While he's throwing the public a bone with the gas tax, he's collecting $58,358 a year in tax-free disability benefits for his war injuries. Disability payments suggest that he can no longer perform certain duties. In fact, McCain came back from Viet Nam in 1973 and proceeded to undergo extensive physical therapy to work his way back to fighter pilot status. He then became the commanding officer of the VA-174 "Hellrazors," the Navy's largest attack squadron. He did not retire from the Navy until 1981. When his advanced age is mentioned, McCain insists he has the stamina to out-campaign his younger foes. He recently boasted about how he hiked the Grand Canyon with one of his sons, so it's not clear what disability he is being compensated for. One staffer suggested he's being compensated for the torture he endured while a POW in Viet Nam. Without belittling Mr. McCain's ordeal, the question remains what is a millionaire U.S. Senator with no overtly apparent disability doing collecting a stipend funded by the taxpayers?
Things are not as they seem
A good hard look will show that John McCain has degenerated into the political double speak that characterizes the present administration. There is not much difference between his projected policies and the ones Bush has in place now. If anything, he holds even more 'hawkish' views than Bush, which ensures the long-term occupation of Iraq and the increased potential of an attack on Iran. His voting record suggests he is anything but compassionate, nor is he an ally of the middle class. When people ask why he is so well perceived by the American people, the standard response is that its because the Democrats are still fighting it out among themselves rather than focusing on McCain. This is a convenient answer, but not the only one. The reality is that the mainstream media is still the primary carrier of information to the general public, and remains committed to the image that they have created for McCain even when the facts dispute its veracity.
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