McCain Camp Preemptive Memo to Obama’s Economic Tour

BARACK OBAMA’S HIGHER TAXES AGENDA
Obama Record Of Voting For Higher Taxes Equals Failed Judgment

ARLINGTON, VA — Today, with the start of Barack Obama’s “Change That Works For You” tour, McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds issued the following statement:

“While hardworking families are hurting and employers are vulnerable, Barack Obama has promised higher income taxes, Social Security taxes, capital gains taxes, dividend taxes, and tax hikes on job creating businesses. In fact, during just three years in the U.S. Senate, Barack Obama has already voted 94 times for higher taxes. Barack Obama doesn’t understand the American economy and that’s change we just can’t afford.”

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McCain: ‘The Issue Of Economics Is Not Something I’ve Understood As Well As I Should’

The New York Times’ Paul Krugman noted recently that, in a moment of candor, John McCain admitted economics isn’t his thing. “The issue of economics is not something I’ve understood as well as I should,” he said. But, “I’ve got Greenspan’s book,” he assured the audience.

If any needed evidence of McCain’s weakness on the economy was needed, simply witness how he has dealt with the need for economic stimulus. After last week’s debate in South Carolina, U.S. News wrote that the question of whether the economy needs a stimulus “vexed” the GOP front-runners, who “appeared unaware of the fiscal stimulus debate currently happening in Washington and being closely watched by Wall Street.”

At that debate, McCain said:


In the course of seven days, McCain appears to have reversed course, offering his own stimulus package:


Instead of offering direct middle-class relief for individuals, McCain is proposing cutting the corporate tax rate by 28.5 percent. Douglas Holtz-Eakin, McCain’s top economic adviser, said his approach is to simply let someone else deal with the problems affecting working Americans. “The best course of action is to let the Fed handle it.”