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McCain promises to balance budget
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) plans to promise on Monday that he will balance the federal budget by the end of his first term by curbing wasteful spending and overhauling entitlement programs, including Social Security, his advisers told Politico.
The vow to take on Social Security puts McCain in a political danger zone that thwarted President Bush after he named it the top domestic priority of his second term.
McCain is making the pledge at the beginning of a week when both presidential candidates plan to devote their events to the economy, the top issue in poll after poll as voters struggle to keep their jobs and fill their gas tanks.
In the long-term, the only way to keep the budget balanced is successful reform of the large spending pressures in Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, the McCain campaign says in a policy paper to be released Monday.
The McCain administration would reserve all savings from victory in the Iraq and Afghanistan operations in the fight against Islamic extremists for reducing the deficit. Since all their costs were financed with deficit spending, all their savings must go to deficit reduction.
The pledge is a return to an earlier position he'd later backed away from. On April 15, McCain backed off a February pledge to balance the budget in his first term when asked about it by Michael Cooper of The New York Times, who reported that McCain said at a news conference that economic conditions are reversed and that he would have a balanced budget within eight years.
Jason Furman, Obama's economic policy director, called McCain's pledge preposterous." Furman pointed out that the Congressional Budget Office now estimates a 2013 deficit of $443 billion, assuming the Bush tax cuts are extended. And he estimated that McCain would have to cut discretionary spendingincluding defenseby roughly one-third to bring the budget into the black by then.
"McCain would have to pay for all of his new tax cuts and other proposals and then, on top of that, cut an additional $443 billion from the budgetwhich is 81 percent of Medicare spending or 78 percent of all discretionary spending outside of defense," Furman said.
McCains emphasis on balancing the budget is likely to excite conservatives, who have remained skeptical of his candidacy, and provoke derision from Democrats, who will argue that its a warmed-over version of proposals that President Bush failed to enact.
The budget was in surplus when Bush took office but now is deeply in the red$410 billion, the White House projects, blaming the demands of war and homeland security.
By "reforming Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid" does he mean cut social spending?
, and stop talking about BULLSHIT carbon taxes 
, I would fall in love! 
Full story:
McCain promises to balance budget - Mike Allen - Politico.com
At least he is talking about balancing the budget!!!!
IMO the most important Issue of the Day. We can not continue to run deficits and grow our outrageous Debt anymore!!
If he keeps talking like this I may have to rethink my vote, me thinks.
If he keeps talking like this I may have to rethink my vote, me thinks.
LOL, are you kidding? A politician makes a promise, and you are falling for it that easily? How much of McCain's rhetoric over the years has matched his record?
When was the last time a politician came through on SS, btw?
I seriously don't see how anyone could confuse you with anything other than a partisan hack for McCain.
Yes yes, this from a Liberal Democrat Partisan hack, with one are you, the pot or the kettle?
Yes, I am partisan. I am partisan toward ending deficit spending, and balancing our budget, and I only see one guy talking about that.
You mean like how you fools are falling for all the things Obama says??
Please!
He means to reform them!
I suggest you read the whole link, and then go to McCains web site and read about his Goals to Cut pork barrel spending, and earmarks. As well as to use the money saved from the winding down of the war in Iraq, to begin reducing the Deficit, and eventually paying down the Debt.
I sure do not like everything about McCain, but I like the Idea of someone talking about balancing the Budget. Our Debt is what is KILLING the DOLLAR and KILLING US.
Do you hear Obama talking about this stuff? ending Deficit spending, and Balancing he budget is not going to be painless you know! Cuts must be made. Both in military and discretionary spending.
And this somehow shows that you didn't fall for Mccain's rhetoric?
Will you be willing to see a tax increase to accomplish the balancing of the budget?
Will you be willing to see a tax increase to accomplish the balancing of the budget?
LOL, are you kidding? A politician makes a promise, and you are falling for it that easily? How much of McCain's rhetoric over the years has matched his record?
When was the last time a politician came through on SS, btw?
I'm a liberal, not a democrat. You should know better since you are apparently a conservative, and not a republican, according to you.
You gobble up what mccain has spoon fed you. He'll get your vote, no doubt about that. You won't throw your vote away with barr. That much is clear. So I suggest you stop your front of being an individual. You spend hours everyday insulting Obama, instead of telling us why Barr or McCain would be good presidents. McCain's economic plan is about as hollow as Obama's Hope for Change campaign slogan.
Find us one or more examples where McCain has shown to be ANY different economically than the bush admin! Then we'll talk about how you're not partisan.
MCcain voted against Bush's 2005 energy policy....is that good enough for you?
Do go on...
Where else has Mccain differed from Bush's economic policy? Does mccain support tax cuts for the rich? What will McCain do about immigration? What will mccain do about the housing market?
What reason should the voters believe Mccain is fundamentally different than bush?
Do go on...
Where else has Mccain differed from Bush's economic policy? Does mccain support tax cuts for the rich? What will McCain do about immigration? What will mccain do about the housing market?
What reason should the voters believe Mccain is fundamentally different than bush?
I think what it proves, is that we can no doubt invade and conquer most nations with ease, and replace their government with one that suits us. But what I don't thikn we're militarily capable of, is sustaining a long term nation building effort that doesn't over stretch our military in a time where we may need it at the drop of a hat.Sen. John McCain sharply criticized the Bush administration's conduct of the Iraq war Wednesday, saying the United States should send at least 15,000 more troops or risk "the most serious American defeat on the global stage since Vietnam."
Victory can be our only exit strategy," said McCain, one of the strongest supporters of the war.
McCain also challenged Defense Secretary Donald Rumfeld's assertion that the 132,000 American troops in Iraq can defeat the insurgency in the country. "The simple truth is that we do not have sufficient forces in Iraq to meet our military objectives."
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2003-11-05-mccain-usat_x.htm
Yep seems like Bush 3 to me....
