comMITTed to Romney!

Estate tax / Death Tax

“MR. MCCAIN WOULD NOT MAKE MR. BUSH’S ESTATE TAX REPEAL PERMANENT.”
“I am concerned that repeal of the estate tax would provide massive benefits solely to the wealthiest- and highest-income taxpayers in the country.” – Sen. John McCain (Sen. John McCain, “Statement Of Senator John McCain On H.R. 8, The Death Tax Elimination Act,” Press Release, 6/11/02)

Sen. McCain Recently Suggested He Supported Abolishing The Death Tax:
On CNBC This Week, Sen. McCain Claimed He Agreed With Actress Whoopi Goldberg’s Call To Abolish The Death Tax. CNBC’s LARRY KUDLOW: “Actress Whoopi Goldberg came out for total abolition of the death tax, sir do you agree with her?” SEN. MCCAIN: “I agree with her. I’ve always admired her enormously and now my admiration knows no bounds.” (CNBC’s “Kudlow & Company,” 12/18/07, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVumaLF79Uw)

Minutes Later, Club For Growth President Pat Toomey Pointed Out That Sen. McCain Doesn’t Support Repealing The Death Tax. CLUB FOR GROWTH’S PAT TOOMEY: “But the big news, Larry that you need to stress here is the persuasiveness of Whoopi Goldberg. She turned John McCain around on the death tax. He’s always been in favor of keeping the death tax, as recently as 2005 publicly declaring he was going to vote to keep the death tax. But I heard him say he agrees with Whoopi Goldberg.” (CNBC’s “Kudlow & Company,” 12/18/07, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVumaLF79Uw)

But Sen. McCain Also Recently Told An Iowa Audience That He Doesn’t Support Full Death Tax Repeal:

Sen. McCain: “I Think The Estate Tax Level Ought To Be At About $10 Million, And Then At Approximately 15% In Taxes At That Point.” SEN. MCCAIN: “I think the estate tax level ought to be at about $10 million, and then at approximately 15% in taxes at that point. In other words, so we take care of 99% of the family farms, businesses in America. … not complete elimination of the estate tax, but certainly at a level that would take care of 99½ % of all American families, farms, and businesses in America.” (Iowans For McCain YouTube Website, www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfI_KJACAvg, Posted 12/17/07)

The Club For Growth To Sen. McCain: “‘Make Up Your Mind, Dude.” “The Club for Growth, taking a break from bashing Mike Huckabee, has posted this video of Sen. John McCain apparently flip-flopping on yet another position — this time on the estate tax. … With the rest of the Republican field calling for a total repeal of the estate tax — they argue it’s a matter of fairness and double-taxation — McCain is under pressure to come into line with them, and maybe that’s what prompted his glib new position. But the back and forth is more than the Club for Growth can stand. ‘Make up your mind, dude,’ said Club’s communications director, Nachama Soloveichik.” (Stephen Dinan, “To John McCain: ‘Make Up Your Mind, Dude’,” The Washington Times, 12/20/07)

Sen. McCain’s Recently-Unveiled Economic Plan Does Not Repeal The Death Tax:
The Washington Times: “Mr. McCain Would Not Make Mr. Bush’s Estate Tax Repeal Permanent.” “Mr. McCain would not make Mr. Bush’s estate tax repeal permanent. Instead, he wants an exemption up to $10 million and a 15 percent rate for estates bigger than that.” (Stephen Dinan, “McCain Embraces Tax Cut Turnaround,” The Washington Times, 12/19/07)
Sen. McCain’s Campaign Website Highlights An Article Sating “He Will Avoid Embracing Repeal Of The Estate Tax.” “Mr. McCain, who is trying to refocus his campaign in the wake of weak first quarter fund-raising and concerns over Iraq, will also use a speech before the Memphis Economic Club to try and woo fiscal conservatives by pledging spending restraint and his support for extending President Bush’s income and investment tax cuts - though he will avoid embracing repeal of the estate tax and won’t call for any new tax cuts.” (John McCain 2008 Website, http://www.johnmccain.com/informing/News/NewsReleases/e2b1193d-f5f9-40b8-8b52-445da841bffd.htm, Accessed 12/18/07)

Sen. McCain Hasn’t Supported Repealing The Death Tax In The Past:
In 2005, Sen. McCain Did Not Support A Full Repeal Of The Death Tax. “McCain also told [Novak] he looks to Kyl for a compromise short of total repeal. He added he could support Kyl’s plan to keep the estate tax rate at the capital gains rate (currently 15 percent) with an exclusion from taxation of an estate’s first $5 million – compared with 55 percent and $1 million in the basic law.” (Robert Novak, Op-Ed, “Nothing Unifies Republicans More Than The Estate Tax,” Chicago Sun-Times, 9/5/05)

Sen. McCain Said He Opposes “Passing On Fortunes.” MCCAIN: “I follow the course of a great Republican, Teddy Roosevelt, who talked about the malefactors of great wealth and gave us the estate tax. I oppose the rich passing on fortunes.” (Robert Novak, Op-Ed, “Nothing Unifies Republicans More Than The Estate Tax,” Chicago Sun-Times, 9/5/05)

Robert Novak Said Sen. McCain’s Position Is Un-Republican. NOVAK: “That does not fit the basic GOP mind-set that wealth should not be punished and that earnings should not be double-taxed.” (Robert Novak, Op-Ed, “Nothing Unifies Republicans More Than The Estate Tax,” Chicago Sun-Times, 9/5/05)

Sen. McCain Has Actually Voted Against Repeal Of The Death Tax:
In 2002, Sen. McCain Was One Of Only Two Republicans To Twice Vote Against Permanent Repeal Of The Death Tax. (S. 1731, CQ Vote #28: Adopted 56-42: R 45-2; D 11-39; I 0-1, 2/13/02, McCain Voted Nay, H.R. 8, CQ Vote #151: Motion Rejected 54-44: R 45-2; D 9-41; I 0-1, 6/12/02, McCain Voted Nay)

Sen. McCain: Estate Tax Cuts Go “Solely To The Wealthiest.” MCCAIN: “I am concerned that repeal of the estate tax would provide massive benefits solely to the wealthiest- and highest-income taxpayers in the country.” (Sen. John McCain, “Statement Of Senator John McCain On H.R. 8, The Death Tax Elimination Act,” Press Release, 6/11/02)

This is one of the areas that I agree with McCain’s previous positions. However I understand that my position and his previous position, is outside of the mainstream of the republican party… McCain probably realized this, and that is why he changed. I like how Romney admitted that he has changed on abortion. I also like how McCain did a similar thing, and admitted that he changed on immigration.

But, like I said, McCain no longer supports the death tax. So which republican is their thatsupports the death tax? Perhaps T. Thompson? Even if This was my most importat issue, look at some of these other items that would keep me from voting for McCain:

During his 2000 presidential bid, McCain had called the Fundamentalist Baptist pastor, Falwell, an “agent of intolerance.” With significant coverage during the campaign, McCain said that he would never back down from his earlier statement. His later appearance at Liberty University prompted questions about the McCain-Falwell relationship and a possible presidential run in 2008. So were is the straight-talk? He is no longer the advocate of straight talk. That was 2000 McCain. Now he is “say anything to get elected-talk”.

In addition, he voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment, reaffirming his attempt to position himself as a political moderate. I guess he has stood by this, right?

His illegal immigration legislation coauthored with Senator Kennedy was a major focus of debate in 2006. This is another one of McCains stupid “bi-partisan” efforts, that he will advance when in office.

McCain is a member of The Republican Main Street Partnership and supports stem cell research despite his earlier opposition to the research. What would they call that if it was Romney? That’s right, a flip, flop.

After a controversial meeting in Kuwait, he stated that he had “no confidence” in Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, but refused to act on his words to call for his resignation, explaining that President Bush “can have the team that he wants around him.” Does anyone have the background on this? What does it mean when it says, “but refused to act on his words”. I think I got the original wording from wiki. But remember how republicans got all mad at democrats when they had the non-binding no confidence vote? All this critisism of Rumsfeld was probably good. Was McCain right, and Rumsfeld wrong? It doesn’t matter, because what good did McCain’s critisism do? If he wasn’t going to call for Rumsfeld to resign, was it just an opportunity to get infront of cameras? Or did his critisism help bring the surge on faster? What do you guys think? With Romney I think he would do a lot of this behind the scenes, and actually get stuff done. But McCain seems to make it into an ego-thing where it is his opinion against everyone else… But maybe that is good… maybe we need ego-maniacs in office… Maybe McCain helped bring the surge on faster, or maybe just the opposite happened, maybe his publican critisism just made the Bush administration dig in their heals?

In 1998, McCain said “why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly? Because her father is Janet Reno.” Yeah, this is why people like McCain. He is funny. He is honest. He is stupid, just like we are. Romney is smart, and doesn’t attack people like this. That is why we pay people from Holliwood so much money. They entertain us. We don’t want a president that entertains us, and is telling jokes all the time. Romney stays on messages, and doesn’t piss people off. Romney, as a CEO, learned how to be diplomatic.

Joan Molinaro, Bruce De Cell, Grace Godshalk and Peter Gadiel of “9/11 Families for a Secure America” accused McCain of “screaming at them” during a chance encounter with McCain when they criticized his proposed immigration reform bills, which they felt were not strict enough in stopping terrorists from crossing the southern border. First of all. I think it is weird that Peter Gadiel was for the border… I always thought he was a lefty… but again, this is why people love McCain… he yells at people all the time… and we like the drama… I mean, the stupid people like the drama…

John McCain is a good man doing the best he can to help our country, but he just in not qualified to lead our country. John McCain thinks we spend too much money on politics. He is not very good at Math, or Economics. America spend more money on Gum than we do on the whole political election cycle, including every political commersial and yard sign. Look it up. Its true. John McCain is a great guy, but he stood 895th out of a class of 900 in the United States Naval Academy. On the other hand Mitt Romney was a Baker scholar with an MBA from Harvard and has been one of this nations most succesfull CEOs.

John McCain, like Mike Huckabee, seems to be ruled by their emotions. McCain seems to be ruled by anger, and Huckabee by missplaced compasion (1033 pardons and commutations).

“McCain voted against the Bush tax cuts in 2003, but now his illegal-alien bill doesn’t require them to pay a dime in income taxes? So McCain finds himself in the position of having voted against tax cuts for citizens, but endorsing the payment of no taxes by criminals who don’t even belong in this country. Granted, Bush wanted that provision, but Bush couldn’t carry Crawford today.” - Howie Carr

McCain used to dismiss Jerry Falwell as an “agent of intolerance,” but treked to a Florida religious convention to woo the guy.

McCain, until recently, was pushing for a reform law that would require political groups to reveal their financial donors. But, after fielding protests from evangelical Christians and antiabortion activists, McCain decided last month to strip out the provision. Does anyone have any more info on this, or a link?

McCain in 2000 assailed Bush’s proposed tax cuts as a sop to the rich, and a year later, with Bush in office, he voted against those cuts, declaring that “the benefits go to the most fortunate among us, at the expense of middle-class Americans.” But a year ago, he switched sides and voted to extend tax cuts for the wealthy. Should we count the number of McCain flips vs. Romney flips? Do people care in the truth any more, or is Romney forever labled as the only republican flip-flopper?

McCain in 1999 said that, “even in the long term,” he would not support the repeal of Roe v. Wade because “thousands of young American women would be performing illegal and dangerous operations.” But last November he said that he now favored repeal because “I don’t believe the Supreme Court should be legislating in the way that they did on Roe v. Wade.” FLIP!

McCain in 2000 was incensed when a pair of Texas businessmen, Sam and Charley Wyly, bankrolled some Bush-friendly TV ads that distorted McCain’s record. McCain declared at the time that their “dirty money” did not belong in national politics. But last year, McCain decided that their dirty money belonged in his campaign; he took $20,000 and allowed them to chair a McCain fund-raiser. (McCain later had to give back the money, because, it turns out, his new friends are reportedly under federal investigation.)

McCain, who has long deplored negative politics, defended John Kerry in 2004 when the Democratic candidate’s war record was being impugned by the Swift Boaters. But today, one of McCain’s top advisers is GOP hardball specialist Terry Nelson, who has worked as a consultant with one of the principal Swift Boaters. Nelson also produced the notorious ‘06 TV ad that implied, in the Tennessee Senate race, that the black Democratic candidate cavorted with white women.

McCain has voted against a federal constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, but last fall, regarding his own state, he supported an Arizona referendum that would have banned gay marriage.

McCain in 2006 suggested that creationism was not a fit topic for the schoolroom: “I respect those who think the world was created in seven days. Should it be taught as a science class? Probably not.” But he suggested the opposite in 2005 (”all points of view should be presented”), and was a keynote speaker at a confab sponsored by the Discovery Institute, a prominent creationism advocacy group. FLIP!

Share on Facebook

Share This