(Alexandria, Va.) -- With just over two weeks until Election Day, the 362,000-member National Taxpayers Union (NTU) is urging taxpayers to heed Sen. John McCain's advice from the last two Presidential debates and visit www.ntu.org to get the latest and most comprehensive analyses of fiscal policy available. NTU does not endorse any Presidential candidates.
"In the last two debates, John McCain has highlighted the National Taxpayers Union as a government 'watchdog' guarding fiscal responsibility," NTU President Duane Parde said. "We'd like to invite all taxpayers to visit our Web site and look over our research on the legislative records and campaign promises of both John McCain and Barack Obama."
NTU's research arm, the NTU Foundation (NTUF), has completed comprehensive analyses of both candidates' platforms and assigned "price tags" to each. Democrat Barack Obama would increase annual federal spending by $292 billion and Republican John McCain would increase yearly outlays by $92.4 billion. Libertarian candidate Bob Barr would reduce the federal budget by $200.9 billion each year.
NTUF's BillTally reports, which calculate a "net annual agenda cost" for each Member of Congress based on individual sponsorships of legislation, provide a look into the candidates' impacts on federal spending as Members of Congress. In the first session of the 110th Congress (all of 2007), McCain sponsored 21 bills that would increase federal spending and one bill that would decrease it, for a net agenda cost of $8.1 billion. Obama backed 111 bills to increase federal outlays and three bills to decrease it, for a net agenda of $74.9 billion.
Also of value in examining the Presidential hopefuls are NTUF's VoteTally reports, which encompass the entirety of Congress's spending decisions -- including votes on failed bills, vetoed measures, and acquiescence to "mandatory" (such as entitlement) spending growth. In the 109th Congress, McCain voted for $319.4 billion in annual discretionary spending; Barack Obama voted for $414.4 billion.
Finally, NTU's annual Rating of Congress, which assigns Members of Congress a "Taxpayer Score" based on every roll call vote affecting fiscal policy, evaluates the candidates' willingness to reduce the burden on taxpayers. Obama has received "F" grades in the last three Ratings. Due to attendance reasons, McCain did not receive a grade for 2007, but he's received grades ranging from "B-" to "A" during his entire Senate career.
NTU is a nonpartisan, nonprofit citizen organization founded in 1969 to work for lower taxes, smaller government, and economic freedom at all levels. Note: For more research and analysis, including a guide to 2008's ballot measures, visit www.ntu.org.
The Candidates on Fiscal Policy:
NTUF Presidential Candidate Cost Analysis Project