Timing Is Everything

During the last few weeks, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin have been uttering the terms "socialism" and "spread the wealth" over and over when discussing Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) and his economic policies. Those tactics are certainly no surprise considering the fact that the largest tax cuts in McCain's plan would go to the wealthiest of Americans. What is a surprise is the enormous 180-degree turn that McCain has made in this area since 2000. (It's funny what happens when you are the Republican nominee for President of the United States.) McCain actually proved in the past that he once had a backbone by speaking out against Mr. Bush's tax cuts: "I cannot in good conscience support a tax cut in which so many of the benefits go to the most fortunate among us, at the expense of middle class Americans who most need tax relief." Want more proof the socialism apple doesn't fall far from the tree (aside from the fact that McCain, like Obama, recently voted for the $700 billion bailout)? The following exchange is from a town hall meeting in October 2000:

Unidentified Female: "Since I've been studying politics, I've had this question that I've never fully understand. Why is it that someone like my father, who goes to school for thirteen years, gets penalized in a huge tax bracket because he's a doctor? Why is that? Why does he have to pay higher taxes than everybody else, just because he makes more money? Why -- how is that fair?"
McCain: "I think it's to some degree because we feel, obviously, that wealthy people can afford more...Here's what I really believe, that when you are -- reach a certain level of comfort, there's nothing wrong with paying somewhat more."

Numerous other quotes exist which show that McCain has completely reversed his stance on taxes. In fact, McCain was one of only two Republicans to vote in 2001 against Mr. Bush's $1.35 trillion, 10-year tax cut. Two years later, McCain was just one of three Republicans to vote against additional tax cuts, describing those cuts as "too tilted to the wealthy". Then in May 2006, after years of speaking out against Mr. Bush's tax cuts, McCain voted for an extension. Not unexpectedly, McCain announced his intention less than a year later to run for President. And let's not forget that Palin is governor of a state which, as a result of the Alaska Permanent Fund, provides a percentage of its oil and gas sales and royalties to any state resident who has not been convicted of a felony and has resided in the state for at least one calendar year. If we adhere to the Republican definition, then that definitely reeks of socialism.