McCain: Out of Touch

January 2008: McCain Said “I Do Not Support a National Catastrophic Insurance Policy.” As the Miami Herald’s political blog noted in January 2008, McCain is “not taking up Crist's call for a national catastrophic insurance fund. McCain seemed to suggest that the government needs to improve the Federal Emergency in Coral Gables. ‘That insurance policy is there and it's called FEMA and it's called national disaster preparedness...I still do not have confidence that FEMA is capable of handling those responsibilities.’” [Naked Politics blog, Miami Herald, 1/21/08]

January 2008: McCain Cited Incorrect Cost Estimate In Opposition To A National Catastrophic Insurance Fund; “Not In Favor Of Spending $200 Billion A Year Simply For The State Of Florida.” Campaigning in Florida in January 2008, McCain reiterated his opposition to a national catastrophic insurance fund, saying that one of his central objections to fund was its cost. McCain said that he was “not in favor of spending $200 billion a year simply for the state of Florida.” However, as the South Florida Sun Sentinel noted, “[t]he Congressional Budget Office estimated the cost at $25 million per year, nothing close to the billions McCain suggested.” [South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale), 1/23/08]

February 2008: McCain Highlighted His Opposition To A National Catastrophic Insurance Fund In A Speech To Conservative Activists. In a February 2008 speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference, McCain highlighted his opposition to the national catastrophic insurance fund, stating, “I campaigned in Florida against the national catastrophic insurance fund bill that passed the House of Representatives.” [John McCain, Remarks at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Washington Post, 2/7/08]

Did You Know?

National Catastrophe Fund Would Lower Florida’s Property Insurance Rates, "McCain Either Doesn’t Care or Doesn’t Want to Care." “Without the need to insure for the worst-worst case, companies in Florida could lower rates. Reps. Klein and Mahoney consulted bipartisan wonks at the Congressional Research Service in writing their bill, and remain open to any ideas that improve it while retaining the underlying concept. Both also have offered to explain the concept to Sen. McCain. But he doesn't care, or doesn't want to care. And now, Florida's Republican senator, Mel Martinez, backs Sen. McCain's Gulf states-only risk pool. Barack Obama says that he supports a true national disaster insurance plan.” [Palm Beach Post Editorial, 8/20/08]

McCain: Out of Touch

Florida Today: McCain’s NASA stance ‘downright schizophrenic.’ [Florida Today, 6/13/08]

Florida Today: McCain’s Space Statements ‘Confusing And Contradictory Muddle.’ [Florida Today, 8/1/08]

Sen. Nelson Made His Concerns About The Space Shuttle Gap Clear, But McCain Did Nothing About It. In 2004, McCain was Chairman of the Science and Transportation Committee when Bush put forward a new NASA plan that created the five-year gap between flights that has put the jobs of thousands of space coast workers at risk. At a hearing, Sen. Bill Nelson presented his concerns directly to McCain, warning him not to go down this road: “Mr. Chairman, space flight, you can't do it on the cheap...and then if we don't fly this new vehicle until four, five, six years later, that means that our only human access to space is … Russian rockets and European rockets, and I don't think that's good for the country. And so, rather than having a hiatus, I would love to have you comment as to how we might have an overlap where we would keep the space shuttle flying until such time as the other vehicle is already tested and ready to fly.” McCain ignored the warning. [Sen. Bill Nelson at the Science and Transportation Committee, Senate Commerce Subcommittee, 1/28/04] [Aerospace Daily, 1/29/04; Aerospace Daily, 1/15/04]

McCain's Voting Record

2007: McCain Voted Against Funding NASA and NOAA. McCain voted against passage of the bill that would fund NASA $17.5 billion and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration at $4.2 billion. [Vote 372, HR 3093, 10/16/07, Passed 75-19]

2007: McCain Voted To Kill An Amendment To Reimburse Local And State Governments For The Cost Of Jailing Illegal Immigrants, Which Would Have Been Paid For By Reducing NASA Funding. [Vote 367, HR 3093, 10/16/07, Motion agreed to 68-25]

2001: The “McCain Amendment” To The “Fiscal 2001 Supplemental Appropriations - Defense Funding” Bill Would Have Cut $40 million for the NASA Life and Micro-Gravity Research Program. Reid, D-Nev., motion to table (kill) the McCain, R-Ariz., amendment that would provide $847.8 million in additional funds to the Defense Department for military personnel, working capital funds, mission-critical maintenance, force protection and other purposes. It would be offset by $854 million in non-defense cuts, including $19 million for the International Trade Administration, $126.8 million for the Emergency Oil and Gas Program, and $40 million for the NASA Life and Micro-Gravity Research Program. [Vote 226, S.1087, 7/10/2001, Motion to table agreed to 83-16]

McCain: Out of Touch

McCain Criticized WRDA’s “Wasteful Projects." The $23 billion water bill that McCain opposed passed in November after the House and Senate voted by large margins to override a veto by President Bush. Most Florida elected officials, including Republicans, supported the bill and Gov. Charlie Crist hailed its passage as ‘a great day for Florida and the Everglades ecosystem.’” [Palm Beach Post, 6/7/08]

McCain Urged His Senate Colleagues to Sustain the President’s Veto of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007, Which Contained Everglades Restoration Projects. “Florida Republicans as well as Democrats strongly supported the bill, including McCain's top Sunshine State allies, Gov. Charlie Crist and U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez. But McCain opposed it and, when Bush vetoed it, urged colleagues to sustain the veto. The veto was overridden, and the bill authorized the first significant federal spending for the project, Everglades advocates say.” [St. Petersburg Times, 6/7/08]

The McCain Campaign Said That McCain Supports Only “Adequate” Funding for the Everglades. “[T]he Arizona senator opposed spending $2 billion on restoring the national park, siding with President Bush against Florida's political establishment -- including top Republican supporters Gov. Charlie Crist and Sen. Mel Martinez. It took seven years after the state and federal governments closed a sweeping Everglades cleanup deal for Congress to authorize spending in 2007. McCain was campaigning and missed the vote, but he later urged his colleagues to let Bush's veto of the measure stand. … McCain's campaign said he supports ‘adequate funding’ for Everglades protection but had broader concerns about wasteful, scattershot spending in the $23 billion Water Resources Development Act.” [Miami Herald, 6/4/08]

The Sierra Club: “When It Came Time to Stand Up and Vote for the Environment, John McCain Was Nowhere to Be Found. “Out of 535 Members of Congress, John McCain is the only one who chose to miss every single key environmental vote scored by the League of Conservation Voters last year. When it came time to stand up and vote for the environment, John McCain was nowhere to be found.” [The Sierra Club, accessed 7/9/08]

Did You Know?

Everglades National Park Is A UNESCO World Heritage Site, One of Only Twelve in the United States Recognized For Their Importance to the World Community. [UNESCO, accessed 9/16/08]

Everglades National Park is the Largest Subtropical Wilderness in the United States. [NPS]

McCain: Out of Touch

McCain A “Disappointment” On Modernizing Infrastructure. “[McCain] hasn't talked very much about his vision for modernizing American infrastructure,” Janet Kavinoky of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce told Joe Klein. “It's been a disappointment.” [Time Magazine, 7/31/08]

“McCain Has Made A Mark In Congress Opposing Spending On Bridges, Highways And Other Infrastructure.” “[Economists] note that he has made a mark in Congress opposing spending on bridges, highways and other infrastructure.” [WSJ, 9/6/08]

McCain Called For A Summer-Gas Tax Holiday That Would Suspend The Federal Gas Tax For The Summer. “McCain called for a summer gas-tax holiday that would suspend the 18.4¢ federal gas tax and 24.4¢ diesel tax.” [BusinessWeek, 4/15/08]

McCain’s Gas Tax Suspension Proposal Would Cost Florida More Than $361 Million In Federal Highway Funds And Over 12,000 In Highway-Related Job Losses. According to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, McCain’s gas tax suspension plan would cost Florida $361,406,927 in federal highway funds and 12,569 in highway-related job losses. [“Cost of Proposal to Suspend the Gas Tax,” American Road & Transportation Builders Association]

The Gas Tax Holiday Would Lead To Thousands Of Additional Job Losses Across The Country. According to the AP, “The chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Rep. James Oberstar, and the chairman of the highway subcommittee, Rep. Peter DeFazio, presented fellow lawmakers with a list of how many jobs and how much money each state would lose [with the implementation of the gas tax holiday]. It ranged from $30 million and 1,000 jobs in Vermont to $664 million and 23,000 jobs in California.” [AP, 7/20/08]

The Gas Tax Suspension Would Reduce The Highway Trust Fund By More Than $9B. “Despite the limited benefit at the pump, the biggest hit for taxpayers would be the impact on the nation’s transportation program. The Highway Trust Fund is going broke, and a gas tax holiday may only speed up its downfall. The trust fund is the account where our federal gas tax dollars are collected, to be used exclusively to fund transportation improvements and projects. The transportation bill Congress passed in 2005 will leave the trust fund more than $3 billion in the red by the end of 2009. The gas tax holiday will further reduce trust fund revenues by more than $9 billion.” [Taxpayers for Common Sense, 4/30/08]

State Highway and Transportation Officials: “McCain’s Gas Tax Holiday Would Devastate Highway and Transportation Programs;” Savings Would Be $28 For the Average Motorist. “Presidential contender Senator John McCain (R-AZ) has called for a suspension of the federal gasoline and diesel fuel taxes from Memorial Day to Labor Day. AASHTO Executive Director John Horsley said, "This proposal would have devastating impacts upon the federal-aid highway and transit programs, sharply reducing funding available to states and jeopardizing hundreds of thousands of jobs nationwide. Such a move would be short-sighted and damaging to our nation's economy, while providing little relief to America's drivers." AASHTO estimates that for the average motorists, driving approximately 12,000 miles per year, the savings would amount to roughly $28, less than the cost of a half tank of gasoline.” [American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials]

150 Economists: Research Shows Waiving Gas Tax Would Generate Profits for Oil Companies Rather Than Lowering Costs for Consumers. “As economists who study issues of energy policy, taxation, public finance, and budgeting, we write to indicate our opposition to this policy. Put simply, suspending the federal tax on gasoline this summer is a bad idea and we oppose it. There are several reasons for this opposition. First, research shows that waiving the gas tax would generate major profits for oil companies rather than significantly lowering prices for consumers.” [Economists Letter, 5/2/08]

McCain Slammed For Grossly Downplaying Cost Of “Gas Tax Holiday.” John McCain has long advocated for a “gas tax holiday” but his cost estimates of suspending the tax are inaccurate. Politico wrote that in an interview in April McCain said the plan would cost “very little. Maybe a ‘bridge to nowhere.’ Maybe another pork barrel project.” However, according to 2007 figures from the IRS, the gas tax holiday would cost the federal government about $9 billion in lost revenue, while the “bridge to nowhere” cost the federal government $200 million and “in 2008 the average price tag for earmarks — which McCain derides as pork-barrel projects – is $1.3 million, according to the small government nonprofit group Taxpayers for Common Sense.” [Politico, 8/7/08]

Did You Know?

With Federal Aid Declining, More Than 90 Percent Of New Roads Built Since The Early 1990s Have Been Toll Roads. The AP reported, “In Florida, with federal aid declining, more than 90 percent of new roads since the early 1990s have been toll roads, state Transportation Department spokesman Dick Kane said.” [AP, 5/20/07]

Study: Only 12% Of Structurally Deficient Bridges See Repairs. Despite the collapse of an eight-lane Minneapolis bridge a year ago, which killed 13 people and brought immediate calls for repairs to bridges across the nation, an Associated Press review of repairs on “each state’s 20 most-traveled bridges with structural deficiencies found just 12 percent have been fixed.” [Time, 7/30/08]