McCain promises property protections
Source: Iowa Caucuses, by James Q. Lynch
August 06, 2007
CEDAR RAPIDS - Without private property, there can be no freedom, according to presidential hopeful John McCain, who Monday promised a Cedar Rapids audience he would be willing to sponsor a constitutional amendment to protect private property owners from government takings.
In the year since the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Connecticut town's taking of Susette Kelo's home for economic development, nearly 6,000 properties across the country have been threatened or seized by government, the Arizona Republican senator said.
Speaking to the Downtown Rotary, McCain criticized the court for its decision in which it ruled the Constitution ``allows governments to seize private property and transfer it from one private landowner to another in the name of economic development.'
Then, responding to Rotarians' questions, McCain said the United States must win in Iraq and the military is ``on the path to winning this conflict.'
Later in the same answer, McCain seemed to express uncertainty: ``I'm not sure we can win this fight.'
McCain explained to reporters he meant he doesn't know whether Congress will let the military win.
``I believe we can and we are winning,' McCain said. ``I don't know if the Congress will vote to surrender' by setting a date for withdrawal.
Property rights is an issue McCain feels strongly about and often comes up in town hall meetings with potential supporters, he said.
``Just as I've given speeches on taxes and foreign policy and other issues, I thought it was important to talk about it,' McCain said.
He also rejected the suggestion that talking about property rights was an attempt to connect with conservative Republicans who were outraged by the Kelo decision.
McCain doubts Congress will make progress on immigration reform this year. McCain was a chief author of legislation to tighten border security and create a ``pathway to citizenship' for illegal immigrants now in the country.
McCain conceded, he and colleagues failed to convince the public, especially the Republican base, they were serious about securing the borders.
Widespread opposition to immigration reform was an example of the ``complete lack of trust' the public has in the federal government to do what it promises, McCain said.
A McCain administration would be different.
``I've always kept my promises to my country,' he said. ``I'll keep the ones I make now and I'll keep the ones I make as president.'
