Senator McCain has argued that he is the most qualified presidential candidate to be
commander-in-chief.   Before repeating that self-serving claim, he should read The
Stuff of Heroes, published in 1998 by Texas A&M University.

In the first chapter, its author, retired USAF Reserve Major General William Cohen,
listed eight Universal Laws of Leadership.  Number one was to “maintain absolute
integrity.”

Former Air Force Chief of Staff General Ronald Fogelman said in the Forward to
Cohen’s book that integrity in professional relationships remained the singularly
most important attribute of any leader. 

Time and again, in virtually very publication written about military leadership, integrity
was one of the most crucial factors to consider.  In McCain’s case, a close examination
of his changing positions (flip-flops) shows he is not what he claims to be -- a man of
absolute integrity.

For the purpose of this discussion, integrity means basing one’s actions on an internally
consistent framework of core values.  While those values may change, their consistency
with each other and the person’s actions determine the degree of integrity. 

A classic example of McCain’s questionable integrity is his favorable opinion of George
W. Bush’s 2001 tax cuts.  Previously, McCain asserted several times that the reductions
unfairly favored wealthy people and should not be approved.  Now he wants the cuts to
be made permanent.  Since the lowered IRS rates did not change after enactment, McCain
either no longer believes in fairness or he is dishonestly appealing to his Republican base.   

To show how extreme was his flip-flop on income taxes, consider the following reductions
that were reported by the Los Angeles Times on August 21, 2008:

The top 1% of wage earners:   - $31,943
($619,561 7 and above)

Lowest 20%………….……....:                 - $21
($19,700 and under)

In other words, the richest wage earners would receive enough tax relief to buy a new SUV, 
while the bottom 20% could barely afford five gallons of gasoline.  

Any reasonable person—Democrat or Republican—would have to agree that Sen. McCain’s
proposed tax plan is grossly unfair.  It also speaks volumes to his character.  A presidential
candidate that indifferent to America's working poor should not become their leader.

As further proof of McCain’s unfitness to command, he recently charged in his TV campaign
ads that “Barack Obama will raise your taxes!” 

Oh really, Mr. Straight Talk Express?

Here are Obama's tax reductions reported by the L.A. Times, compared to McCain’s:

                                            Obama plan           McCain plan

              Lowest 20%:       - $617                    - $21

  Second 20%:       - $950                - $124

  Middle 20%:    - $1,035                - $282

  Fourth 20%:       -  $757                 - $513

 
Since Obama’s plan gives tax reductions to 80% of all U.S. wage earners in a far greater amount
then McCain's, why would the Arizona senator call Barack a "tax raiser?"  ANSWER: MCain is
a pandering politican, not a principled patriot, who will say anything to get elected.
 

Noteworthy testimony against John McCain (updated weekly)

Extracted from the progressive InterNet blog, AlterNet.org.