by Jill Zuckman
CLEVELAND - Surrounded by successful business people, Sen. John McCain presented himself this morning as a man with a plan to create jobs and get the economy moving again.
He painted his opponent, Sen. Barack Obama, as anxious to raise taxes, and described a President Obama combined with a House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and a Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid as "a dangerous threesome."
"They believe that $1 trillion of rescue financing is not enough and have already proposed another $300 billion spending spree they are calling a stimulus plan," said McCain, firmly rejecting the idea for the first time. "I would rather give the great American middle class additional tax cuts and let you keep that money and invest it in your future."
Public opinion polls show that Americans are more worried about the economy and their financial future than any other issue facing the country. And when it comes to the economy, most people say they trust Obama to handle it better than McCain could. With the election turning on this issue, McCain has been scrambling for weeks to regain the upper hand.
"I have been through tough times like this before and the American people can trust me -- based on my record and results -- to take strong action to end this crisis, restore jobs and bring security to Americans," McCain said. "I will never be the one who sits on the sidelines waiting for things to get better. I believe that to lead, you must put forward your vision of our future, and that is what I have done."
McCain spent about 50 minutes speaking with his nine economic advisers, including Meg Whitman, the former CEO of Ebay, Mitt Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts and the former head of a private equity investment firm, and John Taylor, a Stanford economics professor.
"With one week left in this campaign, the choice facing Americans is stark," McCain told a friendly audience at the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel afterwards. "My economic goals and policies are very clear -- One, I will protect your savings and retirement accounts and get this stock market rising again. Two, I will keep people in their homes and fix our housing market. Three, I will create millions of high-paying jobs through tax cuts that spur economic growth -- particularly for the small businesses which create 70 percent of all new jobs in this country."
McCain insisted that both he and Obama would serve as a break with President Bush's economic policies, even though he now supports extending Bush's tax cuts.
"This is the fundamental difference between Senator Obama and me," McCain said. "We both disagree with President Bush on economic policy. The difference is that he thinks taxes have been too low, and I think that spending has been too high."
McCain voted against the original Bush tax cuts beginning in 2001, complaining that they were not paid for, would cost too much, and were targeted to people making too much money.
However, the Obama campaign said there is no difference between McCain and Bush.
"A day after John McCain said that he agreed with George Bush's economic philosophy, he continued to parrot the same failed policies that give billions to billionaires and big corporations while providing no relief at all to more than 100 million middle-class Americans," said a statement from the Obama campaign. "Barack Obama will invest in the middle class by cutting taxes for 95 percent of workers and their families and create new jobs by giving tax credits to employers who hire new workers and investing in renewable sources of energy."
In reality, McCain said on NBC's Meet the Press yesterday that he shares with Bush "a common philosophy of the Republican Party," but that he disagreed with the president on his spending decisions.
The Republican nominee, in a bit of a departure, took aim at the middle class, saying the government needs to build up their confidence. For months, the Obama campaign has mocked him for not talking about the middle class. Rather, McCain has talked about workers or working families.
"Through my middle class tax cuts, I will let you keep much more of what you earn so you can save and invest it," he said. "A typical middle-class family of four making $42,000 a year with health insurance will get $4,350 more dollars under my plan than under the Obama plan."
Comments
Yes McCain does have a plan. A plan of Socialism. He knows that capitalism is on it's way to the dustbin of history. That's why he suggests taking the vital step of nationalizing banks and mortgages to place as much power over the economy in the hands of government as possible. Once the banking sector is in government control other industies will inevitably follow. McCain knows his Marx, and is working diligently to bring that vision into reality. A new day is dawning in America. The red flag of socialism will proudly wave during the McCain Administration.
John McCain, Socialist for President.
Posted by: Socialist for McCain | October 27, 2008 11:16 AM
"They believe that $1 trillion of rescue financing is not enough and have already proposed another $300 billion spending spree they are calling a stimulus plan," said McCain
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And, of course, you are talking about the bailout you supposedly shut down your campaign for and helped to pass. You'd better come up with some kind of "plan" that negates your steady move towards socialism. Hey, why don't you sell a few of your houses and give the money to Habitat for Humanity? That would do more good than your typical empty gestures, stupid attack ads and squandering your campaign funds at Saks.
Posted by: Kenneth Janowski | October 27, 2008 11:17 AM
Way to use those spidey senses John. You just figured out it's the economy? So you trot out Romney? One of the guys you overlooked because of the religious right bozos? Really made us believe in "country first" when you called them the "agents of intolerance" just a while back. Great campaign you've been running......is wrong way peachfuzz at the helm?
Posted by: bill "Hussein" r. | October 27, 2008 11:20 AM
Again, what IS his plan?? Has anyone seen it in writing? He always has a plan, but never gives any details?
No wonder he is so far behind in the polls!!!
Posted by: Bob "Hussein" inATL | October 27, 2008 11:30 AM
Well, yes, he has a plan. And he will tell everyone what it is AFTER he is elected. Now, hmmm. . .will that be before or after he catches bin Laden? Boy, if McCain wins, he sure will be busy. You betcha!
Posted by: Janstress | October 27, 2008 11:50 AM
Socialist for McCain, Duh it is Obama that wants to SPREAD THE WEALTH!
Kenneth Janowski, why are the dems unable to admit that Obama voted for the bailout too, and he pushed IN the senate to vote for it.
HUSSEIN, YOU OBVIOUSLY DON'T LISTEN TO HIS SPEECHES. hE HAS TALKED OF NOTHING ELSE. I GUESS YOU ARE JUST TOO MESMERIZED BY OBAMA TO HEAR OR SEE ANYTHING ELSE. Also if you listened to what is being said about the polls, the difference is not that surmountable.
Posted by: Ruth | October 27, 2008 12:01 PM
If he's got a plan, let's implement it. What's he waiting for? Just call up his buddy George and give him the details.
This proves that McCain really has no plan, and that he's trying to BS his way into the Presidency.
Posted by: Bruce Y | October 27, 2008 12:01 PM
Where have I heard that false promise, before ?? Oh, that's right !! It was the same ploy President Reagan's used to get elected, in regards to the hostage crisis in Iran !! What did his false promise turnout to be ?? Some thing known in our history books as the Iran-Contra Scandal !! The biggest example of appeasement this nation has ever witnessed. Under President Reagan's watch, the sales of arms to Iran, in exchange for hostages, the Iranians were holding, occurred !! How's that for a false promise; one of the more notable examples of appeasement in modern history. Let's not take another chance, with another Republican " pig-in-a-poke " !! One was more than enough !!
Senator Obama has presented to America a fair and straightforward approach, that would lead us out of this Banking Scandal and disastrous economic state, which the Bush administrations had no small part in playing, in its development !!
We don't need any more Republican Presidents for a long time, if only because, it will take Senator Obama and Senator Biden, a long time to repair the damage they have done to this nation, economically, morale-wise, and to our reputation in the world community !! Let them go home and re-connect with their real constituents, not those old phony ones, the Corporations !!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, Chicago | October 27, 2008 12:03 PM
McCain actually mentions the middle class? WOW! I think that's a first for him!
Posted by: Op109 | October 27, 2008 12:13 PM
Also if you listened to what is being said about the polls, the difference is not that surmountable.
Posted by: Ruth | October 27, 2008 12:01 PM
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Exactly.
Posted by: Rutle | October 27, 2008 1:28 PM
McCain Health "Plan" is such bull. He NEVER discusses the BIGGEST 2 issues..... When employers dump their health plans because their premiums are no longer duductible, 2 BIG things happen. (1) the typical 75% employer "subsidy" disappears, and (2) the "Individually" purchased plan will cost AT LEAST twice what the employer's "Group" plan for the SAME level of benefits, and THATS if you are healthy ! SO how far do you think his stupid little tax credit will go to offset these 2 items ..... NOWHERE near the added cost !
Posted by: Listen Up | October 27, 2008 1:30 PM
McCain continues to speak of his "plan", but continues not to give details. If his plan is based on his "healthcare reform", then why does not he say it. If his plan is to decrease Corporate tax, then why doesn't he say that. All of the other tax cuts... like decreasing Capital Gains ( if anyone has any), etc...then he needs to speak out NOW, otherwise, people tune his out. It appears that he has all these "Plans", but is keeping them a secret...that is no way to win an election.
Posted by: afisher | October 27, 2008 1:38 PM
McCain's health plan: "Don't Get Sick"
He says he knows how to win wars and has a plan to catch bin laden, but he won't say what it is..... So now he has a plan for the economy? What a joke.
Posted by: Flo | October 27, 2008 4:36 PM