We cannot afford a McCain presidency

In terms of the critical issues of taxes and the economy, John McCain promotes policies that promise not just a third term of George Bush, but a third Bush term on steroids.

Given that the Bush policies led to an increase in the national debt from $5.6 trillion to $9.4 trillion, a McCain presidency offers more deficits and more debt than can possibly be imagined. He begins by fully extending the Bush tax cuts and adds additional reductions in corporate taxes and elimination of the Alternative Minimum Tax.

The Congressional Budget Office has calculated that if McCain's tax policies are enacted into law they will add $5.7 trillion to the national debt in the next decade.

Everyone would like to see lower taxes and promising them in a presidential campaign may be shrewd politics.

Unfortunately, again according to the CBO, these tax cuts do not pay for themselves through increased economic growth.

Further, to be economically beneficial and generationally fair, they must be accompanied by commensurate reductions in spending. It is at this point that the McCain plan shows itself to be a disingenuous mirage. Rather than specifying what program cuts he will make to off set his huge tax cuts, he simply makes a general promise to cut spending. Such a vague promise challenges both his candor and so called straight talk image.

Further, with Mr. McCain's commitment to continue the war in Iraq indefinitely, we can look forward to some $3 billion a week being devoted to a cause that most Americans think should be ended.

John McCain's tax and economic policies offer more of the same. Because his tax cuts are not accompanied by specific spending cuts, the result will be trillions of dollars in debt for our children and grandchildren.

We simply cannot afford a McCain presidency.

Richard Winchell

Aurora