The Candidates
Larry Kudlow breaks it over at NRO:
After writing favorably about Sen. McCain’s recent economics speeches, where he clearly shifted toward the supply-side both on tax cuts and producing more energy, I went back last evening and carefully read his 15-page policy pamphlet called “Jobs for America.” Here’s what I found: There is no mention of cap-and-trade. None. Nada. There is a section about “Cheap, Clean, Secure Energy for America: The Lexington Project.” But that talks about expanded domestic production of oil and gas, as well as the need for more nuclear power and coal along with alternative sources. Then it has the $300 million battery and flex-fuel cars. But nope, no cap-and-trade.
So I picked up the phone and dialed a senior McCain official to make sure these old eyes hadn’t missed it. Sure enough, on deep background, this senior McCain advisor told me I was correct: no cap-and-trade. In other words, this central-planning, regulatory, tax-and-spend disaster, which did not appear in Mac’s two recent speeches, has been eradicated entirely — even from the detailed policy document that hardly anybody will ever read.
Those sounds you are hearing are screams of joy from MetroRepublican and Alex Knepper…
Update: According to McCain Spokesperson Jill Hazelbaker, the celebration is a tad premature… H/T-Aron
Update #2: Marc Ambinder has more.
July 9th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
Thank goodness! That would prove a major problem for me if he continued on this cap and trade non-sense.
July 9th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Boo.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
McCain is slowly morphing into a candidate I could get behind. I’d like to hear why he changed his mind on this, if he did, but I’m glad he’s on the right side of the issue now.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
How’s McCain going to argue his green credentials? He’s shifting way too far to the right. If he keeps doing this, he’s going to lose the independents.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
And, at the same time, McCain is morphing into a candidate that cannot win in this electoral environment.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Love it.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
watching lindsey graham on foxnews right now, i can’t help but like him. i think he’d be a great VP. too bad picking him would reopen too many anti-mccain wounds.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
He needs to walk a thin line for this to matter. He can still emphasize the need for more efficient and clean energy while touting the need for more exploration and production in the mean time.
It won’t matter how solid his positions on energy are if he wades into the unelectable pool.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Great Job Senator McCain! Keep up the good vibes and these Republicans we start getting more and more motivated by you, and as Obama keeps up his flip flopping the Independents will be voting for you as well if for no other reason then for the lesser of two evils, but i do not think McCain will lose Independent voters for this cap and trade issue.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
Uhm….I support Cap and Trade, but we are about to enter a recession, you have to put jobs and the economy first.
#4, if you look at polling, only Democrats are still supporting Cap and Trade (and only a little more than half of them).
Sampo, I agree Lindsey is awesome!
July 9th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
so is this a flip flop?
July 9th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
In my best Marv Albert…. YES!!!!!!
July 9th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
Ha! Yaaay!!! Lots of yays out there from more than me and Alex!
July 9th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
I dont think this is a flip flop
July 9th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Great news. All Mac needs to say is that he still supports cap and trade, but in the midst of a worsening recession, he can no longer justify placing a massive energy tax on the American people. If he doesn’t push it until after 2010, we may have regained some seats in the senate; enough to stop it.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
You know what these means?
The VP will be a solid economic conservative. (no Huckabee, no Crist, no Lieberman)
July 9th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
From a June 16 press conference:
QUESTION: The European Union has set mandatory targets on renewable energy. Is that something you would consider in a McCain administration?
MCCAIN: Sure. I believe in the cap-and-trade system, as you know. I would not at this time make those — impose a mandatory cap at this time. But I do believe that we have to establish targets for reductions of greenhouse gas emissions over time, and I think those can be met.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Cough…MITT…Cough…
July 9th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
THIS IS HUGE!! First last summer’s amnesty bill led to McCain’s promise to build the fence and certify border security first; then the NC GOP ad; oil drilling and now the man-made global warming socialism writ large is history.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
I suspected last week that McCain was backing away from such mandates after reading the transcript of Glenn Beck’s interview with Rudy Giuliani. Here’s the relevant excerpt:
BECK: Please tell me John McCain has made your phone ring.
GIULIANI: Made my phone ring in the sense…?
BECK: Called you for vice president. No, seriously. Come on. You were the guy — you have the best — you have the best health care. I was a Romney fan. You were No. 2 for me. What was the thing that I really hated about Mitt Romney was his health care plan. You had the best health care plan. You understand taxes better than anybody else. I don`t think John McCain even understands taxes.
GIULIANI: He understands taxes very well. He`s been a senator a long time. Going back to the Reagan tax cuts, John understands taxes. The reality is John will lower the corporate tax. He`s going to lower taxes. He`s going to keep them low. On the other side, we`re going to see a 20 to 30 percent increase in tax.
BECK: But he`s talking about cap and trade. That`s the biggest tax increase in business.
GIULIANI: But he`s now talking about phasing it in — phasing it in as we develop other alternatives. So let`s see if we can develop those other alternatives. What you`re looking for is perfection. This is what I tell people about. The reality is — you have to compare John McCain to Barack Obama. Who will be better for this country? John McCain will be better for the country without any question. And we all have our pros and cons. There were things about me that you liked, things you didn`t like.
GIULIANI: And I thought the cap and trade legislation that was on the floor of the Senate would have been a monstrosity. And it would have ruined our economy.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
“Cough…MITT….Cough…”
Cough…Sanford…Cough
July 9th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Well, with Obama going to the right on so many issues nowadays (death penalty, guns, Iraq War, wire-tapping), McCain has to keep up with lurching to the right with regards to energy and economy (issues which Barack will not triangulate as easily on).
July 9th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Dare i say FLIP FLOP¡?
July 9th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
#20, you give Rudy too much credit!
I have a feeling McCain and his campaign team talk about policy ahead of time, before they actually change or promote it. In fact your post clearly shows us that Rudy was part of the discussions on this (behind the scenes).
July 9th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
I hope your are right there Kavon #18,
Romney has the economic credentials, executive experience, organization, and the willingness to carry a negative message. McCain simply won’t carry a negative message against Obama. It is way past time for the McCain camp to get offensive.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
Without cap and trade the incentive for nuclear power vanishes.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
“He’s shifting way too far to the right. If he keeps doing this, he’s going to lose the independents.”
and, “McCain is morphing into a candidate that cannot win in this electoral environment.”
Right. I almost forgot how Reagan lost two elections by running on incredibly conservative positions such as an extreme anti-abortion platform, pushing nuclear power, and SDI, just to name a few of many.
Reagan collected more than his fair share of independents and Dems in 80 and 84 by clearly communicating a vision for this country. Conservatism doesn’t lose - poorly communicated conservatism loses.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
#27, and Romney sure, “poorly communicated conservatism”, = “loses”
#20, Rudy spent $50 million to win one delegate.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
26-
McCain has been talking big about nuclear. I think he is for cap and trade in the future, once reliable alternatives exist. Nuclear can power homes, but cars don’t (yet?) run on electricity, so until we have a reliable alternative for gasoline I don’t see him touching cap and trade!
July 9th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Mitt is no economic conservative. He raised taxes by half a billion dollars and called them fees. No candidate -including Huckabee- promised more federal entitlements than Willard Milton Romney. And that’s BEFORE you even throw Mitt’s universal healthcare into the debate.
There’s no question that Mitt Romney the business man is an economic conservative. He audited companies and trimmed fat thru massive layoffs. Mitt the politician is a polar opposite. This Mitt believes in healthcare for everyone and trillions in farmer and manufacturing subsidies.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
Jill Hazelbaker, McCain’s communications director, has responded to Kudlow’s piece, calling the notion that McCain is abandoning or minimizing his support for cap & trade “totally false.”
“I think I can reconcile the two views: McCain’s talking about jobs this week, not cap-n-trade. When he talks about energy — as he did two weeks ago, he talks about cap-n-trade. Kudlow considers cap-n-trade to be a critical (and negative) part of McCain’s economic policy; McCain considers it part of his energy policy; in campaigns, these type of issues tend to sort themselves into silos, reasonably, and so it ought not surprise anyone that McCain’s focus on jobs and taxes doesn’t tilt too far into energy policy precincts.”
July 9th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Sampo,
You are saying that Romney raised fees by 500 Million? If we are going to fabricate, lets shoot for the moon! Why not say that Romney raised fees by 500 Billion?
I’m sure you hate to hear this but Romney is the only candidate recognized with global economy credentials in the entire race. That is the kind of person McCain needs right now.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
The only thing more depressing than the standard of the French is when the United States’ standards are LOWER than the French. It’s my understanding that the French met their cap and trade goals because they use an unholy amount of nuclear energy. But hey, if you think the French with their 30 hour work weeks aspire too highly for you, I can’t help you.
July 9th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
How idiotic are these people who say Rudy spent $50M for 1 delegate.
Are their brains so small they do not understand what an “all or nothing” strategy is? FL was all or nothing for delegates, but Rudy’s strategy was all or nothing based on FL, the all being Super Tuesday.
Idiots.
Matt Miller is right in #15, on how to explain this is not a flip flop.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
Sampo,
Results speak for themselves. Did Romney not balance a budget while in office while adjusting fees to match cost of service and inflation? Mass’s Healthcare was far from Hillarycare and worked out a good deal with private industry. As for any supposed manufacturing bailout, Mitt Romney proposed strategic investment into R&D as opposed to letting a vital American industry flounder. Positive externalities a plenty are to be had by focusing on key industries.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
#34, “Idiots.”
What does a guy from New York need with the yokels in Iowa or New Hamphire when there are so many more reasonable folks to be had in the sunny south?
If a candidate has to skip a long list of states because he figures he’s unelectable, how does he plan on capturing enough electoral college votes to become president?
July 9th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
cwpete, by slick willard’s own admission he raised them by $260. But we know the liberty he used to stretch the truth. unbiased organizations agree it was much closer to half a billion, if not more.
Sept 5
July 9th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
People in this site should remember that the primaries are over and the nominee (good or bad) is John McCain, so stop this nonsense about Giuliani and stop bashing Romney.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:08 pm
Sampo,
Are you aware that Romney’s middle name in not actually Milton? Just wonderin’.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
1. Primaries are not generals. Re primaries: http://race42008.com/2008/01/30/a-post-mortem/
2. Rudy was the one candidate who’d give us a very different set of swing states, repainting the map.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
Metro, may I suggest a book for you post 34? Since you’re an academic genius, I think you should read this.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
#38 you are correct. We should talk about the fact that Nucelar is our future, amnd Obama is on the wrong side of the issue, but to be sure, there were legitimate reasons for Rudy to skip all those earlier contests.
Iowa is stacked full of crazy fundamentalists, as seen by their choice of Mike Huckabee, the preacher from Arkansas. They were never going to warm to a pro-abortion New Yorker who dumps his wife at a televised press conference. Wyoming is cowboy-land, with a puny 14 delegates. South Carolina is important, but it’s full of soldiers and red meat right-wingers, and a city boy like Rudy is never going to compete with legit conservatives like Huckabee and John McCain.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Sampo,
The correct answer is $260 Million in fees, not $500 Million in taxes. If you want to call fees “taxes” go right ahead.
You can’t argue about the 3B deficit that he closed of which these fee increases increases you cite accounted for less than 10% of that deficit. These are fiscal accomplishments very few have.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
This site is a family therapy session for pro and anti Romney supports. “we love each other, but we cannot agree on Romney, and it is straining our relationhip”.
Speaking of relationship issues, some good news, some on the left are falling out of love with Barry, http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Vote2008/story?id=5338914&page=1
July 9th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
After some reservations about McCain from the right, there is renewed hope that McCain just may become the most conservative President that we have ever had. Just as George H. W. Bush oversaw the completion of many of the goals of Ronald Reagan, John McCain is on the precipice of completing much of the conservative agenda. I believe that a President McCain could usher in a great post nationalist period in America with an embrace of an American influenced world globalization. As geographic borders breakdown and as Europe comes together under the European Union, I could see America expanding its sphere of influence around the world adopting common unified currencies with North and South America and much of the Middle East.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
#42: You just called Huckabee a “legit conservative”? Ridiculous. After referring to “crazy fundamentalists” in the same paragraph? Inexplicable.
July 9th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
Sampo-
Any reply to #39?
July 9th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
#46, Sarcastic comment…..
Metro tell me something about Rudy you did not like, or that he personally failed at during his campaign?
cwpete, tell me something about Mitt you did not like, or that he personally failed at during his campaign?
Sampo, tell me something about Mac you did not like, or that he personally failed at during his campaign?
July 9th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
#48, liked ok?
Rudy - A great crime fighter, and was respectful during the campaign
Mitt - SLC Olympics, and his speeches became stronger as the campaign went on
John - American Hero, he is fantastic with the media and on talk shows
July 9th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
bob,
“cwpete, tell me something about Mitt you did not like, or that he personally failed at during his campaign?”
Sheesh, that’s a tough one. Let me think on that..
The hair, it is the hair!
No wait… How about the middle name Willard? I hate the middle name Willard! Can’t stand it! No guy with a middle name such as Willard should be allowed to seek national office. We should have a rule to even the playing field with Barack [middle name not allowed to be stated else you are an anti-Muslim bigot] Obama. Sound fair?
Hmn.. what else is there.. Agh yes, his money. Romney is far too rich and successful to ever be elected office. I certainly don’t like successful self-made wealthy white guys - especially when they seek office.
OK Seriously now,
I dislike that Romney lost. I can live with that since no other candidate worked as hard, sacrificed as much, and came as close as he did during the primaries. Romney makes up for that failure by working harder than any Republican for John McCain right now. That’s the kind of guy you want on your team, that’s the kind of guy you want working for you.
I’m as Rombot as they come. But don’t knock a guy for cheering on his horse. Even if his horse is out of the race. There will be other races..
July 9th, 2008 at 6:43 pm
“You know what these means?
The VP will be a solid economic conservative. (no Huckabee, no Crist, no Lieberman)”
Cough…MITT…Cough… - Kavon
What on Earth has gotten into you, Kavon? You’re morphing into a regular Rombot! Hah.
July 9th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
McCain was HIDING his cap n trade policy given gasoline proces that are devastating low income falilies. Kudlow flushed him out. McCain can own THE MAIN ISSUE NOW!! Rush is all over it. THE issue is gasoline prices. Even Durbin is getting it.
July 9th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
McCain should run on a two-pronged strategy - Domestic Issue: drilling in ANWR, Foreign Policy Issue: regime change in IRAN.
July 10th, 2008 at 1:51 am
Well now, not so fast folks…updated info says no to axing cap and trade…just talking about it to certain audiences. Add that today’s proclamation of no-flip flopping on ANWR and I fail to see what commenters here are celebrating. So McCain has only stopped harping on the subject because it was becoming inconvenient to his base. Classic politician behavior
July 10th, 2008 at 2:01 am
Cap and trade is not the economic deathnell it is made out to be either. This “Carbon” economy is a multibillion dollar boon right now and fully implemented, a trillion dollar venture. Poll a number of industries and you’ll hardly find resistance to cap and trade. Or looked at another way, right now all our hard earned cash goes flowing into the middle east to build mile after mile of luxury towers, hotels, palaces or fund terrorists determined to blow up our own towers. Putting a cap on that nonsense by capping our own emissions (which only can happen via reduction in fuel use) in the form of taxes or credits that STAY in this country and are USED by US firms to further reduce our energy dependence can only be a good thing, economically AND geopolitically.
July 10th, 2008 at 6:18 am
Sampo - Do you not realize that when fees have been allowed over time to elapse to a point where they are insufficient to pay for the service rendered, then they must be adjusted? Why? Because, if they are not adjusted then the general tax payers money must be used to pay for the service rather than those receiving the service. In other words, if he had not made an adjustment on the fees, then the surplus in the treasury would have been less by that same amount; why? Because the general taxpayers money would have had to have been used to pay for it. So, the net impact on Massachusetts taxpayers was a ‘wash’. Its very simple math. Second graders would have no trouble comprehending it!