Veterans do not owe McCain anything

I've read a lot of blog posts and letters to the editor from newspapers across this nation. The oddest thing crops up when veterans are saying why they support John McCain. It's because, as they put it, "he's one of us" but that is a false claim when you think about it. The veterans supporting McCain, I doubt they used the same logic when it came to John Kerry running against Bush. Back then, they said it was because of what he did after Vietnam, protesting the war, that made them feel betrayed. It didn't seem to enter into their minds that Kerry had been a big supporter of veterans issues all the time he was in the Senate. They would not forgive him. The problem is they are not thinking about what McCain did after Vietnam either.

McCain was not a hero any more than any other Vietnam veteran. If you doubt that then read the acts of heroism that earned many the Bronze Star for Valor, the Silver Star and the Medal of Honor. When he came home he was afforded the distinction earned as a POW, but there were hundreds more who returned from being a POW as well. McCain's record on voting on veterans issues has been a disgrace but the veterans supporting him never bother to notice that he is not supporting them. His record is not something that has been discussed while he's been interviewed enough and when it is, he says, he has without being challenged. The record is what it is. His votes speak from his heart and his heart is not with the veterans.

How can it be that the veterans say today they feel they owe McCain their support as a veteran but didn't use the same logic with Kerry? Most of the people writing the posts I read were the first to come out against Kerry. Doesn't it matter to them if a veteran supports them or not? Doesn't it matter to them that when McCain actually had the chances to prove if he supports them or not, he failed the test? If these veteran did not automatically support Kerry as one of them then their excuse for supporting McCain now does not hold up to common sense. I really believe that they don't care if McCain is a veteran or not as much as they support him because he's a Republican and Kerry is a Democrat. It's a very sad statement to make because it is not the Republican Party supporting the veterans.

History has shown it's been the Democrats. All the changes to make the lives better for veterans serving in Iraq and Afghanistan have happened after 2007 when the Democrats took back control over the House and a tiny bit of control over the Senate. If you don't believe me, look it up for yourself. Know who voted with veterans and who turned their backs on veterans. kc

Florida Veterans for Common Sense wants you to vote with common sense

From Florida Veterans For Common Sense

VOTE EARLY

FLVCS has prepared a comparison on veterans issues between the presidential candidates. It is pasted and attached below. Every vet, active duty service personnel, and their families should be familiar with this information before voting.

SPREAD THE WORD BY RE-CIRCULATING THE CANDIDATES VOTING RECORD

In addition, one candidate has called for a responsible withdrawal from Iraq while the other wants to maintain the occupation indefinitely at a cost of at least $10 billion per month. FLVCS called for withdrawal from Iraq many months ago.

DUES: Please support FLVCS by becoming a dues paying, voting vet member. Although we are a 100% volunteer organization we cannot function without money. Dues are $25 per year. Make checks payable to Florida Veterans for Common Sense and mail to Treasurer Julian Koss, 4180 Via Mirada, Sarasota, FL 34238.

All vets and our non-vet friends are encouraged to donate. Donations are not tax deductible for federal income tax purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
I destroy my enemies when I make them my friends.~Abraham Lincoln

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES VOTING RECORD VETERAN ISSUES

27 million American military veterans and the 2.6 million men and women currently serving in the United States military and their families hold an important role in the election of the next president. Florida Veterans for Common Sense believes being an informed voter is of vital importance in the selection of president. Here is the record of the two major 2008 presidential candidates on veteran issues.

RATINGS OF VARIOUS VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS:

Disabled American Veterans (DAV):

http://dav.capwiz.com/dav/scorecard.xc?chamber=S&session=1092&votescorecard=true

JOHN MCCAIN supported their interests 2006 20% 2005- 25% BARACK OBAMA supported their interest 2006 80% 2005-92%

Disabled American Veterans for America scorecard notes that JOHN MCCAIN has voted for veterans funding bills 30% of the time (though his history in senate is longer) and BARACK OBAMA has a 90% rating.

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America

http://www.iava.org/full-ratings-list

JOHN MCCAIN 2006 DBARACK OBAMA 2006 B+

Vietnam Veterans of America

http://politicsandhypocrisy.com/index.php?s=veteran+votes

JOHN MCCAIN Voted against them 17 out of their last 26 scored votes BARACK OBAMA Voted with them all but 1 time


VOTING RECORD ON VETERANS' ISSUES

Compiled from Project Vote Smart: http://www.votesmart.org/index.htm

5/22/2008 NEW GI Bill and other Domestic Provisions, Senate Amendment 4803 (This bill was supported by American Legion and VFW)

Project Vote Smart's Synopsis:Vote to adopt an amendment to HR 2642 that provides education funding for eligible members of the Armed Forces, extends unemployment compensation, establishes moratoria on certain actions regarding Medicaid, and appropriates a total of $28.67 billion for various domestic and international purposes.

JOHN MCCAIN NAY

BARACK OBAMA YEA



2/2/2006 Tax Extension Amendment HR 4297Project Vote Smart's Synopsis:Vote on a motion to waive the Budget Act in order to adopt an amendment that authorizes $21.9 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs and offsets the cost through changes made to tax rates on capital gains and dividends.

JOHN MCCAIN NAY

BARACK OBAMA YEA

1/17/2005 Additional Funding for Veterans Amendment S2020Project Vote Smart's Synopsis:Vote on a motion to waive the Budget Act in order to adopt an amendment that appropriates $500 million annually from 2006-2010 for counseling, mental health, and rehabilitation services for veterans diagnosed with mental illness, post-traumatic stress disorder, or substance abuse.

JOHN MCCAIN NAY

BARACK OBAMA YEA

10/5/2005 Health Care for Veterans Amendment HR 2863Project Vote Smart's Synopsis:Vote on a motion to waive the Budget Act to allow for adoption of an amendment that increases funding for the Veterans Health Administration in order to account for inflation and changes in the number of veterans using the health services.

JOHN MCCAIN NAY

BARACK OBAMA YEA

Information compiled from sited sources by Florida Veterans for Common Sense, Inc. 100 Wallace Ave. Suite 255, Sarasota, FL 34237 Flveterans@aol.com

The publication is not approved or authorized by any political candidate or campaign. Florida Veterans for Common Sense, Inc. is a non-profit, non-partisan veteran’s organization.

Who supports veterans more? McCain's votes prove he does NOT

You be the judge of who is telling the truth

As a lifetime member of the DAV I feel compelled to send this email. If
you watched the first presidential debate you might have caught Obama
accusing McCain that McCain's voting record on DAV issues was a dismal 20%.
Obama stated that his own voting record with DAV was 80%. McCain responded
that was not true, veterans know him; he loves them and has always stood up
for them.

I emailed the legislative department of the DAV and posed the 80/20 voting
record question. The response I received back is below. I think that every
veteran should be aware that McCain can't run from his record. In this time
of war, it's imperative we support a candidate who supports veterans before,
during, and after the battle. After the dust settles in Iraq and
Afghanistan and our heroes come home, estimates are that some 50,000
veterans will need some form of medical care and support. I believe the
only candidate who will support veterans is Barack Obama.
go here for more
http://www.mailtribuneforum.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=14049

McCain lies again about his record on veterans

Americans are not stupid people and veterans are especially aware of when they are being used. They caught onto what McCain has claimed against what he has done and they don't like it. Sure there are some still who just assume he deserves their support because "he's one of us" but when they take a look at his record they are shocked. What they really fail to see is that McCain has never been a champion of veterans and has not served on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. You'd think he would have been heading that committee if he really did put veterans that high on his list of importance, but he hasn't. Up until his campaigning on the national stage for the presidency, no one really paid that much attention to McCain or what facts are, but once he became the front runner of the GOP to take over the Oval Office, we did pay attention and his record is a disgrace, especially from a veteran. That's the problem with a lot of politicians. They claim a lot of things but when you check out their record, you see a huge difference between what they say to us and what they say on the floor when bills are debated and votes are cast.

The mess that happened in the VA did not happen in an altered universe out of McCain's knowledge. It happened all the years he was in the senate and it didn't matter to him. When the veterans in this country needed a champion to actually fight for them for a change, McCain either voted against them or he just didn't show up to vote at all. So how important are veterans to him really? Not very or his votes would have proven it. This is more disgraceful considering that McCain has enjoyed every benefit the country can provide to veterans. He receives disability payments as well as an education funded by the tax payers. The same benefits he has voted against providing for other veterans. He voted against increasing funding for the VA just as he was against Senator Jim Webb's GI Bill and actually fought against it, then took credit for it passing as well as being happy that Bush gave him credit as well.

It really is a shame that when McCain had the opportunity to produce evidence he deserved any support from veterans, he just expected it instead

McCain Lies Again, Repeats False Claim He ‘Received The Highest Honor And Awards’ From Every Vets Group


Yesterday, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) held a telephone town hall meeting, in which “thousands” of Nevadans — according to the McCain campaign — called to listen in. Among some of the hostile, pointed, and critical questions came one from a veteran, who challenged McCain on his voting record regarding funding for the Veterans Administration and veterans’ priorities:

Q: I know you voted for lesser increases, and sometimes they were so much less, and our VA desperately needs the money. Can you tell me why you would vote for less money for the VA when there’s a war going on?

M: Well of course I have not and I’m afraid I’ve been endorsed by the VFW in every election that I’ve been in. I have been — received the honors, the highest honor and awards from all our veterans organizations for my consistent support of them. I don’t know what you’re looking at, but the DAV, the VFW, the American Legion, all of them have given me their highest awards for my consistent support of them.
click link for more

McCain would hurt seniors and veterans among many others

Colin Powell endorses Obama: Video


Why would Powell endorse Obama? He explained it very clearly this morning the same way many other people across the country have. While McCain believes that we owe him our vote because he was a Vietnam POW and served the country, he seems to have forgotten that many across the nation have been left out of receiving any benefit from his years of service in the senate. His voting record proves it.

McCain plans on privatizing social security, which means great harm can come to the lives of seniors across this nation. He wants the younger people to "invest" in the stock market, which as we've all seen, is a dangerous thing to do. This alone would harm seniors without the privatization of the system that has worked all these years.

McCain plans on causing division among veterans by "offering" to allow veterans without combat wounds to seek medical care elsewhere instead of from the VA which they were promised would be there in repayment of their own years of service. McCain's record on veterans funding has been deplorable while he expects they will simply support him no matter what harm he has caused them by voting against what they need and delaying changes needed to address the needs of the wounded as well as the elderly population.

McCain lacks the ability to remove himself from the same policies that caused most of the messes this nation has faced at the same time he expects us to simply trust his word that he has not supported Bush and his failed policies even though McCain took pride in declaring "I voted with the President 90% of the time" when he was in the GOP primary. While McCain expects the job of leading this nation he did not expect that he would have had to earn that right.

While we deserved to have our issues addressed, McCain decided to pull stunts, from selected someone like Sarah Palin, to using every opportunity and dirty trick to cause further division in this nation. Obama on the other hand has sought to restore the unity of the American people. This, the American people have been longing for since the attacks of 9-11 when we were reminded that no matter what our differences were, we are one nation and come together to help each other. We need that unity again. We need to get past the greed is good mentality that has caused so much harm and reward generosity as well as loyalty and true patriotism.

Eyes are opening up in this nation. The majority can see that no matter what color a person's skin is, it in no way something to judge them by. As Martin Luther King Jr. declared, content of their character does matter more than the color of their skin. What matters most to the voters is what matters in our own lives and this is a wonderful thing. kc

Iraq and Afghanistan veterans give McCain a "D" on his record

Posted Tuesday, October 07, 2008 11:03 AM
Veterans Group Rates McCain/Obama Voting Record (and the Rest of Congress Too)
David Botti
The veterans group Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America released a "scorecard" today which gives letter grades to members of congress based on their voting record for veterans issues. Senator John McCain received a D, while Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Joe Biden both received a B. According to the group's Website, the grades were based off of how many times a member of Congress voted along the same line as the IAVA's own position on 22 key votes affecting veterans (nine in the Senate and 13 in the House). From the IAVA:

From their flag lapel pins to their yellow ribbon bumper stickers, every politician in America wants you to believe they “support the troops.” But actions speak louder than words. When veterans’ issues actually came to a vote in Washington, what did your representatives do?...How did Congress do this year? Over all, they scored very well. From the passage of the landmark Post-9/11 GI Bill to fully funding the Department of Veterans Affairs, we have tremendous progress to celebrate this year. More than 150 legislators earned a perfect score, a grade of A+.

The accusation against Obama regarding troop funding came up in the first presidential debate, where Obama defended his vote as a reflection on his position seeking a timetable for withdrawal. "Senator McCain opposed funding for troops in legislation that had a timetable, because he didn't believe in a timetable," Obama pointed out. "I opposed funding a mission that had no timetable, and was open-ended, giving a blank check to George Bush . We had a difference on the timetable. We didn't have a difference on whether or not we were going to be funding troops." Factcheck.org, meanwhile, reported in response to a McCain campaign ad released in July that while Obama did cast one "no" vote on legislation providing money for combat efforts, he voted at least 10 times in favor of increased funding.

As for the committee Obama chairs, it does not, in fact, have direct oversight of the war in Afghanistan. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee's Subcommittee on European Affairs does have jurisdiction over NATO affairs, and NATO has played a large role in the conflict. But hearings on Afghanistan have been held in front of the full Foreign Relations Committee, headed by Obama's running mate, Joe Biden . ABC News reported in July that Obama has attended one of the three full committee hearings on Afghanistan held within the last two years, while McCain has missed all three.
click post title for more

Veterans’ trust in McCain misplaced?

The fact that McCain is a war hero does not change the fact that he has become out of touch with most of America, and that includes the veterans of America.

Veterans’ trust in McCain misplaced?
By Diane Sweet 9/19/08 7:07 AM
The Washington Independent examines Republican presidential candidate John McCain’s appeal to veterans and the substantial lead he carries with this group in the polls. But is McCain really the best man to lead the way on veterans’ issues?
From The Washington Independent:

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, a non-partisan advocacy group, gave McCain a “D” in 2006, while Obama earned a “B+.” The Vietnam Veterans of America reported that on 31 “key votes” between 2001 and 2008 on issues including veterans’ health-care funding and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, McCain opposed its positions 15 times, while supporting it eight times. In contrast, Obama, since elected to the Senate in 2004, backed the group’s stands 12 out of 13 times. The Disabled Veterans of America said McCain supported its positions 20 percent of the time in 2006, compared to Obama’s 80 percent.

click link for more

I've spent the last 26 years of my life fighting for veterans, especially Vietnam veterans. In all those years, I did it without being paid for it, but paying attention as if my life depended on it, simply because it does. I have skin in this "game" and take it all very personally.

Aside from my husband having PTSD from Vietnam and all the issues that go with it, I also know first hand the fight veterans have on their hands trying to have claims approved by the VA so their wounds are taken care of, their incomes are not threatened because of those wounds and they can still provide for their families. I've seen far too many lives destroyed because of the absence of people in power fighting for the veterans. McCain is one who refused to use his power to help the veterans and fight for them.

It disgusts me that as a Vietnam veteran, a disabled veteran on top of that, he would enjoy all the benefits of being a disabled veteran but not take that and fight for all other veterans. If anyone should be a champion for veterans, it should have been him, but he became part of the problem instead.

When you think that Gulf War POW's filed a law suit against Iraq for the torture they received at the hands of Saddam, won the law suit and then had it killed off by the Bush administration, McCain did not fight for them. He did not champion their cause seeking justice. Did the media ever ask him why? McCain loves to remind the public that he was a POW. That he was tortured. That he suffered for serving the nation, yet he never wants them to take a look at what he has not done on the behalf of veterans. If he truly cared, he would have proven it.

This article points out that Obama is not a veteran but the major service organizations give him high marks for fighting for them. His family members were in the service including his Grandfather. It does not require a veteran to care for them, it just takes someone who truly cares.

I am not a veteran. I did not serve but I come from a long list of veterans, so does my husband. The only power I have in any of this is to do the best I can to make sure people have the opportunity to become informed on the issues facing veterans. McCain had all the power in his hands and did not help the veterans by using that power while he's paid to take care of them as a US Senator. It's the obligation of all elected to take care of the veterans. This is not an option. It's an obligation. The worse thing about McCain is not that he did not fight for them but voted against them. All veterans should be offended that the same man who continually reminds them he's one of them when he wants their votes, is the last one to remember it when it's time for him to vote.



Senior Chaplain Kathie Costos
Namguardianangel@aol.com
www.Namguardianangel.org
www.Woundedtimes.blogspot.com
"The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive veterans of early wars were treated and appreciated by our nation." - George Washington

McCain claims to not match voting record

McCain claims do not match voting record
by Kathie Costos

The biggest problem McCain has, is McCain. He can say whatever he wants and hope all he wants the American people have not been paying attention to what is real and what is manufactured, scripted to portray him as supporting the troops and veterans, but the record is clear. It shows in his votes and his speeches. Here are just some of those votes with links for more eye openers.

McCain was against the GI bill because he said it was "too generous" and then we have this

Referring to Iraq in his closing comments Monday, McCain said he recognized Americans have grown tired of the war and the mistakes made, "but we cannot react to those mistakes by embracing a course of action that will be an even greater mistake, a mistake of colossal historical proportions."

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/05/26/mccain/

McCain, Military Oppose Expanding GI Bill
Presidential Hopeful Believes Legislation Would Hurt Military
By Z. Byron Wolf April 14, 2008
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, seemed to give a thumbs down to bipartisan legislation that would greatly expand educational benefits for members of the military returning from Iraq and Afghanistan under the GI Bill.

McCain indicated he would offer some sort of alternative to the legislation to address concerns that expanding the GI Bill could lead more members of the military to get out of the service.

Both Democratic presidential candidates — Sens. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., — have signed on as co-sponsors, and the bill has gained bipartisan support from 54 senators on Capitol Hill in addition to Webb. A vote on the proposal is expected before the summer.

But the bill, which would dramatically increase educational compensation for American troops, has run into some unexpected resistance, both at the Pentagon and now from McCain, who has remained silent on the issue, saying he had not studied the bill close enough.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=4652517

But when it came time to vote for it, McCain didn't bother to show up.

McCain misses vote on a new GI Bill, scorns criticism from Obama

May 23, 2008
Support for the troops returned as an issue to the presidential campaign yesterday with harsh words from both sides.

The Democratic National Committee accused John McCain of being AWOL from the Senate vote yesterday for a new GI Bill to provide better education benefits for returning veterans. McCain was in California on a campaign and fund-raising trip, while both Democratic contenders, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, left the campaign trail to vote for the bill, which passed by a veto-proof 75-to-22 majority.

On the Senate floor, Obama questioned why McCain opposed the bill. "I can't believe why he believes it is too generous to our veterans," Obama said. "There are many issues that lend themselves to partisan posturing, but giving our veterans the chance to go to college should not be one of them."

McCain, a Vietnam War hero, didn't take the criticism lightly - and while Obama is careful to honor McCain's military service, he mentioned Obama's lack of it.

"I will not accept from Senator Obama, who did not feel it was his responsibility to serve our country in uniform, any lectures on my regard for those who did," McCain said in a statement. "Perhaps, if Senator Obama would take the time and trouble to understand this issue he would learn to debate an honest disagreement respectfully. But, as he always does, he prefers impugning the motives of his opponent, and exploiting a thoughtful difference of opinion to advance his own ambitions. If that is how he would behave as president, the country would regret his election."

The bill, which President Bush has threatened to veto, would pay tuition and other expenses at a four-year public university for anyone who has served at least three years since the 2001 terrorist attacks. McCain is a cosponsor of a different version of the bill that would require soldiers to have more time in the service to get full benefits and to encourage them to stay in the military as a career.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/05/23
/mccain_misses_vote_on_a_new_gi_bill_scorns_criticism_from_obama/

But when the bill was passed with so many votes a veto was not possible, this is what the American people were told by Bush and McCain.

Bush Wrongly Credits McCain For 'Working Hard' On G.I. Bill
Jun 30, 2008 ... Good on the Congress and the Vets for passage of the GI Bill! They absolutely deserve it, no matter what Bush and McCain think!

BUSH: The bill is a result of close collaboration between my administration and members of both parties on Capitol Hill. I appreciate the hard work of my cabinet, especially the leaders of Defense and State and Veterans' Affairs and Office of National Drug Control Policy, as well as OMB. I want to thank House and Senate leadership and leaders of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. I am particularly grateful to Congressmen Boehner, Hoyer, Obey and Lewis.

I want to thank members who worked hard for the G.I. Bill expansion, especially Senators Webb and Warner, Graham, Byrd, and McCain. This bill shows the American people that even in an election year, Republicans and Democrats can come together to stand behind our troops and their families.

click above for more

McCain put out a commercial that claims he has not been part of the problem in Washington, but this shows how much he has been tied to the problems the American people face everyday.

Voting with Party
John McCain has voted with a majority of his Republican colleagues 88.3% of the time during the current Congress. This percentage does not include votes in which McCain did not vote.
See a list of his votes against his party since 1991, a list of all Senators in the 110th Congress with a similar score, or a full list of party voters.

McCain wants us to see him as a maverick, but sometimes it is not a good thing to be one. Look at these votes to see what being a "maverick" has meant to McCain. There have been times when McCain got it right and voted Democrats against the GOP but those times are few.

GAO Report Points to Pentagon Waste (washingtonpost.com)
GAO Report Points to Pentagon Waste. Defense Department Home to 8 of 25 Federal Programs Labeled 'High-Risk'.

Military waste under fire / $1 trillion missing -- Bush plan...
GAO's Kutz said Rumsfeld has "showed a commitment" to cutting waste and asked Pentagon officials to save 5 percent of the defense budget,
Tom Abate, Chronicle Staff Writer

Sunday, May 18, 2003


The Department of Defense, already infamous for spending $640 for a toilet seat, once again finds itself under intense scrutiny, only this time because it couldn't account for more than a trillion dollars in financial transactions, not to mention dozens of tanks, missiles and planes.


The Pentagon's unenviable reputation for waste will top the congressional agenda this week, when the House and Senate are expected to begin floor debate on a Bush administration proposal to make sweeping changes in how the Pentagon spends money, manages contracts and treats civilian employees.

The Bush proposal, called the Defense Transformation for the 21st Century Act, arrives at a time when the nonpartisan General Accounting Office has raised the volume of its perennial complaints about the financial woes at Defense, which recently failed its seventh audit in as many years.

"Overhauling DOD's financial management operations represent a challenge that goes far beyond financial accounting to the very fiber of (its) . . . business operations and culture," GAO chief David Walker told lawmakers in March.

WHAT HAPPENED TO $1 TRILLION?

Though Defense has long been notorious for waste, recent government reports suggest the Pentagon's money management woes have reached astronomical proportions. A study by the Defense Department's inspector general found that the Pentagon couldn't properly account for more than a trillion dollars in monies spent. A GAO report found Defense inventory systems so lax that the U.S.

Army lost track of 56 airplanes, 32 tanks, and 36 Javelin missile command launch-units.
click above for more

Voted against bill to stop waste by DOD
10/6/05
Vote 253: H R 2863: Motion to Table Coburn Amdt. No. 2005; To curtail waste under the Department of Defense web-based travel system.
McCain voted No
GOP voted Yes
Democrats voted Yes

Voted against cutting waste in bill
10/20/05
Vote 260: H R 3058: Motion To Table Coburn Amdt. No. 2093 As Modified; To prohibit any funds under the Act from being used for a parking facility as part of the Joslyn Art Museum Master Plan, in Omaha, Nebraska.
McCain voted No
GOP voted Yes
Democrats voted Yes

More bills McCain voted out of majority
11/3/05
Vote 282: H R 2744: H.R. 2744 Conference Report; Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006
McCain No
GOP voted Yes
Democrats voted Yes



11/3/05
Vote 289: S 1932: Wyden Amdt. No. 2362; To enhance the energy security of the United States by prohibiting the exportation of oil and gas produced under leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
McCain voted No
GOP voted Yes
Democrats voted Yes

11/10/05
Vote 317: S 1042: Talent Amdt. No. 2477; To modify the multiyear procurement authority for C-17 aircraft.
McCain voted No
GOP voted Yes
Democrats voted Yes

11/15/05
Vote 323: S 1042: Warner Amdt. No. 2518; To clarify and recommend changes to the policy of the United States on Iraq and to require reports on certain matters relating to Iraq.
McCain voted No
GOP voted Yes
Democrats voted Yes

11/18/05
Vote 349: On the Motion: Specter Motion to Instruct Conferees Re: H.R. 3010; Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006
McCain voted No
GOP voted Yes
Democrats voted Yes


12/15/05
Vote 354: On the Motion: Dewine Motion to Instruct Conferees on S. 1932; Medicaid Reconciliation Act of 2005
McCain voted No
GOP voted Yes
Democrats voted Yes


2/2/06
Vote 9: H R 4297: Menendez Amdt. No. 2705; To express the sense of the Senate that protecting middle-class families from the alternative minimum tax should be a higher priority for Congress in 2006 than extending a tax cut that does not expire until the end of 2008.
McCain voted No
GOP voted Yes
Democrats voted Yes


3/7/06
Vote 33: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on S. 2320; A bill to make available funds included in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program for fiscal year 2006, and for other purposes.
McCain voted No
GOP voted Yes
Democrats voted Yes

3/15/06
Vote 48: S CON RES 83: Grassley Amdt. No. 3073; To establish a reserve fund to allow for deficit-neutral legislation that would provide for an extension of the Medicare part D enrollment period.
McCain voted No
GOP Yes
Democrats voted Yes


3/16/06
Vote 58: S CON RES 83: Specter Amdt No. 3048; To increase the advance appropriations allowance in order to fund health, education and training, and low-income programs.
McCain voted No
GOP voted Yes
Democrats voted Yes

3/28/06
Vote 79: On the Cloture Motion: Upon Reconsideration, Motion to Invoke Cloture on S.2349; Legislative Transparency and Accountability Act of 2006
McCain voted No
GOP voted Yes
Democrats voted Yes

3/29/06
Vote 82: S 2349: As Amended; Legislative Transparency and Accountability Act of 2006
McCain voted No
GOP voted Yes
Democrats voted Yes

3/29/06
Vote 81: S 2349: Ensign Amdt. No. 2980; To include Federal entities in the definition of earmarks.
McCain voted No
GOP voted Yes
Democrats voted Yes


VOTED AGAINST VETERANS
4/26/06
Vote 98: H R 4939: Akaka Amdt. No. 3642 as Amended; To provide an additional $430,000,000 for the Department of Veteran Affairs for Medical Services for outpatient care and treatment for veterans.
McCain voted No
GOP voted Yes
Democrats voted Yes

4/26/06
Vote 97: H R 4939: Motion to Table Ensign Motion to Recommit H.R.4939 to the Committee on Appropriations; Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and Hurricane Recovery, 2006
McCain voted No
GOP voted Yes
Democrats voted Yes

4/26/06
Vote 96: H R 4939: Motion to Table Thomas Amdt. No. 3515; To return the bill to the President's proposal.
McCain voted No
GOP voted Yes
Democrats voted Yes


5/4/06
Vote 112: H R 4939: H.R. 4939, As Amended; Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and Hurricane Recovery, 2006
McCain voted No
GOP voted Yes
Democrats voted Yes


5/16/06
Vote 124: S 2611: Motion to Table Bingaman Amdt. No. 3981; To reduce the number of H-2C nonimmigrants to 200,000 during any fiscal year.
McCain voted Yes
GOP voted No
Democrats voted No


5/24/06
Vote 146: S 2611: Byrd Amdt. No. 4127; To fund improvements in border and interior security by assessing a $500 supplemental fee under title VI.
McCain voted No
GOP voted Yes
Democrats voted Yes


Voted agains bill that would have stopped Iraq from granting amnesty to people who were killing our troops
6/20/06
Vote 178: S 2766: Nelson (FL) Amdt. No. 4265; To express the sense of Congress that the Government of Iraq should not grant amnesty to persons known to have attacked, killed, or wounded members of the Armed Forces of the United States.
McCain voted No
GOP voted Yes
Democrats voted Yes



6/22/06
Vote 184: S 2766: Chambliss Amdt. No. 4261; To authorize multiyear procurement of F-22A fighter aircraft and F-119 engines.
McCain voted No
GOP voted Yes
Democrats voted Yes

7/13/06
Vote 198: H R 5441: Menendez Amdt. No. 4634; To provide that appropriations under this Act may not be used for the purpose of providing certain grants, unless all such grants meet certain conditions for allocation.
McCain voted Yes
GOP voted No
Democrats voted No



7/19/06
Vote 210: S 728: McCain Amdt. No. 4684; To provide for a water resources construction project prioritization report.
McCain voted Yes
GOP voted no
Democrats voted No


1/11/07
Vote 7: On the Motion: Motion to Instruct Sgt. at Arms; A bill to provide greater transparency in the legislative process.
McCain voted No
GOP voted Yes
Democrats voted Yes

1/18/07
Vote 18: S 1: Lieberman Amdt No. 30; To establish a Senate Office of Public Integrity.
McCain voted Yes
GOP voted No
Democrats voted No


Voted against Gen. George Casey
2/8/07
Vote 45: On the Nomination: Confirmation Gen. George W. Casey to be Chief of Staff, U.S. Army
McCain voted No
GOP voted Yes
Democrats voted Yes

3/6/07
Vote 61: S 4: Motion to Table Feinstein Amdt. No. 335; To improve the allocation of grants through the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes.
McCain voted No
GOP voted Yes
Democrats voted Yes

7/20/07
Vote 272: H R 2669: H.R. 2669 as Amended; College Cost Reduction Act of 2007
McCain voted No
GOP voted Yes
Democrats voted Yes

8/2/07
Vote 294: On the Motion: Motion to Concur in the Amendment of the House to S.1; A bill to provide greater transparency in the legislative process.
McCain voted No
GOP voted Yes
Democrats voted Yes

8/2/07
Vote 293: On the Cloture Motion: Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Concur in the Amendment of the House to S.1; A bill to provide greater transparency in the legislative process.
McCain voted No
GOP voted Yes
Democrats voted Yes

8/2/07
Vote 303: H R 976: Hutchison Amdt No. 2620; To increase access to health insurance for low-income children based on actual need, as adjusted for cost-of-living.
McCain voted Yes
GOP voted No
Democrats voted No

10/16/07
Vote 372: H R 3093: H.R. 3093, As Amended; Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008
McCain voted No
GOP voted Yes
Democrats voted Yes

10/16/07
Vote 367: H R 3093: Motion to Table Ensign Amdt. No.3295; To increase funding for the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program and offset the increase by reducing NASA funding.
McCain voted No
GOP voted Yes
Democrats voted Yes



3/13/08
Vote 75: On the Motion: Motion to Waive C.B.A. DeMint Amdt No. 4347; To establish an earmark moratorium for fiscal year 2009.
McCain voted Yes
GOP voted No
Democrats voted No

Missed Votes
John McCain has missed 408 votes (63.8%) during the current Congress.
See a list of his missed votes since 1991 or see a full list of vote missers.

Key Votes
See how John McCain voted on key votes -- the most important bills, nominations and resolutions that have come before Congress, as determined by washingtonpost.com.

The biggest problem with McCain is on the record. He is not just a Vietnam veteran and ex-POW, he's a disabled veteran, who has voted against other disabled veterans. He was not only educated by the tax payers, he voted against other members of the military having the same ability. We should expect more out of him because of what he felt he earned as a veteran. It has been said that we should honor his service to the nation, but that does not include continuing to vote for him when he has not earned that as well. McCain keeps voting against all he wants to be acknowledged for being.