McCain, Obama Tax War Sparked With New Ads (VIDEO)

SEE UPDATE BELOW FOR NEW McCAIN RESPONSE

Early on Wednesday morning, both Barack Obama and John McCain released ads focused on taxes. If the tone of both spots proved predictable, the amount of money being pushed into each campaign's ad was not. Though McCain has outspent Obama on paid media in battleground states so far this month, Obama's new television ad will start getting pumped into several key states today -- specifically, Colorado, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Virginia.

By contrast, McCain's new piece is a radio ad, and his campaign has declined to reveal exactly how hard or in what parts of the country it will be pushed.

Entitled "Three Times," Obama's ad promises middle-class tax relief, contrasting the Illinois Senator's plan with McCain's tax breaks for large corporations.

Meanwhile, McCain's radio ad dings Obama for proposing more spending programs that "will lead to even higher budget deficits" and pile "more debt on the backs of your children and grandchildren."

Of course, the same Tax Policy Center that McCain's campaign used in a "fact sheet" accompanying the new radio ad has said McCain's budget would enlarge the deficit, as well. "Both John McCain and Barack Obama have proposed tax plans that would substantially increase the national debt over the next ten years," the group wrote in its most recent report.

But for progressive writers like Paul Krugman who have despaired at the Obama campaign's "lethargic" economic messaging, the fact that Obama is counter-punching on taxes with an expensive media buy should prove a welcome development.

UPDATE: The McCain campaign has responded to Obama's ad by disputing the implication that tax breaks for companies hurt the economy.

"America's business taxes are the second highest in the world, and that is driving American jobs overseas," wrote McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds in an email to reporters. "So while American families are hurting and jobs are becoming scarce, Barack Obama is pushing for billions in higher taxes -- it's a recipe for economic disaster."

But, interestingly, the lengthy "fact sheet" sent out with Bounds's response does not offer any push-back against the idea that Obama's tax plan would provide three times as much relief to middle-class families compared to McCain.

Comments

[jkpcguru]

John McCain, SUPPLY SIDE ECONOMICS DOESN'T WORK!

You are not Ronald Reagan and you will never be!!!!

Reagonomics hurt the middle class back then and you will continue to hurt the middle class now if you become president!

I endorse Obamanomics!!!

Obama 08

[Chavez08]

"Reaganomics" is really "Neoliberalism" and it was pushed on the West on a wave.

The theory is: if you remove all labor and consumer protections, remove all trade protections and let the market run free, the world will be run like a well oiled machine, no war, no hunger.

The establishment used that bogus theory to enslave 98% of the worlds population and rape and pillage the resources of soveriegn nations to build corporate empires - 21st century version of the Egyption Pyramids (slaves built the Pyramids and that was seen by Neoliberals as a great concept)

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/31/us-embassy-allegedly-built-with-coerced-labor/

How do you feel? Are you happy being a slave? That's your role in this system if you're not of the "innovative" 2%.

[UnbiasView]

If this is what you call a slave . . . yes!

I can leave my job if I want to, I can have free speech, America is a great place . . .

If it wasn't, why would you see 10 illegals packed in a toolbox trying to get here?

[thegreatgiginthesky]

Naomi Klein does a good job talking about this in her book. We can all thank the right wing a$$ wipe uncle milty.

[Hatchibakku99]

Another point not mentioned in the Post above -- yes, McCain is saying that taxes are driving American jobs overseas, but Senator Obama's plan will offer tax breaks to companies that expand the job market here in the U.S. Got a come-back for that, McCain?

[Chavez08]

Question for working-class Americans:

Do you really care about taxes if you don't have a job/income?

[MsAnn]

yes, and how much coca cola can I buy with no money/job? they're cutting off their own nose...

[Chavez08]

Not if they don't plan on actually *paying* us for our labor:

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/07/26/slave-labor-used-to-contruct-us-embassy-in-baghdad/

...soon, don't be surprised if/when they re-introduce "Debtors Prisons"

[mooph]

I'd like to hear reference to the recent GAO study: the GAO study indicated that most corporations owed no taxes from 1996 to 2000, a boom period for corporate profits.

And McCain is bitching about high taxes on corporations? Didn't the US rank 5th from the bottom, internationally, of taxes collected from corporations as compared to GDP?

[rollingdivision]

http://www.marginalrevolution.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/08/13/obama_tax.jpg All the voters need to know about today's tax plan.

[blueshield]

I can make purty pictures too. Source?

[astheworldturns]

Graphs with no information mean nothing. Anyone can draw lines.

[gtalkspolitics]

Sen. Obama, is not hitting hard enough!!!!!!

[repearwo]

When "economic disaster" is the only thing coming out of the kitchen now, the idea that Obama's plan is a "recipe" for more disaster does not seem that threatening. Of course, Obama's plan is not a recipe for economic disaster. So it is all good and we, the middle class - the engine of the economy - get to keep some of our money.

[american2008]

I am also tired of the MSM allowing McCain to get away with this "WAR HERO" BS. This man according to people that served with him and records crashed 4 planes was a drunk and partier throughout the war and was given special treatment because Grandpa and Daddy were Admiral and officers in the NAVY. McCain was at the bottom of his class and made 30 propoganda films for the VietCong while being held prisoner. If he was such a patriot and Hero, why didn't he risk his life and say I wont make those films? You right wing nuts can take in this BS about McCain, but I think America should know that this guy is a Coward and a punk! Before any of you Republitards attack me, I served 3 years in Gulf War 1 and I will not be fooled again by these Neo Cons!

[DaOne]

Once again, O should show the failed policies of the W years and how McCheese is more of same. That seemed to resonate early on.

The economy is still job one and O owns Old Yeller on this. Hammer the economy home

[barriosbabe]

Please listen. Obama! More ads showing what the war costs per month! More ads showing HOW you plan to help Americans without a lot of cost:

1. Take 5 million from corporate tax breaks and use it to supply Americans with free diabetic glucose testing supplies (costly and hard to get for many). Everybody knows somebody with diabetes.

2. Take govt incentives from helping the big lumbering companies, big pharma, more and use it to build senior citizen centers in semi-rural areas (we need them!!!)

3. Take 100 million from Halliburton regular spending to build golf courses etc at military bases and show exactly how we can use that money instead as rewards for people that carpool to the office three days a week OR get rid of their second car (yes, it is actually verifiable).

4. Why not take all that war on drug money (it hasn't worked - proven) and beef up boys and girls clubs in the bigger towns: show kids swimming, playing guitar, laughing,, running, it DOES keep kids off the streets - use Santa Cruyz or NYC as examples: show footage of BUSY happy boys girls clubs. Cripes.

Just some examples!!!!! I CAN THINK THESE UP WHY CAN'T HIS CAMPAIGN AND PUT IT INTO ADS! I AM ANGRY.

In other words BURST the bubble of Dems as big wasters.
Obama 08

[OlderBudWeiser]

Here's the cost of war in REAL TIME.

http://www.nationalpriorities.org/costofwar_home

[gigs]

i am a big obama supporter - but mccain's tax ads are better than obama's tax ads - mcain's ad hit harder and are filled with short memorable lines.
mccain's ads also continue and reinforce the negative obama celebrity/inexperienced narrative that has been put out there by talk radio and fox news for the past year.

obama has not developed a narrative about mccain. so the only narrative in the minds of the voters is mccain as a maverick war tough hero

obama has been out on his own all these months - he needs the support of surrogates going after mccain -
mccain has had talk radio, hannity, limbaugh and fox pushing the negative narrative for him - they softened up the voters and now mccain just does these ads reinforcing what voters have been hearing for months.
until the democrats start using the same tactics in a concerted effort they will not be able to regain the white house. the democrats ignore the chatter on fox and on talk radio - they don't understand the power and impact of the constant drumbeat

[ominous]

here's the narrative, and i would say it's caught on very well.

McCain = Bush

[eden4barack08]

Ocamp, if you read these comments, I 'd like to ask you to change the Voice Over of the ads to a much stronger, meaner and sarcastic sounding voice, like the one the McCheat ads have. Your ads are good, I'd like them meaner, but they're accurate, no lies and no personal attacks, just facts, so I believe you can change the voice to drive the message further and still not stoop to the low level the McC's campaign has.
The current voice you're using just sounds like a very polite person, and politeness is the last thing you should afford these loons.

[Dave01]

I've been saying the same thing for months. The guys voice sounds like quite wimpy doesn't he.

[nomadrick]

He doesn't have to change anything. We really have to stop catering to low information people. Americans really need to start paying attention.

[duchessdorleans]

Ok so when McCain says Barack Obama wants to spend "your money" who is he talking to? Since McCain is obviously not planning to abolish taxes what does he intend to do with the tax money if not spend it? I have a feeling he intends to spend it making war on Iran. Both candidates want to spend money. The difference is whose money they want to spend, i.e. who will bear a bigger tax burden. And anyway, the president doesn't spend the money, Congress does that. It's just that the POTUS can create giant expenses, like bloody useless wars that only make us less safe. Obama wants to spend money at home helping struggling familes. McCain wants to spend money making war and helping the rich get richer. Somehow the Obama campaign must make this clear in the minds of the people.

[Tinkeraw]

Bottom line. If the tax break to corps as Bush and McCain favor work why are we in such terrible financial times. They don't work. We can not take another 4-8 years of the same policies ... we'll owe our first male born to China and thensome.

Obama 08

[duchessdorleans]

Absolutey. Anyone who has been tempted to belive in the policy of cutting corporate taxes and deregualtion as a means of creating middle class jobs and therefore prosperity needs to take a look around and they will see that it doesn't work. Maybe it should, but just like Communism it may sound like a great idea on paper but as policy it fails because of human nautre and the tendency of those with power to grab for more power and money no matter what. It is the job of the government (i.e. the people) to make sure that the owners of the wealth more evenly distribute it to the working classes who create it. As much as I sound like a communist right now, I'm not (see above), but the governement must keep control of private profit making enterprises in order to ensure the well being of the public. Surely that must be clear by now.

We need not only higher taxes on corporations but also stricter regulation and mind blowingly high fines for violating them.

[Hillrick]

America's business taxes second highest? Maybe. Dunno. Do know that the corporations in America have one of the lowest in the industrialized world.