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ELECTION 2008





  • Taxes

      When it comes to taxes, it’s usually a matter of cutting them or raising them. But as any taxpayer knows, the tax code is a complicated being.

  • Economy

      A bad economy has been known to sink a sitting president, but a strong one has generally been no guarantee for re-election.

  • Health Care

      Costs are soaring and millions remain uninsured. For some, it is all about reform of an ailing system. For others, it is about creating a new one.

  • Social Security

      The fund for retirees will run out of money at some point, the disagreement lies in when. It needs fixing or replacing.

  • Housing

      Known as the mortgage mess, the subprime meltdown or the housing debacle, its tentacles reach far and wide and there's plenty blame to go around.

  • Energy

      The energy spike is stirring a number of policy debates, ranging from conservation to alternative fuels to some form of carbon tax.

  • Trade

      Setting the trade agenda is often a tug of war between Congress and president. It's high profile and emotional because it means jobs and votes.



John McCain (R)

Senator from Arizona





 

PROFILE

 

Personal:
Born Aug 26, 1939, Panama Canal Zone
Married to Cindy McCain
Seven children and four grandchildren

Education:
U.S. Naval Academy, 1958

Professional:
Spent 22 years in the Navy before his election to the House of Representatives in 1982. Joined the Senate in 1986.

Notable:
- Held as a POW in North Vietnam for 5 ½ years; naval honors include Silver Star and Purple Heart
- Somewhat superstitious – use of lucky charms dates back to his days in the military
- Considered a political maverick for diversity of views that span traditional party boundaries
- Ran for President in 2000

 

ON THE ISSUES

 

Taxes:
Favors lower marginal tax rates and opposed to the Alternative Minimum Tax.

Economy:
Wants to end pork barrel spending by adhering to strict budgetary priorities. 

Healthcare:
McCain believes that affordable healthcare can be made available to all Americans...

Social Security:
Supports boosting social security funds through the establishment of individual retirement accounts...

Housing:
Opposes a broad government bailout and would assist only those borrowers who...

Trade:
Believes the opening new markets is crucial to future economic prosperity...

Energy:
Supports a cap-and-trade system for greenhouse gases; plans to reveal a complete...

 

MAJOR CONTRIBUTORS

 

Top Industries:
Retired: $7,272,674
Lawyers/Law Firms: $3,610,713
Securities & Investment: $3,048,586
Misc. Business: $2,591,563
Real Estate: $2,475,685

Top Contributors:
Blank Rome LLP: $221,250
Merrill Lynch: $209,050
Citigroup Inc: $187,884
Greenberg Traurig LLP: $161,937
Goldman Sachs: $1115,600

Source:
Center For Responsible Government -- data through March 31. For more information go to: OpenSecrets.Org.

 

NEED TO KNOW

 

Presidential Campaign | http://www.exploremccain.com/

U.S. Senator | http://mccain.senate.gov/


 


ADDITIONAL POLITICAL COVERAGE

  • McCain's wife controls family's riches

      The candidate's spouse runs an investment portfolio of an estimated $36.6 million to $53.4 million and chairs one of the nation's largest beer distributorships.



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