Sen. Jon McCain (R-Ariz.) supports “the surge” of troops and believes it is working. He will continue to support the surge, even if the Iraqi government fails to meet its benchmark goals. McCain says the presence of troops in Iraq is not the problem; casualties are the problem, and he is extremely opposed to a timetable for withdrawal.

His healthcare plan involves giving every individual a $2,500 and every family a $5,000 refundable tax credit to help people get the policies that best suit them. He wants people to buy healthcare on their own, doing away with employer-provided care. He is against raising taxes to provide healthcare and
against mandatory coverage or mandated universal coverage.

His short-term solutions for the economy include stopping “out-of-control spending,” specifically the $400 billion per year spent in overseas, oil producing countries that McCain believes helps fund terrorist organizations, and developing technologies to reduce U.S. dependency on foreign oil – eventually
eliminating it completely. He plans to use line-item vetoes to fight pork barrel bills.

McCain believes big oil companies should reinvest their profits, especially in nuclear power. He says “nuclear power is safe, nuclear power is green and it does not emit greenhouse gases.” He also believes in funding technological advancements in alternative fuels and says pursuing ethanol as an alternative fuel “makes sense” when oil is $60-plus a barrel.