Western New York Area Labor Federation -

McCain Revealed

		Updated On: Sep 29, 2009

Working families across this country are facing all kinds of hardships: a staggering economy, stagnant wages, a broken health care system, a home foreclosure and housing crisis, a disastrously flawed U.S. trade policy and a hostile climate for workers seeking to form unions.

But someone must have forgotten to tell Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), who has clinched the Republican presidential nomination. “I still believe our fundamental underpinnings of our economy are strong,” McCain said recently.

It’s no wonder—McCain has said economic issues are something he’s “never really understood.”

As the Democratic nomation fight continues, it’s time working families understand John McCain’s poor record on working family issues. Here’s a quick look:

Click here to read the briefing book.

Sen. John McCain calls himself a “straight talker.” But do you know what he really believes?

He’s a self-described “free trader” who supports bad trade deals like NAFTA and CAFTA. He wants to tax your health care benefits. He supports Social Security privatization. And he opposes the Employee Free Choice Act, legislation to protect our freedom to form unions and bargain.

Learn more about John McCain’s real record on working family issues by reading the AFL-CIO's new online feature, McCain Revealed: The Briefing Book.

Click here.

And please sign up to be a part of the AFL-CIO's rapid response efforts and receive updates and alerts about John McCain.

• McCain—Wrong on Trade: McCain has cast vote after vote for every free trade agreement under the sun, including the most devastating agreement in our history, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). He has gone on to praise NAFTA and its effects and has voted to make it easier for the president to enter into agreements without strong worker protections.

• McCain—Wrong on Workers: McCain voted to block the Employee Free Choice Act and supported a national “right to work” for less law. He supported President Bush’s tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans while voting against raising the minimum wage.

• McCain—Wrong on Jobs: McCain has made it a point to tell audiences that some jobs “aren’t coming back.” What he doesn’t often explain is his role in exporting those jobs in the first place. McCain voted against prohibiting the overseas outsourcing of government contracts and voted to privatize federal jobs. He also voted to contract out federal jobs. And McCain has certainly done little to aid those who have lost their jobs, voting against the extension of federal unemployment insurance benefits.

• McCain—Wrong on Social Security: McCain voted for Bush’s Social Security privatization plan and says the only solution to fixing Social Security is through private accounts.

• McCain—Wrong on Health Care: McCain wants to make health care premiums part of taxable income, creating a new tax for working families. His plan would force working families to fend for themselves in the private insurance market and undermine employer-based health care. In addition, McCain has voted to slash funding for Medicare and opposed the reauthorization and new funding for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

• McCain—Wrong on George W. Bush: Since President Bush took office, McCain has supported Bush’s positions 89 percent of the time. McCain’s support of Bush’s policies reached as high as 95 percent in 2007.