U.S. Senator John McCain, a Republican Party politician from Arizona who was a member of the U.S. Congress from 1983 until his death in office in 2018, a two-time U.S. presidential candidate, and the nominee of the Republican Party in the 2008 U.S. Presidential election, took positions on many political issues through his public comments, his presidential campaign statements, and his senatorial voting record.
Online, McCain used 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!" McCain was considered a moderate or centrist at different times in his career such as when he opposed the planned implementation of the Bush tax cuts in 2004. It was often reported that McCain had grown more conservative throughout his tenure in the Senate, according to various studies. During Barack Obama's presidency, McCain was one of five Republicans most likely to vote in line with President Obama's position on legislation; he voted with Obama's position more than half the time in 2013.
The non-partisan National Journal published an analysis of members of Congress in which it gave McCain a composite ideological rating of 60% conservative and 40% liberal in 2013. On The Issues, a non-partisan and non-profit organization, identifies McCain as a "Libertarian Conservative". In 2017, the American Conservative Union gave McCain a 57% grade based on their positions and the ACU gives him an 81% lifetime conservative score; the American Civil Liberties Union, which focuses on civil rights and liberties, gave McCain a 53% rating in 2014. In 2013, Americans for Democratic Action, a progressive political action committee, gave him a rating of 20% in line with their positions.
He was a member of Republican Main Street Partnership, a Republican group which presents what it describes as centrist Republican solutions in politics.
Economic policy McCain's 2006 rating by The Almanac of American Politics (2008) on Economic Policy was 64% conservative, 35% liberal (52% conservative, 47% liberal in 2005). McCain fleshed out the main points of his economic plan in an April 15, 2008 speech at Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania. (Full text of speech.) 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 pledged to eliminate pork-barrel spending, freeze nondefense discretionary spending for a year or more, and reduce Medicare growth. He was also opposed to extravagant salaries and severance deals of corporate CEOs.Salzman, Avi. “McCain Seeks Shareholders' Say on Pay”, Business Week (2008-06-10): "He said that under his proposed reforms, 'all aspects of a CEO's pay, including any severance agreements, must be approved by shareholders.'" Retrieved June 17, 2008. In 2013, the National Journal gave McCain an economic rating of 61% conservative and 38% liberal.
Budget, taxes, and deficits Projected Federal tax changes in 2009 if their tax proposals fully approved by Congress. Yellow number is largest tax cut. McCain Obama Income Average tax bill Average tax bill Over $2.9M −$269,364 +$701,885 $603K and up −$45,361 +$115,974 $227K–$603K −$7,871 +$12 $161K–$227K −$4,380 −$2,789 $112K–$161K −$2,614 −$2,204 $66K–$112K −$1,009 −$1,290 $38K–$66K −$319 −$1,042 $19K–$38K −$113 −$892 Under $19K −$19 −$567CNN,"What they'll do to your tax bill". By Jeanne Sahadi. June 11, 2008. CNNMoney.com. Article and chart."Your Money: McCain vs. Obama. Personal Taxes". CNN
Money.com. Tax Policy Center,TPC Tax Topics. 2008 Election . "Analysis of the 2008 Presidential Candidates' Tax P
lans." The Tax Policy Center. BarackObama.com,Barack Obama and Joe Biden: The Change We Need. Taxes . BarackObama.com (official Barack Obama campaign site). JohnMcCain.comMcCain-Palin 2008. New Initiatives In The McCain Economic Plan . JohnMcCain.com (official John McCain campaign site).
While McCain had historically opposed tax cuts in favor of deficit reduction,S. 1731, CQ Vote #28: Adopted 56–42: R 45–2; D 11–39; I 0–1, February 13, 2002, 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 NayMcCain is the GOP's best choice for president Corpus Christi Caller-Times, Feb. 16, 2008 he supported tax cuts as part of his presidential campaign. He said that he would reduce government spending to make up for the tax cuts.
McCain had declined to sign the pledge of the group Americans for Tax Reform to not add any new taxes or increase existing taxes.Donald Limbro, "GOP 'darlings' slow to sign tax-cut pledge", Washington Times, February 22, 2007. However, after he lost the presidential election in 2008, McCain became a signer of Americans for Tax Reform's Taxpayer Protection Pledge. In 2002, Sen. McCain was one of only two Republicans to twice vote against the permanent repeal of the Estate Tax, and had stated opposition to a permanent repeal of the Estate Tax.Stephen Dinan, "McCain Embraces Tax Cut Turnaround," The Washington Times, December 19, 2007 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."NBC's "Meet The Press," 4/11/04 However, McCain supported the Bush tax cut extension in May 2006, and January 2008 he told Russert that he favored 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.Meet The Press Transcript: Jan. 27, 2008, NBC.com
McCain had stated that he believed in keeping marginal tax rates low, but that lower taxes work best "when accompanied by lower spending."
In January 2008, McCain said "People talk about a stimulus package. Fine, if that's what we want to come up with. But stop the spending first.""McCain tells South Carolina voters federal spending is out of control", Associated Press, January 18, 2008
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 was in contrast to McCain's historical emphasis on deficit reduction in place of tax cuts. McCain's proposal for decreasing the federal budget deficit included 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."Tax Cuts at Center of McCain's Economic Plan The Wall Street Journal, April 16, 2008
On July 8, 2008, in an interview, McCain said that "historically when you raise people's taxes, revenue goes down. Every time we cut capital gains taxes, there has been an increase in revenues."Transcript, American Morning show, July 8, 2008, CNN, retrieved July 9, 2008
Defense spending
McCain supported ending the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, the Boeing YAL-1 Airborne Laser, and the Boeing and Science Applications International Corporation Future Combat Systems.
In 2016, McCain called the F-35 program a "scandal and a tragedy", noting a change in stance towards the topic from his 2012 position, as seen when an Arizonan airbase was chosen for the aircraft he lauded it as "the greatest combat aircraft in the history of the world"."http://defense.aol.com/2011/12/05/mccain-slams-jsf-calls-program-scandal-and-a-tragedy/" "McCain: Yuma, state perfect for aircraft."
Pork barrel spending (earmarks) McCain was called one of the Senate's most outspoken critics of pork barrel spending.Howard Kurtz, "McCain, Rising Up Against 'Spartacus'", The Washington Post, May 13, 2002. On April 16, 2007, McCain gave a speech on the U.S. economy to the Economic Club of Memphis. He criticized wasteful spending and reiterated his promise to make any sponsors of pork or earmarks "famous" when he becomes president.
In March 2008, Gannett News Service reported that McCain's home state of Arizona ranked last in federal earmarks, because three of the state's ten lawmakers in Washington – McCain and House Republicans Jeff Flake and John Shadegg – refuse to ask for any federal money for local projects.Diana Marrero, "Alaska 1st, Ariz. last in pork spending", Gannett News Service, March 22, 2008 In March 2008, he was one of twenty-nine U.S. Senators, including Obama and Clinton, to vote in favor of a one-year moratorium on earmarks.Senate rejects earmark moratorium" , CNN.com, March 14, 2008
McCain said he hoped to stop special interests from lobbying for special projects. His 2008 campaign website included 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.Laura Meckler, "McCain Tax Cuts Would Bloat Deficit Or Take Huge Spending Curbs", The Wall Street Journal, April 22, 2008 However, on August 2, 2007, he voted against a bi-partisan bill to provide greater transparency in the legislative process and to regulate lobbyists.
Free trade
McCain was a strong proponent of free trade. He supported the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the existing General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) agreements, U.S. participation in the World Trade Organization, and opposed 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