McCain Will Not Change or Reform Washington

Today, John McCain will deliver a speech, according to the Associated Press, in which he will make the case that he's the presidential candidate with a "history of fighting to reform government" and that Barack Obama's rhetoric doesn't match up to McCain's accomplishments.

As a reformer who has watched McCain over the past 12 years, and very closely over the past 12 months, this is complete you-know-what.

John McCain may have a history of supporting campaign finance laws, but he absolutely won't be a reformer in the White House.

Here are eight major reasons why McCain won't change or reform Washington (feel free to add your own in the comments section):

1. A McCain presidency would continue to allow big money donors and well-connected lobbyists to call the shots because McCain has refused to take a pledge to pass comprehensive public financing for all federal offices if elected.

2. McCain has refused to cosponsor legislation to fix the presidential public financing system event though he had once authored it himself.

3. He's already opted in and out of the public financing system for president, using a shady loan to float his campaign. The matter is subject to two FEC complaints. Though complicated, the maneuvers he made exposed that he was only willing to take public money in the primary to bail out a losing campaign despite signing a letter agreeing to abide by the law. Now he'll grandstand about his decision to opt in for the general election. That's complete rhetoric, not principles.

4. He has surrounded himself with 118 lobbyists who are advising, staffing, and raising money - and conflicts of interest - for his campaign. For example, just yesterday he proposed a divestiture policy in his speech about Iran, but five lobbyists or advisors on his campaign have worked for companies that profited from trading with the Iranians, including former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina and lobbyist Charlie Black, who lobbied for General Electric.

5. McCain's campaign claims its so-called conflict of interest policy is the strictest ever in place. Then why does it prohibit lobbyists from lobbying him as a candidate but says it's okay to lobby him as President? That's backwards. What do you expect from a conflict of interest policy drafted by a lobbyist.

6. McCain is raising millions of dollars through a loophole for $70,000 campaign donations - 30 times larger than what the law that bears his name otherwise allows.

7. He has pledged to appoint Supreme Court justices in the mold of Roberts and Alito - two justices who have already begun dismantling those past reforms he once supported.

8. McCain once called his home state's successful Clean Elections public financing policy a national model. Now he opposes its adoption for federal races.

And the list goes on.

Perhaps at one point in the past, John McCain could claim he was a reformer. But he no longer deserves to carry that mantle.

Comments

[KINGS]

MCBush/McSame is nothing but a flip-flopper hypocrite!

[Lisette]

In McCain's speech last night:

what does "bottled hot water for babies mean" ???

[Anne1776]

It means McCain has NO CLUE what the hell he's talking about!

[BADEN]

I still want to know what an INTERNATIONAL Republican is....John McCain is the head of them...

http://www.iri.org.ge/

[NicoleAnonymous]

But Obama will change everything! He isn't associated with corporations or mortgage companies or any of those bad people!

"Obama has asked Jim Johnson, former head of mortgage giant Fannie Mae, to begin research on potential candidates for the No. 2 slot on the ticket, media reports said. "

[KarenKaren]

I don't see anyone else calling for televised meetings on health care. He didn't take federal pac money for this campaign. He's getting the closest to citizen participation in our government. His ethics reforms in Illinois and in the US Senate demonstrate commitment to reform.

[darthdarcy]

McCain has surrounded himself with the biggest swindlers America has to offer..

He's associated himself with the asymmetrical economic warfare being inflicted upon the American economy and people..

This was the topic addressed seriously today before the Senate Commerce Committee by Michael Greenberger and others including George Soros and many distinguished knowledgeable others..

Keep an eye out for it being repeated on C-Span it was incredibly informative and all these criminal artificial speculations and trading in dark markets can be addressed and ended almost immediately..

Paulson, McCain, Phil Gramm, so many others have turned against our nation and it's best interests yet no mention of this in our corrupted MSM..

[UnbiasView]

Sorry to break it to you but McCain or Obama are not going to change the way Washington works, too mouch money and damn near every politician is a gangster any ways.

[thinbluetorpedo]

Obama will change Washington. If you don't believe that, you have given up on America. Simple as that.

[pupbayer]

Yes, he will! DIFFERENT people will be getting the money!

[UnbiasView]

Your hopes are high, meaning you fall to disappointment will be even further.

Never put your hopes in any politician either D, I or R, they will always let you down.

[markusmarkus]

Unbias, you're absolutely 1000000% correct - President Barack Obama will not change how Washington works. Nor has he ever claimed that he alone will change how Washington works.

But, he has always stated that WE, the people of the United States of America, together, will change how Washington works. We change it by telling our Congressmen and Senators that WE demand change, that action be taken to address the problems facing this country, this society, us.

Your sadly mistaken if you think that a single person can change Washington. No, my friend, it must be We the People who change how Washington works. And, President Barack Obama shall lead us.

[talking snakes]

I believe what we are seeing in this election is the death of the big party machines. For the most part people are not watching msm news and so are finding new ways to think and organize. The open internet has mobilized the young and the well educated (Obama's new base) and made them a force for uncontrolled funding and participation.

[mntnguy]

you hit the hammer right on the head that is exactly why china will not allow full open internet into its country and why there are very powerful forces now trying to limit it here in the U.S. These slim bag old timer politicians can no longer lie there way to office because we can run home and Google info 10 ways from Sunday and get a complete picture of what is really going on and just how legit what they are saying is also people have no trust in there government they are questioning everything!

[pdsimdars]

One small comment I'd like to add. I got this from Thom Hartmann. Let's all stop referring to it as the MSM and start calling it what it is, Corporate Media. First, that's what it is and second, it is not Main Stream any more, we are. I think that's brilliant.

[treetracker]

Let us not forget his association with Phil Gramm - author (and benefactor) of the Gramm-Leach-Biley Act that repealed the Glass Steagall Act: put in place after the Crash of '29 to regulate the banking industry, so they wouldn't get creative again. Now Gramm is lobbying for USB against any legislation to help ailing homeowners facing foreclosure. Gramm is assisting McCain in his "economic policy." This kind of help we don't neeed! Gramm was also responsible for slipping the language in the bill creating the so-called "Enron loophole."

I one time I considered voting for McCain - but if (assuming) this is his true self, there is no way I would consider it now. And if this is just a flip-flop to appease Republican voters, what does that say about his character. Either way, no way McCain...

[PuppaX]

Once upon a time I was really looking forward to the possibility of an Obama-McCain contest - two people outside the current mold, both of whom could have made significant changes to the current political norms. Unfortunately, McCain now seems to feel that Obama has more appeal to centrists and that his only chance is to align himself with the Republican "base."

What a loss for all of us.

[devanate]

I'm still looking forward to an Obama-McCain contest. It's going to be entertaining as hell when McSame loses his cool and goes completely bonkers on stage. Then I will sit back and laugh at the end of republican-neocon control of Washington.

[MizLiz]

Trust me, it will happen. Only a matter of time.

[UnbiasView]

I ust have missed McCain's swing to the base because he hangs out with Liebergoof and goes on global warming tours. He isn't anywhere close to the base.

The only thing that can unify McCain with his base is adding a Clinton, Gore or Edwards to the ticket. If Obama went with a Richardson, it's over.

[GemNY]

Why is it that his fishy land swap deal in Prescott, Arizona did not register so much as a blip on the screen, but the statements of a visiting speaker in Obama's former church takes up two or three news cycles?

John McCain has never deserved the mantle of reformer. Go back to his participation in the Keating 5 and work your way forward with his deals.