Election '08 Redux: McCain Sponsors Amendment to Kill Buy America Laws

Well, if you wanted a redux of the 2008 campaign in which John McCain criticized spending taxpayer money here at home, check this out from National Journal:

Defense contractors are among the leaders of a lobbying drive by American companies not singled out for direct aid in the economic stimulus package, pushing back hard against "Buy American" provisions...

Aides said Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., plans to offer an amendment to the stimulus bill (HR 1) on the Senate floor this week that would strike the Buy American provisions.

In a letter to Senate leaders obtained by Congressional Quarterly, 100 companies and associations warned Tuesday that the provisions "will backfire on the United States." The letter, whose signatories include defense giants such as Lockheed Martin Corp., Northrop Grumman Corp. and United Technologies Corp.,

You'll recall that when McCain took this stance during the campaign, Obama aired ads and released campaign material [1] touting himself in the industrial heartland as the candidate who will stand up for Buy America laws. Now, Obama's top aides seem to be working for McCain's objectives [2].

National elections should have consequences, and campaign promises in key swing states should be fulfilled. Call your senator and tell them to vote against the McCain amendment and stand up for Obama's campaign promises. As Businessweek's cover story [3] indicates, U.S. taxpayer money needs to be spent on the U.S. economy if this stimulus bill has a chance to really lift our economy.