McCain says Republicans 'lost our way' on spending

    Republican Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record), back in the state where a bruising primary loss crippled his 2000 White House bid, said on Monday his party had "lost our way" on spending and needed to clean up widespread influence-peddling and lobbying abuses.

    The Arizona senator, a potential White House candidate again in 2008, praised President George W. Bush for his judicial nominations and for making what McCain said was steady progress in Iraq.

    But he said the federal budget had spiraled out of control under Republican leadership. He called for tighter restrictions on earmarking -- the congressional practice of inserting local projects in spending bills -- and tighter controls on lobbyists in Washington.

    "We have lost our way on fiscal responsibility," McCain told the dinner of Spartanburg County Republicans in South Carolina, a state that promises to play a crucial early role in the 2008 White House race. "Republicans have got to clean up our act, make these much needed reforms and get back on track."

    McCain has sponsored a proposal to require more disclosure of lobbying activities and tighter control on the process in light of the widening corruption scandal centered on lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

    But he said the congressional practice of quietly inserting pet spending projects into mammoth federal spending bills must be stopped before significant lobbying reforms can take place.


I agree with McCain in principle on this. However, I wish he would "walk the walk," not just "talk the talk."

For example, McCain blasts lobbying and influence peddling. That's good.

But when he wrote campaign finance, he exempted the group that gives him more money than any other member of congress. That's bad.

Eventually, if he really wants to be President, McCain has to stop saying one thing and doing another.