Posts with the tag John McCain
Major General Mel Montaño of Albuquerque has a stinging critique in today's Las Cruces Sun News. In the piece, Montaño takes President George Bush, Senator John McCain, Congressman Steve Pearce and Congresswoman Heather Wilson to task for refusing to support Senator Jim Webb's (D-VA) GI Bill.
The flagship provision of the bill is to provide full college scholarships for veterans that served in either Afghanistan or Iraq. The bill's annual price tag is estimated at $3-$4 billion-a paltry sum to help our returning service men and women. We spend more in Iraq on any given week.
By opposing this common sense initiative, we have to ask President Bush, Senator McCain, Congressman Pearce and Congresswoman Wilson where their priorities lie.
The flagship provision of the bill is to provide full college scholarships for veterans that served in either Afghanistan or Iraq. The bill's annual price tag is estimated at $3-$4 billion-a paltry sum to help our returning service men and women. We spend more in Iraq on any given week.
By opposing this common sense initiative, we have to ask President Bush, Senator McCain, Congressman Pearce and Congresswoman Wilson where their priorities lie.
From Santa Fe to Austin to Washington - it's (as Molly Ivins would say) just the way they do "bidness" around here.
Let's start with Eric Serna. Remember him? Once upon a time he was the young up-and-coming politico who, when he ran for Corporation Commission in 1982, populated the highways with all those god awful billboards that made him look like Eddie Munster?
Most recently Serna was in the news when he resigned his post as N.M. Superintendent of Insurance after coming under investigation by the state's Attorney General. One of the many questionable acts that was being given scrutiny was Serna's 2004 grant of a controversial waiver allowing a Dallas businessman by the name of David Judd Disiere (who had been convicted of insurance fraud in Louisiana) to do business in New Mexico.
A few months later an oil production firm owned by the Dissiere's wife (Southern Management Services Inc.) serendipitously donated $20,000 to the nonprofit foundation which Serna been using his position to promote.
Just doing bidness.
When the shady deal all came to light, who should rush into the breach to assure state regulators that everything was on the up-and-up, but Disiere's attorney - gold-plated lobbyist and former Texas Congressman, Kent Hance.
Today Hance is right there on the list of 126 corporate lobbyist bagmen who are bundling campaign cash for Republican presidential candidate John McCain.
Birds of a feather
Hance started out as a conservative Democrat in Texas. He holds the distinction of being the only person to beat George W. Bush in an election - a 1972 race for Congress. Hance taught young W a lesson he never forgot.
Which brings us to Gramm. He went on to be elected to the U.S. Senate from Texas (he defeated Ron Paul in the 1984 primary) and served from 1985 to 2002.
Currently Gramm serves as the McCain campaign's co-chair and chief economics advisor - the latter post being one that should be taken quite seriously given McCain's admission that economics knowledge is not his strong suit.
Speculation focuses on Gramm getting the Treasury Secretary slot in a McCain Administration. What kind of policies could we expect from a Gramm inspired McCainomics?
For starters, much of the blame for the current subprime mortgage crisis can be laid at the doorstep of Gramm. Read More »
Let's start with Eric Serna. Remember him? Once upon a time he was the young up-and-coming politico who, when he ran for Corporation Commission in 1982, populated the highways with all those god awful billboards that made him look like Eddie Munster?
Most recently Serna was in the news when he resigned his post as N.M. Superintendent of Insurance after coming under investigation by the state's Attorney General. One of the many questionable acts that was being given scrutiny was Serna's 2004 grant of a controversial waiver allowing a Dallas businessman by the name of David Judd Disiere (who had been convicted of insurance fraud in Louisiana) to do business in New Mexico.
A few months later an oil production firm owned by the Dissiere's wife (Southern Management Services Inc.) serendipitously donated $20,000 to the nonprofit foundation which Serna been using his position to promote.
Just doing bidness.
When the shady deal all came to light, who should rush into the breach to assure state regulators that everything was on the up-and-up, but Disiere's attorney - gold-plated lobbyist and former Texas Congressman, Kent Hance.
Today Hance is right there on the list of 126 corporate lobbyist bagmen who are bundling campaign cash for Republican presidential candidate John McCain.
Birds of a feather
Hance started out as a conservative Democrat in Texas. He holds the distinction of being the only person to beat George W. Bush in an election - a 1972 race for Congress. Hance taught young W a lesson he never forgot.
Hance portrayed Bush as "not a real Texan" because of his privileged upbringing and Yale education. Hance later said in an interview that after that election, Bush vowed that "he wasn't going to be out-Christianed or out-good-old-boyed again," and developed the folksy image that eventually carried him to the White House. (from Wikipedia)Hance famously switched to the Republican party in early '80s - following the lead of his mentor and fellow Texan congressman, Phil Gramm.
Which brings us to Gramm. He went on to be elected to the U.S. Senate from Texas (he defeated Ron Paul in the 1984 primary) and served from 1985 to 2002.
Currently Gramm serves as the McCain campaign's co-chair and chief economics advisor - the latter post being one that should be taken quite seriously given McCain's admission that economics knowledge is not his strong suit.
Speculation focuses on Gramm getting the Treasury Secretary slot in a McCain Administration. What kind of policies could we expect from a Gramm inspired McCainomics?
For starters, much of the blame for the current subprime mortgage crisis can be laid at the doorstep of Gramm. Read More »
On a bipartisan vote of 75-22, the US Senate last week passed the GI Bill for the 21st Century.
John McCain, who is campaigning in Albuquerque this Memorial Day, has joined President Bush in opposition to the new GI Bill. Bush has threatened to veto it when it arrives at his desk.
In view of the huge gulf between the Bush-McCain "Support our Troops" rhetoric and the reality of their actions, here are three items worth pondering on this Memorial Day 2008.
The first is the cover story of the June issue of Technology Review (not on-line). From Brain Trauma in Iraq by Emily Singer:
Here's a fitting act of respect on this Memorial Day. Visit the VoteVets.org website and sign the petition urging Senator McCain to change his mind and support the 21st Century GI Bill (petition).
John McCain, who is campaigning in Albuquerque this Memorial Day, has joined President Bush in opposition to the new GI Bill. Bush has threatened to veto it when it arrives at his desk.
In view of the huge gulf between the Bush-McCain "Support our Troops" rhetoric and the reality of their actions, here are three items worth pondering on this Memorial Day 2008.
The first is the cover story of the June issue of Technology Review (not on-line). From Brain Trauma in Iraq by Emily Singer:
The U.S. Department of Defense reports that approximately 30 percent of those evacuated from the battlefield to Walter Reed Army Medical Center have traumatic brain injury (TBI). The problem is probably worse than that: The DOD figure does not include brain injuries in soldiers whose wounds were not severe enough to require evacuation or whose ingjuries were not identified until after they completed their tours.
Post-deployment surveys suggest that 10 to 20 percent of all deployed troops have experienced concussions. .. Surveys of troops to be redeployed in Iraq suggest that 20 to 40 percent still had symptoms of past concussions…Now this from the book, A Time to Fight - Reclaiming a Fair and Just America, by Senator James Webb (D-VA), sponsor of the new GI Bill:
These patronizing litanies from politicians who shield themselves from accountability by claiming that criticism of the Bush Administration's policies undermines the troops is blatant political avoidance and not true respect. Most of our military men and women know this…
A fundamental respect also means that after several years of war in Iraq and Afghanistan, those directing these efforts should be able to develop sensible operational policies built on rotational cycles that allow our troops enough time at home between deployments. And a true indicator of respect would be for those who repeatedly call our present-day military men and women "the new Greatest Generation" to support the same level of GI Bill benefits for those who have served since 9/11 as those given to our World War II veterans. We have seen none of this.
Here's a fitting act of respect on this Memorial Day. Visit the VoteVets.org website and sign the petition urging Senator McCain to change his mind and support the 21st Century GI Bill (petition).
Yes, it was a big government program about which former Senator Bob Dole spoke in these glowing terms: "It changed America; it may have changed the world."
Passed in 1944, the G.I. Bill of Rights made available to sixteen million veterans of World War II, like Dole, generous educational opportunities and home ownership. It helped build the American middle class that drove the post-war economic boom of the 1950s.
In a recent NY Times op ed ("Doing the Troops Wrong"), Bob Herbert wrote:
Herbert goes on to say that "reinvigorating the G.I. bill is one of the best things this nation could do."
That's why a new GI Bill -- Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act -- has been introduced by a bipartisan group of lawmakers. In the Senate, Vietnam veteran Jim Webb (D-VA) has been leading the charge along co-sponsors Chuck Hagel (R-NE), another Vietnam vet, and John Warner (R-VA), a former Navy Secretary.
A version of the bill has also been introduced in the House and New Mexico Congressman Tom Udall is an enthusiastic sponsor.
But the Bush Administration opposes the new G.I. bill. So does John McCain. Read More »
Passed in 1944, the G.I. Bill of Rights made available to sixteen million veterans of World War II, like Dole, generous educational opportunities and home ownership. It helped build the American middle class that drove the post-war economic boom of the 1950s.
In a recent NY Times op ed ("Doing the Troops Wrong"), Bob Herbert wrote:
The original G.I. Bill of Rights, signed into law by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1944, paid the full load of a returning veteran's education at a college or technical school and provided a monthly stipend. It was an investment that paid astounding dividends. Millions of veterans benefited, and they helped transform the nation. College would no longer be the exclusive preserve of the wealthy and those who crowned themselves the intellectual elite.
Herbert goes on to say that "reinvigorating the G.I. bill is one of the best things this nation could do."
That's why a new GI Bill -- Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act -- has been introduced by a bipartisan group of lawmakers. In the Senate, Vietnam veteran Jim Webb (D-VA) has been leading the charge along co-sponsors Chuck Hagel (R-NE), another Vietnam vet, and John Warner (R-VA), a former Navy Secretary.
A version of the bill has also been introduced in the House and New Mexico Congressman Tom Udall is an enthusiastic sponsor.
But the Bush Administration opposes the new G.I. bill. So does John McCain. Read More »
Over the past couple of months, a discussion on the core issues facing Americans has pretty much fallen by the wayside during the presidential campaign. Americans expect an adult debate on foreign policy, the economy and health care. Instead, the 24-hour news cycle is obsessed with one candidate's middle name and who's most at home taking shots at a bar.
It's not surprising that people are getting fed up.
Fortunately for those of us who relish meaningful policy discourse, Senator John McCain is hitting the road this week to trumpet his plan for reforming the nation's broken health care system.
As a primer for the headlines that are sure to come, I thought it might be important to highlight some questions about the Senator's core policy prescription; tax credits to spur the purchase of private insurance.
Prior to the questions, however, let's review some important facts about Senator McCain's intimate relationship with the insurance industry.
Over the past dozen years, Senator McCain has raised about $3.5 million from interests tied to the insurance industry. Just shy of forty lobbyists from the industry are listed as fundraisers, co-hosts of events, or staffers for the Senator. Furthermore, several high-ranking members of the McCain campaign staff are high-paid lobbyists for insurance interests. (The campaign finance and lobbying figures are based on Public Campaign Action Fund analysis of data obtained from the Center for Responsive Politics).
With this primer, three questions come to mind for the Senior Senator from Arizona. Read More »
It's not surprising that people are getting fed up.
Fortunately for those of us who relish meaningful policy discourse, Senator John McCain is hitting the road this week to trumpet his plan for reforming the nation's broken health care system.
As a primer for the headlines that are sure to come, I thought it might be important to highlight some questions about the Senator's core policy prescription; tax credits to spur the purchase of private insurance.
Prior to the questions, however, let's review some important facts about Senator McCain's intimate relationship with the insurance industry.
Over the past dozen years, Senator McCain has raised about $3.5 million from interests tied to the insurance industry. Just shy of forty lobbyists from the industry are listed as fundraisers, co-hosts of events, or staffers for the Senator. Furthermore, several high-ranking members of the McCain campaign staff are high-paid lobbyists for insurance interests. (The campaign finance and lobbying figures are based on Public Campaign Action Fund analysis of data obtained from the Center for Responsive Politics).
With this primer, three questions come to mind for the Senior Senator from Arizona. Read More »
A gloomy picture is revealed for students in New Mexico when one sifts through presidential hopeful John McCain's recent major policy address on the economy.
In face of a deepening recession and the growing Bush budget deficits, McCain is promising to exercise "spending restraint" - while, however, also vowing to pour still more money into the Iraq War, which already piled up an estimated price tag approaching $3 trillion.
A new analysis by the National Education Association reveals that McCain's plan would translate into over $35 billion in education cuts for the 2010 fiscal year. For New Mexico this clocks in at $275 million lost dollars.
For example, McCain's plan would have the following impacts on education funding authorized for New Mexico:
Pell Grants - MINUS $34,300,000 (college students affected - 8,833)
Head Start - MINUS $7,627,232 (low income children affected - 1,010)
Special Ed Grants - MINUS $100,007,813 (children with disabilities affected - 25,350)
Grants to Local Educational Agencies - MINUS $87,697,095
For more information, see NEA.ORG.
In face of a deepening recession and the growing Bush budget deficits, McCain is promising to exercise "spending restraint" - while, however, also vowing to pour still more money into the Iraq War, which already piled up an estimated price tag approaching $3 trillion.
A new analysis by the National Education Association reveals that McCain's plan would translate into over $35 billion in education cuts for the 2010 fiscal year. For New Mexico this clocks in at $275 million lost dollars.
For example, McCain's plan would have the following impacts on education funding authorized for New Mexico:
Pell Grants - MINUS $34,300,000 (college students affected - 8,833)
Head Start - MINUS $7,627,232 (low income children affected - 1,010)
Special Ed Grants - MINUS $100,007,813 (children with disabilities affected - 25,350)
Grants to Local Educational Agencies - MINUS $87,697,095
For more information, see NEA.ORG.
Tomorrow is income tax filing day, so it's appropriate to review what the Iraq War is costing New Mexico and our country. The human and economic costs of the Iraq war have been enormous. Over 4,000 soldiers have been lost and tens of thousands wounded.
Cost to New Mexico
Cost of war for New Mexico = $1.6 Billion
Cost of Iraq war per family of 4 = $35,000
Total number of NM troops killed = 38
Total number NM troops wounded = 266
NM troops ever deployed (as of Jan. 31, 2008) = 10,983
(NationalPriorities.org)
For the same $1.6 billion that taxpayers in New Mexico have paid for the Iraq War thus far, the following could have been provided:
- 424,892 People with Health Care OR
- 2,487,723 Homes with Renewable Electricity OR
- 41,324 Public Safety Officers OR
- 30,689 Music and Arts Teachers OR
- 375,995 Scholarships for University Students OR
- 187 New Elementary Schools OR
- 16,225 Affordable Housing Units OR
- 564,325 Children with Health Care OR
- 229,074 Head Start Places for Children OR
- 30,890 Elementary School Teachers
Economic Train Wreck: By the numbers
GOP presidential candidate John McCain famously announced that he envisions U.S. troops staying in Iraq for 100 years. This prospect is sobering given the costs to our economy thus far. Read More »
During the first three months of 2008, the race to determine who will become the 44th President of the United States has had no shortage of compelling stories. To simply review the peaks, valleys, turns and twists would likely be worthy of a separate post.
Instead, I'd like to focus on the individuals who have been at the helm of two of the campaigns: McCain campaign manager Rick Davis and the recently demoted (or not?) Clinton "chief strategist" Mark Penn.
We've already gotten an up-close look at Rick Davis on Clearly New Mexico, so perhaps we should start with Mr. Penn.
Mark Penn has been a Clinton family confidant for the better part of twelve years. Originally recruited by former Clinton advisor turned Fox News analyst, Dick Morris, Penn started out by providing polling and strategic consulting services to the 1996 Bill Clinton reelection campaign. Since then, Mr. Penn assisted with the 2000 Hilary Clinton U.S. Senate campaign and (up until today) the Hillary presidential operation.
Pretty straightforward consulting resume, right?
Not so fast. Read More »
Instead, I'd like to focus on the individuals who have been at the helm of two of the campaigns: McCain campaign manager Rick Davis and the recently demoted (or not?) Clinton "chief strategist" Mark Penn.
We've already gotten an up-close look at Rick Davis on Clearly New Mexico, so perhaps we should start with Mr. Penn.
Mark Penn has been a Clinton family confidant for the better part of twelve years. Originally recruited by former Clinton advisor turned Fox News analyst, Dick Morris, Penn started out by providing polling and strategic consulting services to the 1996 Bill Clinton reelection campaign. Since then, Mr. Penn assisted with the 2000 Hilary Clinton U.S. Senate campaign and (up until today) the Hillary presidential operation.
Pretty straightforward consulting resume, right?
Not so fast. Read More »
An anniversary worth remembering with a strong dose of ethics reform. This just in from the Public Campaign Action Fund:
On the anniversary of the first meeting that set off the infamous Keating Five scandal, Public Campaign Action Fund renewed its call today for Senator John McCain (R-AZ) to back comprehensive public financing of all federal elections and to make passage of it a priority if elected.
Here's the complete story.
On Saturday, JD posted a nice piece on John McCain's first national, general election tv commercial, 7 months out from the November election. The Center for American Progress (CAP) also noted that McCain was in our neighboring state to the north this past Thursday, accepting a ton of campaign cash from the oil and gas industry at Denver's Petroleum Club (link).
As CAP reported, McCain's tax cut proposal provides $3.8 billion to Exxon/Mobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Valero Energy and Marathon. To put that tax cut into perspective, it's a billion dollars more than the state of New Mexico spends on our entire public school system each year.
It's striking how McCain's Colorado fundraiser captures the fundamental outlines of the emerging presidential election contest.
First, the Southwest, and New Mexico in particular, are the nation's ground zero for the Presidential contest.
Second, the battle lines are being drawn, already framed in the Southwest: McCain the war hero versus McCain the corporate shill.
And third, this question over who the real John McCain is has parallels in New Mexico, as many Democratic and Republican candidates will soon struggle to reconcile their stated policy independence from their record of industry contributions. Read More »
As CAP reported, McCain's tax cut proposal provides $3.8 billion to Exxon/Mobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Valero Energy and Marathon. To put that tax cut into perspective, it's a billion dollars more than the state of New Mexico spends on our entire public school system each year.
It's striking how McCain's Colorado fundraiser captures the fundamental outlines of the emerging presidential election contest.
First, the Southwest, and New Mexico in particular, are the nation's ground zero for the Presidential contest.
Second, the battle lines are being drawn, already framed in the Southwest: McCain the war hero versus McCain the corporate shill.
And third, this question over who the real John McCain is has parallels in New Mexico, as many Democratic and Republican candidates will soon struggle to reconcile their stated policy independence from their record of industry contributions. Read More »
What's really going on with the "big news" that the McCain campaign is making its first national ad buy in New Mexico? The NY Times, AP, CNN - and the Albuquerque Journal - all dive into the story like synchronized swimmers, stroking the same line in unison: "For now, the 60-second ad will air only in New Mexico - a signal that McCain plans to compete in that swing state come the fall…"
But the media watchers at News Corpse Blog cut through to the real story about the MSM's non-story:
What middle class tax relief?
As usual, what the MSM refuses to do is analyze the actual claims made in these ads. Read More »
But the media watchers at News Corpse Blog cut through to the real story about the MSM's non-story:
The truth, however, is likely quite different than these portrayals suggest. The McCain campaign, like most politicians and interest groups these days, knows that they can purchase a small amount of airtime in inexpensive television markets like New Mexico and announce the release of the ad to the press. Then the media will dutifully regurgitate the ad repeatedly, giving the campaign what amounts to hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of free airtime.
What middle class tax relief?
As usual, what the MSM refuses to do is analyze the actual claims made in these ads. Read More »
When New Mexicans think about John McCain, I'm guessing most have a pretty vague, but favorable opinion about him. I certainly did, primarily because of his efforts on campaign finance reform several years back. But now, under the scrutiny of the Presidential race, I'm beginning to see McCain in a different light because of the ambiguity created by our current campaign financing system.
Media Matters reports that McCain has 24 staffers or advisors that were either registered lobbyists in 2007 or were previous lobbyists, including pretty high up positions such as his campaign manager, his deputy campaign manager and his senior policy advisor.
And his campaign co-chair and national finance committee co-chairman, former US Representative Thomas Loeffler (R-TX) is a lobbyist for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on trade issues, according to the Houston Chronicle.
As a lobbyist myself for things like public financing and health care reform, I'm not criticizing the hiring of lobbyists. But I wonder if the clients of McCain's team of lobbyists portend a shifting of the sands under McCain's formerly sturdy legs. Is McCain revealing his true identity as the front man for pharmaceuticals, oil and gas and insurance companies? Or is he just doing his best to raise money in an insane system? With the current system creating a campaign financing arms race, it's virtually impossible to tell whether the person or the system is to blame.
Media Matters reports that McCain has 24 staffers or advisors that were either registered lobbyists in 2007 or were previous lobbyists, including pretty high up positions such as his campaign manager, his deputy campaign manager and his senior policy advisor.
And his campaign co-chair and national finance committee co-chairman, former US Representative Thomas Loeffler (R-TX) is a lobbyist for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on trade issues, according to the Houston Chronicle.
As a lobbyist myself for things like public financing and health care reform, I'm not criticizing the hiring of lobbyists. But I wonder if the clients of McCain's team of lobbyists portend a shifting of the sands under McCain's formerly sturdy legs. Is McCain revealing his true identity as the front man for pharmaceuticals, oil and gas and insurance companies? Or is he just doing his best to raise money in an insane system? With the current system creating a campaign financing arms race, it's virtually impossible to tell whether the person or the system is to blame.
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