Today in Las Cruces, John McCain will face more questions about his out-of-touch comments in favor of renegotiating the 1922 Colorado River Compact, which set water-sharing guidelines among Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming. McCain's comments are the latest example of how out of touch he is -- and reflect a profound disconnect with New Mexicans over the delicate nature of the compromise and its vital importance to the millions of Americans whose lives and livelihoods are affected by the compact.
In Colorado, McCain's proposal to renegotiate the water compact provoked heated opposition from Sen. Ken Salazar (D-CO) and both Senate candidates, Republican Bob Schaffer and Democrat Mark Udall. Sen. Salazar's response to McCain's comments, "Over my dead body," was topped only by Schaffer's answer: "Over my cold, dead, political carcass." The Denver Post called McCain's statements "politically suicidal ramblings."
McCain won't find safer ground on economic issues in Las Cruces. McCain claims Americans' economic struggle are "psychological," but the Bush-McCain economy has taken a very real toll on New Mexico. Under Bush-McCain economic policies, New Mexicans' incomes have decreased slightly - even as consumer prices rise at rates not seen for decades. The price of gas, which was $1.23 when Bush took office, has increased 206 percent since 2000.
As McCain campaigns in New Mexico, he'll face an audience newly alerted to yet another example of how McCain is out of touch on key issues and offers more of the same old politics and failed policies.
MCCAIN SUGGESTS RENEGOTIATING COLORADO RIVER COMPACT
McCain Says 1922 Colorado River Compact Should Be Renegotiated. As reported in the Pueblo Chieftan, during an interview, McCain said "The water compact that Colorado and other upper basin states have with California and Arizona should be renegotiated, U.S. Sen. John McCain said Thursday. In a telephone interview with The Pueblo Chieftain, the presumptive GOP candidate for president said the water sharing agreement reached in 1922 between seven Western states doesn't take into account increases in population and the changing water needs." [Pueblo Chieftan, 8/15/08]
Prominent Colorado Politicians Respond to McCain's Plan to Renegotiate Colorado River Compact. "McCain's comments in an interview with Charles Ashby of the Pueblo Chieftain united practically every political figure in Colorado, regardless of party, to denounce the GOP presidential candidate's proposal. 'Over my dead body,' snapped Colorado Democratic Sen. Ken Salazar. 'Over my cold, dead, political carcass,' echoed Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bob Schaffer. 'On this issue, [McCain] couldn't be more wrong,' Democratic Senate candidate Mark Udall said." [Denver Post, 8/18/08]
MCCAIN'S ROCKY RECORD ON WATER
2008: McCain Called the Great Lakes A "National Treasure," But Would Not Be Specific About Preservation Plans. Responding to questions from the Wisconsin State Journal about environmentalists' efforts to "renew the ailing Great Lakes," McCain said the lakes were a "national treasure and should be treated accordingly" but did not commit to funding the efforts. Obama and Clinton both promised to commit funding. [AP, 2/18/08]
2007: McCain Strongly Opposed The Water Resources Development Act Of 2007. McCain said, "Mr. President, I would like to express my strong opposition to the Conference Report on the Water Resources Development Act of 2007." [Senator John McCain Press Release on the WRDA Conference Report, 9/24/2007]
MCCAIN OFFERS MORE OF THE SAME ON THE ECONOMY
McCain Claimed Americans Were "Better Off Because We Have Had A Pretty Good Prosperous Time." In the January 2008 Republican debate, McCain commented, "I think you could argue that Americans overall are better off, because we have had a pretty good prosperous time, with low unemployment and low inflation and a lot of good things have happened. A lot of jobs have been created." [CNN GOP Debate, 1/30/08, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43HkmMGvL7w]
McCain Said A Lot of Americans' Economic Problems Are "Psychological." When discussing the gas tax holiday, McCain said, "I think, psychologically - and a lot of our problems today, as you know, are psychological - confidence, trust, uncertainty about our economic future, ability to keep our own home." McCain said that his gas holiday will give people a psychological boost and that solving the mortgage crisis would be a major psychological step forward. [FOX News, "Your World With Neil Cavuto," 4/16/08, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mHsuL6FfY4]
McCain's "Economic Plans Really Are An Extension of the Bush Administration Policies." "McCain doesn't like to hear it, but his economic plans really are an extension of Bush administration policies...When all the economic mumbo-jumbo is removed, that fact remains." [Boston Globe, Editorial, 7/9/08, boston.com]
IMPACT OF FAILED BUSH-MCCAIN ECONOMIC POLICIES IN NEW MEXICO
Income Down. Median household income in New Mexico has decreased from $40,243 in 2000 to $40,126 in 2006, a decrease of $117 per household, or .3%. [Joint Economic Committee Fact Sheet, 8/29/07, (Bureau of the Census, U.S. Department of Commerce), jec.senate.gov]
Meanwhile, Consumer Prices Increased at Highest Rate in Decades in 2007. The Consumer Price Index rose 5 percent last year, the highest increase "in two decades." The price of a gallon of milk rose 27% since March of 2007 and the price of a dozen eggs has risen 38% in the same period. "Meanwhile, everything from white bread to chicken to tomatoes is more expensive than it was last year." [The Associated Press, 5/18/08]
NAFTA Net Displacement Was One Million Workers and A Net Job Loss of Over 5,000 in New Mexico. A 2006 Economic Policy Institute study found that NAFTA had displaced just over 1 million jobs in this country, and net job loss of 5,041 in Ohio. [Scott, Salas & Campbell, Revisiting NAFTA, 9/28/2006; http://www.epi.org/content.cfm/bp173]
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