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Senator McCain steps up to say that he's open to tax increases as a way to boost revenue as part...

  • Thursday, June 21, 2012, 1:09 PM ET
    Senator McCain steps up to say that he's open to tax increases as a way to boost revenue as part of the deficit reduction plan. The Senator has long been a staunch advocate of a strong defense policy, and has been a vocal proponent of rescinding the sequester that would cause defense spending to be significantly reduced starting in 2013.
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This news story has 26 comments:

  •  
    Proof McCain is a gutless R.I.N.O. and deserved his 2008 thrashing.
    21 Jun 2012, 01:11 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Must have been missing the MSM drooling all over him every time he sides with the Dems. Media attention is just like crack cocaine to these guys; some more than others like Senator "Honorable Loser" here.
    21 Jun 2012, 01:46 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Actually, since you don't seem to remember, McCain had a lot of middle/independent support until he swung hard right in '08 and lost all his momentum catering to the Republican fringe and scaring off everyone else.
    21 Jun 2012, 02:24 PM Reply Like
  •  
    800 billion in military spending each year is not free. GOP still owes for the trillions borrowed and spent under W. Bush. 45% of people who served in wars are disabled, goverment payments are 3K per month for 60 years. Taxes must be raised, or US is next Greece.
    21 Jun 2012, 01:15 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Actually, Terry, the price is closer to $1 T/year. Most of any increase in military spending has been with borrowed money. Not to mention deferred medical and disability expenses, and depreciation of equipment. The Army and Marines will need at least $500 billion to get back to pre 9/11 readiness.
    Yet most of the funding is going to the Navy and AF for Buck Rogers weapons more suited to military takeover of OUR country. Beware Obamacare, but trust
    the gubment with exotic weapons?

    I don't mind spending more on defense, as long as the Red Meat boys admit that a lot of it is really right wing socialism, and there is a direct tax to pay for it. Like a $2/gallon tax on gasoline, so maybe we'll get off our arse, and get on natural gas. The public needs to feel the pain of this insane energy/war policy, instead of just the vets and their families.
    21 Jun 2012, 02:22 PM Reply Like
  •  
    We need to get rid of all those bums going after our pockets. Don't care if it is for bombs or bureaucrats! All I want is to keep more of my paycheck, not give 60% of it away on various taxes. And they want more!!! Time to cut spending ...
    21 Jun 2012, 01:15 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Yes. Time to cut military spending. You are absolutely right.
    21 Jun 2012, 01:22 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Taxes on wealthy is at a 58 year low, and US has debt to prove it.
    21 Jun 2012, 01:31 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Time to tax capital gains
    21 Jun 2012, 01:22 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Joro and the CyclingScholar no gonna like us. Can't we all just get along?
    21 Jun 2012, 01:33 PM Reply Like
  •  
    They are taxed.
    21 Jun 2012, 01:59 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Capital gains ARE being taxed, and are you unaware the intent is to encourage capital investment? Hmmm? And did you forget businesses are the actual investments, and that they hire people?
    21 Jun 2012, 03:03 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Money earned from money should not be worth more than money earned from work. Period. Want money to earn more money? Tell money to work harder, like you tell us.
    21 Jun 2012, 03:58 PM Reply Like
  •  
    In the 1950's top tax rate was 91% on wealth not paid to workers. Now after decades of conservative rule wealthy pay 14% tax rate and there workers get a food stamp card.
    21 Jun 2012, 01:34 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Thanks to the Food Stamp President, yes. But, let's redistribute more wealth to people who produce nothing on their own...it's worked out so well for Europe!

    I guess the DNC finally sprang for some new toner for your photocopy machine, eh Terry?
    21 Jun 2012, 01:49 PM Reply Like
  •  
    I can tell by your comments that you have not been in a Christian church in years. Jesus cared about the poor people and hated the wealthy. Borrow a Bible and read it.
    21 Jun 2012, 01:58 PM Reply Like
  •  
    I don't think its accurate to say Jesus hated the wealthy. But I also don't think the Bible has any place in a debate about the US tax system.
    21 Jun 2012, 02:09 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Did SA remove a bunch of comments?
    21 Jun 2012, 04:54 PM Reply Like
  •  
    John McCain is one of those hairshirt Republicans who believe that we must clean up the place after the Democrats throw their latest stimulus party, hence tax increases to balance the budget. It's like the bookkeeper in a near-bankrupt restaurant suggesting the way out is to increase the prices on the burgers and fries.

    Let's be honest. Spending some of the prime years of your life in a prison camp takes something out of a man.

    McCain: Get out of the way. Younger and more vigorous leadership is going to take over.

    "Where do Arizonans go for retirement? Iowa?"
    -- Yogi Goldwater
    21 Jun 2012, 02:01 PM Reply Like
  •  
    McCain is so desperate to keep the Defense Dept well funded he will sacrifice the sacred cows of the party to do it.
    21 Jun 2012, 02:27 PM Reply Like
  •  
    We need to spend less not tax more!!!!!
    21 Jun 2012, 02:31 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Actually we need to do both. And don't worry, we will. Congress agreed to it last year -- taxes go up and military spending down.

    McCain's point is he wants to renege on that. And he's willing to accept some tax increases in order to do that.
    21 Jun 2012, 05:17 PM Reply Like
  •  
    McCain has gone totally off his rocker, needs to be given early retirement package. He's totally out of touch with reality that he has no clue other than taxing and spending for more and more waste, fraud and abuse. he just doesn't get it, how about government doing with less for a change.
    21 Jun 2012, 03:10 PM Reply Like
  •  
    If you took all the money from the wealthy it would be the tip of the iceberg over the government largesse that has more takers than ever before. Get the government of the back of the workers and you'll see private sector jobs explode (that means gutting EPA, IRS (flat tax), DOE, Education, Commerce, Bureau of Labor, Interior, etc.) and get the czars off the payroll.
    21 Jun 2012, 03:12 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Kudos to McCain for following the advice of the bi-partisan commission that recommended this idea long ago. McCain has staked a brave stance and shows some class few other republicans have taken.
    22 Jun 2012, 09:13 AM Reply Like
  •  
    The commission you refer to did not get enough votes for its recommendations for them to be passed, under its own rules. Unfortunate or not, I won't comment.

    But the law we have on the books, the sequestration law McCain now wants to eviscerate, would erase a lot of the current accounts deficit if followed. It has cuts on both sides. McCain wants the cuts on the Democrats' side but wants to tax Democrats so the Republicans won't have to cut what they agreed to.

    In this case I support doing nothing. Let the cuts come. Let the tax cuts expire. If you're serious about deficit reduction, the work is done, and the only thing anyone could possibly do is undo it.

    McCain, in this case, is an un-doer.
    22 Jun 2012, 01:22 PM Reply Like
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