McCain: Jobs Bill Would Fail
"It's a stimulus bill again. It's failed. They said when we passed the last stimulus bill that we'd have 8 percent unemployment. That was their commitment. It's 10 percent [now]. Most Americans don't believe that mortgaging our children's futures is the way to go about it, particularly with the kind of stimulus package that failed in the past," the Arizona Republican said on CBS' "The Early Show" Thursday.
Job creation was a major theme of President Obama's State of the Union address Wednesday. So was bridging the partisan divide between Democrats and Republicans, particularly on health care.
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But McCain's balk at the jobs bill may show just how hard it will be to accomplish both of those goals.
On health care reform, McCain said Republicans would "of course" compromise, "but we've got to be brought in on the negotiations. We were not. Nor have we on any other issue."
"If there's true bipartisan negotiations, if they will bring us in on the takeoff, hopefully we can be in on the landing. But the facts are that they figured that had they had 60 votes at the beginning of this health care debate … and they decided they would ram it through.
McCain rattled of a list of Republican proposals that he hoped Democrats would consider in a new health care reform package. Among them: medical malpractice reform, the ability to go across state lines to get insurance policies, rewarding wellness and fitness, establishing risk pools for people with pre-existing conditions and encouraging health savings accounts.
More Coverage of Obama's State of the Union:
Obama Vows to Fight for Jobs
Full Text of Obama's Speech
Bob McDonnell: The Government Is "Trying to Do Too Much"
Obama Upbeat as He Seeks to Reset Presidency
Dem, GOP Leaders Spar Over Obama's Community Banks Plan
Ohio Voters: Obama Needs More Details on Jobs Plan
Obama Priorities Revealed in State of the Union Speech
Obama's Speech Leveraged His Strengths
Photos: The State of the Union
Full Video of Obama's State of the Union
Katie Couric's Webcast: Analysis and Interviews