Political positions
Main articles: Political positions of John McCain and Comparison of United States presidential candidates, 2008
Various
interest groups have given Senator McCain scores or grades as to how well his votes align with the positions of each group.
[226] The
American Conservative Union awarded McCain a lifetime rating of 82 percent through 2007, while McCain has an average lifetime 13 percent "Liberal Quotient" from
Americans for Democratic Action through 2007.
[227][228]
McCain's congressional voting scores, from the
American Conservative Union (pink line; 100 is most conservative) and
Americans for Democratic Action (blue line; 100 is most liberal)
[229]
The Almanac of American Politics rates congressional votes as
liberal or
conservative on the
political spectrum, in three policy areas: economic, social, and foreign. For 2005–2006, McCain's average ratings were as follows: the economic rating was 59 percent conservative and 41 percent liberal, the social rating was 54 percent conservative and 38 percent liberal, and the foreign rating was 56 percent conservative and 43 percent liberal.
[230]
Columnists such as Robert Robb and
Matthew Continetti have used a formulation devised by
William F. Buckley, Jr. to describe McCain as "conservative" but not "a conservative", meaning that while McCain usually tends towards conservative positions, he is not "anchored by the philosophical tenets of modern American conservatism".
[231][232]
The two political issues that voters have been most concerned about in 2008 are the economy and Iraq.
[233] On the economy, McCain says he would make the
Bush tax cuts permanent instead of letting them expire, he would eliminate the
Alternative Minimum Tax so as 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.
[234][235] At the same time, he pledges to eliminate
pork-barrel spending, freeze nondefense
discretionary spending for a year or more, and reduce
Medicare growth.
[235] McCain is also opposed to high salaries and lucrative severance deals of corporate
CEOs.
[235][236] Another proposal of the Arizona senator is to build 45 new
nuclear reactors by 2030, in order to fight
climate change and establish U.S. energy independence.
[237]
On Iraq, McCain's goal is that by 2013 most of the servicemen and women will have returned, the Iraq War will have been won, and Iraq will be a functioning democracy, "although still suffering from the lingering effects of decades of tyranny and centuries of sectarian tension." McCain expects that by 2013, there will still be violence, but at a much-reduced level, and without American troops in a direct combat role.
[238][239]
From the late 1990s until 2008, McCain was a board member of
Project Vote Smart (PVS) which was set up by Richard Kimball, his 1986 Senate opponent.
[240] PVS provides non-partisan information about the political positions of McCain
[241] and other candidates for political office. Additionally, McCain uses his Senate web site, and his 2008 campaign web site, to describe his political positions.
[242][243]
