John McCain's "record of service" (sic) to Katrina victims

After John McCain has his photo op at Haley Barbour's house, he'll be going to his convention in St. Paul, which he has recast as focusing on service in the face of disaster:

"There is very little doubt that we have to go from a party event to the call to the nation for action, action to help our fellow citizens in this time of tragedy and disaster, action in the form of volunteering, donations, reaching out our hands and our hearts and our wallets to the people who are under such great threat from this great natural disaster."

I wonder just who he figures is going to be volunteering and donating? Certainly not conventioneers, and certainly not the federal government.

Let's look at John McCain's record the last time there was a natural disaster in New Orleans -- after he'd finished with his cake-eating photo-op -- shall we?

McCain Acknowledged Public Demand for Oversight. A week after Hurricane Katrina, McCain commented on the public's demand for accountability. McCain said, "There's clearly a mood for aggressive oversight on this issue, because people are demanding it. It's a national catastrophe ... I don't know if it affects the general mood of Congress on every issue, but there's a strong desire...to find out what went wrong and what went right." [Dallas Morning News, 9/7/05]

• But, McCain Voted Against a Commission to Examine Government Response to Katrina. In 2005, McCain voted against creating a congressional commission to examine the federal, state and local response to Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Region. Senators Obama and Clinton both voted in favor of creating the commission. The motion failed 44-54. [H.R. 2862, Vote #229, 9/14/2005]

• McCain Again Voted Against Katrina Commission in 2006. In 2006, McCain again voted against establishing a commission to investigate the response to Hurricane Katrina, including the federal government's role and the impact of the disaster. Both Senators Obama and Clinton voted in favor of the commission. The motion failed 44-53. [H.R. 4297, Vote #6, 2/2/2006]

• McCain Voted Against Investigating Waste, Fraud, and Abuse. In 2005, McCain voted against an amendment that would establish a committee to investigate waste, fraud and abuse in the awarding contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and for the reconstruction after hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The amendment failed 44-54. [HR 3058, Vote #259, 10/19/05; HR 2862, Vote #228, 9/14/05; S 1042, Vote #316, 11/10/05; S 2766, Vote #176, 6/20/06]

McCain Said Americans Should "Come to the Aid" of Katrina Victims. In his statement following Hurricane Katrina, McCain said, "American citizens have proven time and again how generous and selfless a people we are, and now we have an opportunity to come to the aid of those in need." [Statement of Sen. John McCain, U.S. Fed News, 9/1/2005]

• But, McCain Voted Against Expanding Unemployment Benefits in Wake of Katrina. In 2005, just two weeks after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, McCain voted against allowing up to 52 weeks of unemployment benefits to an individual as a result of a major disaster under the Disaster Unemployment Assistance Program. Both Senators Obama and Clinton voted in favor of extending the benefits. The motion failed 43-52. [H.R. 2862, Vote #234, 9/15/2005]

• McCain Voted Against Granting Katrina Victims Access to Medicaid. In 2005, McCain voted against granting access to Medicaid to victims of Hurricane Katrina for up to five months. The amendment would also provide full federal funding for Medicaid in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama for up to one year and provide $800 million to compensate providers caring for Katrina evacuees. Both Senators Obama and Clinton voted in favor of assisting the Katrina victims. [S. 1932, Vote #285, 11/3/2005]

More here.

And there is absolutely nothing in McCain's record since to indicate that he has changed his mind one bit about the role of the federal government in helping people affected.

When Americans needed John McCain to look out for them, he didn't -- because he was too busy making sure his wealthy campaign contributors got their tax cuts. Does anyone honestly think he'll be any different this time?