organization or association they choose as well as through their employers or buying direct from an insurance company. In an October 2007 statement, McCain said: "In health care, we believe in enhancing the freedom of individuals to receive necessary and desired care. We do not believe in coercion and the use of state power to mandate care, coverage or costs."

On April 29, 2008, McCain detailed his health care plan in the context of his campaign for President. His plan focused on open-market competition rather than government funding or control. At the heart of his plan are tax credits - $2,500 for individuals and $5,000 for families who do not subscribe to or do not have access to health care through their employer. He says the money could be used to purchase insurance and force insurance companies to be competitive with their costs in order to attract consumers. McCain would pay for the tax credits by eliminating the tax break currently offered to employers for providing health insurance to employees. To help people who are denied coverage by insurance companies due to pre-existing conditions, McCain would work with states to create what he calls a "Guaranteed Access Plan". He did not provide details, but pointed to states such as Florida and North Carolina where such systems are in place. His health care plan has an estimated annual cost of $7 billion, according to McCain's health-policy experts. On April 30, his campaign acknowledged that the health plan he had outlined would have the effect of increasing tax payments for some workers, primarily those with high incomes and expensive health plans.

Transportation

McCain is opposed to federal funding of Amtrak. He considers it to be a "pork barrel project", particularly as far as longer distance trains are concerned. He has also argued for more stringent safety standards with respect to cars.

Veterans benefits

McCain is opposed to the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act, introduced by Jim Webb, which would provide college-tuition benefits for veterans in a manner similar to that of the G.I. Bill for veterans of World War II. McCain supports the contention of some in the Defense Department that the bill's provision of offering full college tuition would entice service members to leave the military sooner than they otherwise might. McCain has instead introduced a competing bill with Lindsey Graham, that would provide a lower total amount of benefits and that would emphasize benefits for service members who are still active. McCain said:

"I want to make sure that we have incentives for people to remain in the military, as well as for people to join the military. I've talked a lot about veterans' health care, so we'll continue to talk about those issues and how to care for vets. I know I can do that, having been one. "

McCain's alternative would have a sliding scale of benefits to encourage retention by only offering the top level of benefits to those who stay for six years. McCain also argues that his version would involve less new bureaucracy than Webb's bill. A late May vote on the Webb bill passed 75–22, with McCain missing the vote due to being away from Washington.

Telecommunications and network neutrality

McCain voted against the Telecommunications Act of 1996, on the grounds that it would not ensure competition enough in practice.

In 2002, McCain introduced the Consumer Broadband Deregulation Act of 2002, a deregulation measure aimed at preventing the government from requiring broadband providers to offer access to competing ISPs in the residential broadband market.

In 2006, McCain advocated easing of regulations to allow cable television companies to offer programming on an à la carte, per channel basis, along the lines of the Family and Consumer Choice Act of 2007.

McCain is against government regulation of network neutrality unless evidence of abuse exists. He is quoted as saying "let's see how this thing all turns out, rather than anticipate a problem that so far has not arisen in any significant way." Until such a time, he supports allowing network owners to control what sites consumers view, saying, in May 2007, "When you control the pipe you should be able to get profit from your investment".

Federal minimum wage

McCain believes that each state should decide its own minimum wage. On January 24, 2007 he voted Yea on legislation that would allow employers to pay less than the federal minimum wage if the state set a lower minimum. He also voted in favor of maintaining the filibuster against a bill to increase the federal minimum wage from $5.15 an hour to $7.25.

Structure of government

Judicial appointments

McCain is a believer in judges who would, as he sees it, “strictly interpret the Constitution,” and is against what he sees as “the systemic abuse of our federal courts" by judges who “preemptively" decide American social policy. Over the years he has supported the failed confirmation of Robert Bork. He then supported and voted for the appointments of conservative judges such as Anthony Kennedy (the last nominee to receive a unanamous comfirmation), Clarence Thomas, John Roberts, and Samuel Alito. On the other hand he also voted for the comfirmations of judges David Souter (who appeared to be conservative at the time but turned out different), Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Stephen Breyer. He also stated some of his favorite past judges include Sandra Day O'Connor, William Rhenquist, and John Harlan. He cited John Roberts and Alito as favorite current judges on the Supreme Court, stating this would be the type of judges he would appoint to that court. For lower courts, he stated he would appoint a mix of moderates and conservatives. While McCain is opposed to abortion, he stated that he would not use abortion as the litmus test.

Gang of 14 and Senate filibuster

Main article: Gang of 14

On May 23, 2005, McCain led 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" (also known as the "constitutional 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. The agreement may have affected the likelihood that a Senate minority would defeat subsequent nominations to the U.S. Supreme Court (e.g. the nominations of John Roberts and Samuel Alito). Such a defeat by a filibustering Senate minority could have become less likely if the so-called "nuclear option" had been successful, but such a defeat could have become more likely if the nuclear option had been voted down.

Religion and the nation

When interviewed by Beliefnet, a website that covers religious affairs, McCain was asked if he thought a non-Christian should be president of the United States. He answered, "I just have to say in all candor that since this nation was founded primarily on Christian principles, personally, I prefer someone who has a grounding in my faith." McCain also stated his agreement with the belief that the U.S. is a "Christian nation." On September 30, 2007, he clarified his remarks by saying "What I do mean to say is the United States of America was founded on the values of Judeo-Christian values, which were translated by our founding fathers which is basically the rights of human dignity and human rights."

Pork barrel spending and earmarks

McCain has been called one of the Senate's most outspoken critics of pork barrel spending. However, the Washington Post gives McCain's plans to cut $100 billion in earmarks 4 Pinocchios, indicating he is lying and refer to it as "voodoo economics".

McCain has vowed to not request pork barrel projects for his home state or Arizona. In 2008, he was one of twenty-nine Senators to vote on a one-year moratorium on earmarks. However, McCain was called, in 2002, a "pork enabler" by an aide to Republican Senator Pete Domenici.

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. Because of McCain and Feingold's involvement, the law is commonly referred to as the "McCain-Feingold Act."

President's Question Time

In May 2008, McCain stated his intention, if elected, to created a Presidential equivalent of the British conditional convention of Prime Minister's Questions. In a policy speech on May 15 which outlined a number of ideas, McCain said, "I will ask Congress to grant me the privilege of coming before both houses to take questions, and address criticism, much the same as the Prime Minister of Great Britain appears regularly before the House of Commons."

George F. Will of the The Washington Post criticized the proposal in an Op-Ed piece, saying that a Presidential Question Time would endanger separation of powers as the President of the United States, unlike the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, is not a member of the legislature. Will ended the piece by saying, "Congress should remind a President McCain that the 16 blocks separating the Capitol from the White House nicely express the nation's constitutional geography."

Energy and environmental policy

McCain has a lifetime pro-environment rating of 24 on a scale of 100 on the League of Conservation Voters's National Environmental Scorecard, which reflects the consensus of experts from about 20 leading environmental organizations.

Energy

McCain is a member of the Honorary Board of the Republicans for Environmental Protection organization.

McCain said if he were President, he would transform the United States Environmental Protection Agency into new Cabinet Departments.

According to the League of Conservation Voters' 2006 National Environmental Scorecard, McCain took an "anti-environment" stance on four of seven environmental resolutions during the second session of the 109^th congress. The four resolutions dealt with issues such as offshore drilling, an Arctic national wildlife refuge, low-income energy assistance, and environmental funding.

Energy dependence

McCain proposed increasing ethanol imports and moving from exploration to production of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

Widespread and rapid adoption of plug-in hybrids, could help break the stranglehold of oil on the U.S. economy and undermine Al Qaeda.

He said that US dependence on foreign oil is "a major strategic vulnerability, a serious threat to our security, our economy and the well-being of our planet." He is co-sponsor of a Senate cap-and-trade bill designed to limit greenhouse gas emissions, and is seen as a bipartisan leader on the issue.

In April 2007, McCain gave a major speech on his energy policy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He connected energy independence with national security, climate change, and the environment.

McCain generally supports increased energy efficiency, but has not announced specific targets. He has called for raising gas mileage standards to 35 m.p.g.

Offshore drilling

In McCain's campaign for the presidency in 2000, he supported the federal ban on offshore drilling for oil. In June 2008, he endorsed President Bush's proposal to end ; ; the ban.

ANWR

McCain has generally opposed drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, but did vote in favor of preserving the budget for ANWR oil drilling.

He opposes drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and has consistently voted against it, despite party pressure favoring expanded exploration.

Alternative energy sources

McCain has voted in favor of reducing funding of renewable and solar energy.

Ethanol for energy

In 2000, McCain skipped most of the Iowa caucuses during his presidential bid, in large part because his opposition to ethanol was a nonstarter in a state where making corn into fuel was a large and profitable business.

McCain opposes ethanol subsidies. In May 2008, he and 23 other Republicans wrote:

Although many factors may contribute to high food costs, food-to-fuel mandates are the only factors that can be reconsidered in light of current circumstances.

In response to rising food prices linked to an increased production of ethanol, McCain along with 24 other Republican Senators approached the Environmental Protection Agency with concerns about reducing requirements made by Congress in 2007. McCain has been noted as a critic of the subsidies that push for the production of more ethanol and other renewable other fuels.

Nuclear power

McCain supports the increased use of nuclear energy in the US to move away from dependence on foreign oil to produce electricity. McCain has promoted the expanded use of nuclear power, calling for 45 new nuclear reactors to be built by 2030 .

Global warming

The McCain-Lieberman Climate Stewardship Act of 2003 was defeated in October 2004 by a margin of 43-55. The Climate Stewardship and Innovation Act of 2007 was introduced by Senator Joseph 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."

In February 2007, McCain and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger called for a nationwide roll-out of California's new low carbon fuel standard.

In April 2007, McCain called global warming "a serious and urgent economic, environmental and national security challenge" and said that the problem "isn't a Hollywood invention."

In September 2007, McCain said that he supported a 65% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050.

In a campaign video in January 2008, McCain said "I believe that America did the right thing by not joining the Kyoto treaty, but I believe that if we could get China and India into it, then the United States should seriously consider on our terms joining with every other nation in the world to try and reduce greenhouse gases. It's got to be a global effort."

McCain's position on greenhouse gas emissions calls for a timetable mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency that gradually reduces greenhouse ceilings. McCain's stance also includes an emission credit system that regulates each metric ton of greenhouse a company produces.This plan is to be put in to effect by 2012.

Everglades

In 2007, McCain sided with Bush against Florida Republicans in opposing a Congressional override of Bush's veto of a water projects bill that would have approved $2 billion for restoration of the Everglades, despite $7.8 billion that had been earmarked for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) in 2000. The State of Florida has, since the passing of CERP, spent $2 billion on CERP initiatives, though the federal government has declined to fund initiatives written in CERP. In 2004, a group of real estate developers, led by a major fundraiser to McCain's campaign, Al Hoffman, worked to block state efforts to follow through on restoration works. McCain said on June 4, 2008 while touring the Everglades, that he supported "adequate funding" for restoration but that it had to be achieved "without sacrificing fiscal responsibility", though he declined to state which CERP programs were irresponsible.

Social policy

McCain's 2006 rating by the Almanac of American Politics (2008) on Social Policy is 46% conservative, 53% liberal. (2005: 64% conservative, 23% liberal.) McCain also has an 83% rating from the Christian Coalition, which indicates many socially conservative views such as voting yes on $75M for abstinence education, yes on recommending a Constitutional ban on flag desecration, and voting yes on memorial prayers and religious symbols at school.

Drugs

McCain has said that as president he would push for more money and military help to drug-supplying nations such as Colombia. He supports expanding the use of federally funded drug treatment and prevention programs and forging public/private partnerships. McCain supported the Drug Free Borders Act of 1999, which provided $1 billion to increase detection of illegal drugs entering the country and also supported the authorization of $53 million in international development funds to stop illegal narcotics.

In 1999, in a Republican presidential debate at Dartmouth College, McCain opposed the legalization of marijuana. He said, "We’re losing the war on drugs. We ought to say, 'It’s not a war anymore,' or we really ought to go after it. And there was a time in our history when we weren’t always losing the war on drugs. It was when Nancy Reagan had a very simple program called 'Just Say No.' And young Americans were reducing the usage of drugs in America." At the debate, McCain called marijuana a "gateway drug".

LGBT rights and issues

In 2004, McCain voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment, arguing that each state should be able to choose whether to recognize same-sex marriage. He supported the failed 2006 Arizona initiative to ban gay marriage.

In December 2007, McCain said that the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy should remain in place, citing reports from military leaders that "this policy ought to be continued because it's working."

When asked if he supported civil unions of homosexuals, McCain said: "I do not." On the Ellen Degeneres Show May 22, 2008, McCain said that people ought to be able to enter "legal agreements...particularly in the case of insurance and other areas", but that the "unique status of marriage" should be retained between a man and a woman."

Education

McCain supports the use of school vouchers. Some of McCain's 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 $5 billion for grants to local educational agencies. He supports merit pay for teachers, along with firing them if they don't meet certain standards. He sponsored the Education A-Plus bill in 1997 and again in 1999, which would have allowed parents to open tax-free savings accounts for their children's school expenses, such as tutoring, computers and books. McCain co-sponsored the Child Nutrition Act, which would provide federal funding for at-risk children. He said when running for President in 2000 that he would take $5.4 billion away from sugar, gas and ethanol subsidies and pour that money into a test voucher program for every poor school district in America. He voted against diverting $51.9 million away from the Department of Labor and putting it towards after-school community learning centers, and he voted against an amendment which would fund smaller class sizes rather than providing funds for private tutors.

In 2005, McCain announced that he supported the inclusion of intelligent design teaching in schools. He told the Arizona Daily Star that, "I think that there has to be all points of view presented. But they've got to be thoroughly presented. So to say that you can only teach one line of thinking … or one belief on how people and the world was created I think there's nothing wrong with teaching different schools of thought." In 2006 he seemed to back off the position a bit, saying, "Should [intelligent design] be taught as a science class? Probably not." McCain's 2005 book Character Is Destiny had included a highly complimentary chapter on Charles Darwin, in which McCain wrote, "Darwin helped explain nature's laws. He did not speculate, in his published theories at least, on the origin of life. The only undeniable challenge the theory of evolution poses to Christian beliefs is its obvious contradiction of the idea that God created the world as it is in less than a week."

On July 29, 2007, McCain voted against increasing federal student loans and Pell Grants and expanding eligibility for financial aid.

Abortion

In June 1984, McCain voted for H.AMDT.942, the Siljander amendment, to H.R.5490, "An amendment to define "person" as including unborn children from the moment of conception".

In 1999, McCain said of Roe v. Wade, "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." On February 18, 2007, however, McCain stated, "I do not support Roe versus Wade. It should be overturned."

In a debate in February 2000, McCain said that the Republican Party's official position on abortion should be changed to explicitly recognize exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother. McCain said in April 2007 that he continued to support such a change.

McCain is against government funding of birth control and sex education; his opposition included a vote against spending $100 million to reduce teen pregnancy by education and contraceptives. He has a consistent 0 percent rating from NARAL (as of 2007) and a 75% rating from the NRLC.

Stem Cell Research

McCain is a member of The Republican Main Street Partnership and supports embryonic stem cell research despite his earlier opposition. He states that he believes that stem cell research, and indeed embryonic stem cell research, will continue whether or not the U.S. sanctions it, and so it would be the wisest course of action to support it to the extent that the United States will be able to regulate and monitor the use.

Vaccination

On February 28, 2008 McCain told ABC News' Bret Hovell, "It's indisputable that (autism) is on the rise amongst children, the question is what's causing it. And we go back and forth and there's strong evidence that indicates that it's got to do with a preservative in vaccines." However, there is no scientific evidence that the actual prevalence of autism is increasing, nor is there scientific evidence of a link between the vaccine preservative thimerosal and cases of autism.

Gun control

In a speech before the National Rifle Association in September 2007, McCain said "For more than two decades, I've opposed the efforts of the anti-gun crowd to ban guns, ban ammunition, ban magazines, and paint gun owners as some kind of fringe group; dangerous in 'modern' America. Some even call you 'extremists.' My friends, gun owners are not extremists, you are the core of modern America."

McCain has received fair to poor ratings on gun issues from the National Rifle Association, garnering a C+. According to a review by Gun Owners of America (GOA), "...in 2001, McCain went from being a supporter of anti-gun bills to being a lead sponsor" in toward restrictions on the free speech of pro-Second Amendment organizations. McCain's GOA rating is F-.

Immigration

McCain has promoted the legislation and eventually the granting of citizenship to the estimated 12–20 million illegal aliens in the United States and the creation of an additional guest worker program with an option for permanent immigration. His prominent role in promoting the Senate's 2006 immigration legislation, including an initial cosponsorhip role with Ted Kennedy, made him a focus of the debate in 2006, and his support for S.1348 did so again in 2007. The immigration issue caused intense friction within his own party, such as when The Washington Times reported that McCain and South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham "first checked with Mr. Kennedy before deciding to vote with the Massachusetts Democrat on an amendment to the Senate bill." McCain's immigration stance was widely cited as a major reason for his presidential campaign's difficulty during most of 2007.

In his bid for the 2000 Presidential nomination, McCain supported expansion of the H-1B visa program, a temporary visa for skilled workers. In 2005, he co-sponsored a bill with Ted Kennedy that would expand use of guest worker visas. However, he voted for a ban on the immigration of individuals with HIV. A Vanity Fair article reported a meeting with "sympathetic businessmen" at which McCain was asked about the politics of immigration. "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 god damned fence if they want it." McCain voted for the Secure Fence Act of 2006.

McCain campaigned against Proposition 200, a 2004 Arizona state initiative intended to prevent illegal immigrants from voting, receiving welfare benefits, and mandated state agencies to report illegals to the federal government. McCain argued Prop 200 would be overly expensive to execute, that it would be ineffectual, and that immigration regulation falls only under the purview of the federal government.

McCain has repeatedly argued that low-skilled immigrant labor is necessary to supply service roles that native-born Americans refuse. In one widely remarked-upon incident, he insisted to a union group that none of them would be willing to pick lettuce for fifty dollars an hour. The audience interrupted with offers and several weeks later demonstrators showed up at his Phoenix office to apply for lettuce picking work.

In May 2007, McCain conceded to Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly that passage of amnesty will permanently change the ethnic makeup of the country. He supports a path to citizenship for an estimated twelve to twenty million immigrants, on the condition of a thirteen year waiting period.

McCain has subsequently stated that the nation's first priority must be to emphasize border security, and that debate over immigration is a secondary issue.

Public Service

McCain believes that more Americans should get involved in public service. "If you find fault with our country, make it a better one...When healthy skepticism sours into corrosive cynicism, our expectations of our government become reduced to the delivery of services. For too many Americans, the idea of good citizenship does not extend beyond walking into a voting booth every two or four years and pulling a lever — and too few Americans demand of themselves even that first obligation of self-government."

Crime

McCain voted Yes on a 2004 crime bill which mandated prison terms for crimes involving firearms and stricter penalties for other gun and drug law violations.

McCain has indicated that he supports the use of the death penalty, mandatory prison terms for selling illegal drugs, and stronger restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns. McCain is a proponent of mandatory sentencing in general.

Domestic security

McCain voted in support of the USA PATRIOT Act, as did all but two of the Senators. In a speech in Westport, Connecticut, he said that "sometimes democracies overreact" during times of national security crises, and pledged to periodically review the Patriot Act in order to safeguard civil liberties.

Voted Yes on reauthorizing the Patriot Act. Voting for this bill would extend the Patriot Act but with some amendments. Such amendments would clarify the rights of an individual who has received FISA orders to challenge nondisclosure requirements and to refuse disclosure of the name of their attorney. Voting against this bill would terminate the Patriot Act.

Voted Yes on extending the Patriot Act’s Wiretap Provision. This piece of legislation would allow the FBI to use roaming wiretaps on U.S. residents and would concede to the Federal Agents entry and access to corporate accounts. Voting for this bill would extend the Patriot Act to December 31, 2009, thereby making its provisions permanent whereas voting against this bill would keep the Patriot Act provisional.

Affirmative Action

In 1998 McCain opposed ballot proposals that end affirmative action. He stated, "Rather than engage in divisive ballot initiatives, we must have a dialogue and cooperation and mutual efforts together to provide for every child in America to fulfill their expectations." That same year, McCain voted to keep a program which directed ten percent of federal surface transportation funds to firms owned by women and racial minorities. In 1999 McCain pushed legislation which would give companies tax breaks for selling media properties to minorities. In 2003 McCain reintroduced the legislation.

Alcohol

McCain's family has close ties to Anheuser-Busch through its Hensley & Co. distributor. McCain has recused himself from voting on bills before Congress dealing with alcohol-related matters

Martin Luther King Holiday

In 1983, McCain opposed creating a federal holiday in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. The House vote was 338-90 and President Reagan signed the bill into law later that year, creating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

McCain continued his opposition to a holiday for King by supporting Governor of Arizona Evan Mecham's rescinding of the Arizona state holiday for King in 1987. By 1989, McCain reiterated his opposition to the federal holiday, but reversed position on the state holiday, due to the economic boycotts and image problems Arizona was receiving as a result of it not having one.

In 1990, McCain persuaded Ronald Reagan to support an Arizona holiday for King; Reagan issued his statement of support through McCain’s office, asking Arizonans to "join me in supporting a holiday to commemorate these ideals to which Dr. King dedicated his life." The 1990 referendum failed, and in 1992 McCain supported another referendum for a state holiday, which passed.

In April 2008, McCain said

We can be slow as well to give greatness its due, a mistake I made myself long ago when I voted against a federal holiday in memory of Dr. King. I was wrong and eventually realized that, in time to give full support for a state holiday in Arizona. We can all be a little late sometimes in doing the right thing, and Dr. King understood this about his fellow Americans.

Organizational ratings

Several organizations have attempted to scientifically measure McCain's place on the political spectrum:

• National Journal's studies of roll-call votes through 2006 assigned McCain a lifetime rating of 72 in the political spectrum, relative to the then-current Senate, with a rating of 1 being most liberal and 100 being most conservative. (McCain did not receive a National Journal ranking in 2007 due to missing too many votes because of campaigning.)

• A 2004 analysis by political scientists Joshua D. Clinton of Princeton University, Doug Rivers of Stanford University, and Simon Jackman found McCain to be likely the 51st-most liberal Senator.

• The Almanac of American Politics, edited by Michael Barone and Richard E. Cohen, rates votes as liberal or conservative, with 100 as the highest rating, in three policy areas: Economic, Social, and Foreign. For 2006, McCain's ratings are: Economic = 64 percent conservative, 35 percent liberal (2005: 52 percent conservative, 47 percent liberal); Social = 46 percent conservative, 53 percent liberal (2005: 64 percent conservative, 23 percent liberal); Foreign = 58 percent conservative, 40 percent liberal (2005: 54 percent conservative, 45 percent liberal)

• McCain's voting record during the 107th Congress, during 2001 and 2002, placed him as the sixth most liberal Republican senator, according to Voteview.com. His voting record in the 109th Congress, during 2005 and 2006, was the second most conservative among senators, according to the same analysis.

Assessments by political groups

John McCain's congressional voting scores, 1983–2006, from the American Conservative Union (pink line; 100 is most conservative) and from Americans for Democratic Action (dark blue line; 100 is most liberal).

Various interest groups have given Senator McCain scores or grades as to how well his votes align with the positions of the group:

• McCain has received a lifetime American Conservative Union rating of 82 percent through 2007 (see chart for progression over time).
• Through 2007, McCain has an average lifetime 13 percent "Liberal Quotient" from Americans for Democratic Action (see chart for progression over time).
• The National Right to Life Committee gives McCain a lifetime 72 percent rating from 1997 through 2007, while NARAL Pro-Choice America gives him a lifetime 1 percent rating from 1987 through 2007.
• Americans for Better Immigration has given him a lifetime grade of 'D' (near failing) for 1989 through early 2008 on their Immigration-Reduction Report Card.
• The National Rifle Association gave McCain a 'C' grade (fair) as of 2004, and the Gun Owners of America gives a lifetime 'D-' (very near failing) grade for 2000 through 2006.
• The American Civil Liberties Union has given McCain a lifetime 22 percent score through early 2008.
• The League of Conservation Voters has given McCain a lifetime pro-environment action rating of 24 on a scale of 100 through 2007.

Ratings of McCain's votes from a number of other interest groups are tracked by Project Vote Smart (PVS), which also provides details about McCain's voting record on particular issues. From the late 1990s until 2008, McCain was a board member of PVS which was set up by Richard Kimball, his 1986 Senate opponent.

The organization OntheIssues is another group that provides details about McCain's positions on specific issues. OnTheIssues provides details about McCain's support for pro-life and free trade policies, his support for supplementing the current Social Security system with personal accounts, his opposition to expanding government health care mandates, and his support for giving tax credits to people who buy health insurance. OnTheIssues also describes McCain's support for school vouchers, capital punishment, welfare reform, gun rights, border security, don't ask don't tell, and nuclear power as a means to stem greenhouse gas emissions.

External links

• JohnMcCain.com - Issues
• On the Issues issue positions
• Project Vote Smart candidate information including issue positions
• An Enduring Peace Built on Freedom an article by John McCain in Foreign Affairs
• John McCain's positions on top foreign policy issues by Council on Foreign Relations
• McCain & environmental issues: Comprehensive review from the League of Conservation Voters.
• 2008 Presidential Candidate Health Plan Report Card issued by the National Physicians Alliance
• Envisioning the Future: The 2008 Presidential Candidates' Health Reform Proposals from The Commonwealth Fund