Moveon.org sent around an email today claiming that McCain, despite his "get to work!" huffing and puffing, missed some key energy votes. You know, not having gone to work in the first place.
Which votes? I decided to go digging. Thanks to CAP, I didn't have to dig much.
The good folks at Center for American Progress have the goods:
McCain Missed Opportunity To End Big Oil Tax Breaks to Invest in Clean Energy. In 2007, McCain was the only senator who failed to vote on a motion to invoke cloture (thus limiting debate) on the Energy Independence and Security Act. This vote was about whether to close $13 billion in tax breaks for major oil and gas companies to invest in new clean energy technologies such as wind and solar, and efficiency. Sixty votes were required for passage. The motion was rejected 59-40. [CQ.com; HR 6, Vote #425, 12/13/07]
So, had McCain showed up and voted against his Bil Oil overlords, we'd have $13 billion shifted from energy dependence to energy independence. Of course, there's a major flawed assumption in there -- McCain wouldn't have voted against his top campaign contributors and lobbyist/campaign buddies!
Spokesman Said McCain Would Have Voted With Big Oil. According to Forbes.com, "Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., was not present for the voting because he is on the presidential campaign trail. However, a spokesperson said that he would not have supported breaking the filibuster." [Forbes.com, 12/13/07]
Of course! Because nothing says energy independence like more tax subsidies for ExxonMcCain!
And before you think that missing the deciding vote is a one time thing for McCain:
McCain Skipped Vote on Green Tax Credits in Stimulus Package. In the 2008 Recovery Rebates and Economic Stimulus for the American People Act the Senate included provisions to renew and extend the Production Tax Credit and Investment Tax credit for power companies, businesses, and individuals who employ wind, geothermal, solar, and other types of renewable electricity. The February 6, 2008 Senate vote failed to invoke cloture by one vote, and the Senate was forced to drop the renewable electricity incentives. Sen. McCain was the only senator to miss the vote. He indicated that he would have voted against the package with the extension of the renewable electricity incentives. [2/6/08; New York Times 2/7/08]
Another missed shot at a major boost for energy independence, though (again) he made clear that his vote was already going in the "ME WANT OIL!" direction.
Oh, wait ... more missed votes on energy?
McCain Skipped Vote on Renewable Energy. In 2007, McCain skipped a vote on a motion to invoke cloture (thus limiting debate) on the Energy Independence and Security Act, which included fuel economy, energy efficiency, and renewable fuels provisions. The controversial issue in the Senate was the House-passed provision to require electric utilities to produce at least 15 percent of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2020. The previously mentioned clean energy tax package was also an issue. Sixty votes were required for passage. Sen. McCain was the only one of five senators then running for president who missed the vote. The motion was rejected 53-42. [HR 6, Vote #416, 12/07/07]
McCain Skipped Vote to Establish $32.1B of Tax Incentives for Renewable Energy and Efficiency. In 2007, McCain failed to vote on a motion to invoke cloture (thus limiting debate) on an amendment by Sens. Baucus (D-MT) and Grassley (R-IA) that would establish $32.1 billion of tax incentives for alternative energy sources. The amendment would have provided tax incentives for more energy efficiency and the development of carbon capture and storage technology to reduce global warming pollution from power plants. It would have paid for these tax incentives with savings from closing oil company tax loopholes and recovering unpaid royalties from oil and gas production in federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico. Sixty votes were required for passage. Motion rejected 57-36: R 10-34; D 45-2 (ND 41-1, SD 4-1); I 2-0. [HR 6, Vote #223, 6/21/07] NOTE: Sen. Reid switched his vote from "yes" to "no" to protect his ability to conduct a revote.
So, let me get this straight: McCain is chiding Congress for not working on bills that he doesn't bothers to vote on in the first place. Is he freakin' kidding? Is the anyone in the media paying attention to this hypocrisy or are they all passed out tryptophan-style? Seriously, it's like he doesn't think anyone is paying attention ... and he's (almost) right.