Written by the man himself.  Don't be lazy, read the whole thing.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/10/mccain_criticizes_obama_on_tax.html

Redistributing Wealth vs. Creating Wealth

John McCain

Dayton, Ohio

It's great to be back in Ohio. We need to win Ohio on November 4th, and with your help we're going to win here, and bring real change to Washington, DC.

It's been a long campaign and we've heard a lot of words, and great campaign trail eloquence. The amazing thing is that we've learned more about Senator Obama's real goals for our country over the last two weeks than we learned over the past two years. It is amazing that even at this late hour, we are still learning more about Senator Obama and his agenda. He told Joe the plumber right here in Ohio he wants to quote "spread the wealth around." It's always more interesting to hear what people have to say in these unscripted moments, and today we heard another moment like this from Senator Obama.

In a radio interview revealed today, he said that one of the quote -- "tragedies" of the civil rights movement is that it didn't bring about a redistribution of wealth in our society. He said, and I quote, "One of the tragedies of the Civil Rights movement was because the Civil Rights movement became so court-focused I think that there was a tendency to lose track of the political and community organizing and activities on the ground that are able to put together the actual coalitions of power through which you bring about redistributive change."

That is what change means for Barack the Redistributor: It means taking your money and giving it to someone else. He believes in redistributing wealth, not in policies that grow our economy and create jobs. He is more interested in controlling wealth than in creating it, in redistributing money instead of spreading opportunity. I am going to create wealth for all Americans, by creating opportunity for all Americans.

We've all heard his campaign trail promise: he says he only wants to tax the rich. But these unscripted moments and his record tell a different story. He supported the Democratic budget plan passed just this year that called for raising taxes on people making just 42,000 dollars per year. And Senator Obama has voted 94 times for tax increases or against tax cuts.

Senator Obama may say he's trying to soak the rich, but it's the middle class who are going to get put through the wringer, because even the tax increase he admits to misses the target. To pay for nearly a trillion dollars in new government spending, his tax increase would impact 50 percent of small business income in this country, and the jobs of 16 million middle class Americans who work for those small businesses.

Whether it's Joe the Plumber here in Ohio or the working men and women across this country, we shouldn't be taxing our small businesses more as Senator Obama wants to do, we need to be helping them expand their businesses and create jobs. America didn't become the greatest nation on earth by giving our money to the government to "redistribute." In this country, we believe in spreading opportunity, for those who need jobs and those who create them. And that is exactly what I intend to do as President of the United States.

My opponent's massive new tax increase is exactly the wrong approach in an economic slowdown. The answer to a slowing economy is not higher taxes, but that is exactly what is going to happen when the Democrats have total control of Washington. We can't let that happen. We need pro-growth and pro-jobs economic policies, not pro-government spending programs paid for with higher taxes.

This is the fundamental difference between Senator Obama and me. We both disagree with President Bush on economic policy. The difference is that he thinks taxes have been too low, and I think that spending has been too high. Senator Obama's priority is not to get spending under control, it is to spend more, and if he has to tax you to do it, he's shown in the past that he doesn't have a problem with that.

We cannot spend the next four years as we have spent much of the last eight: spending ourselves into a ditch and hoping that the consequences don't come. We need to get our government under control, and we need to get our economy moving again. We have to act. We need a new direction, and we have to fight for it.

I've been fighting for this country since I was seventeen years old, and I have the scars to prove it. If I'm elected President, I will fight to shake up Washington and take America in a new direction from my first day in office until my last. I'm not afraid of the fight, I'm ready for it.

I'm not going to spend $750 billion dollars of your money just bailing out the Wall Street bankers and brokers who got us into this mess. I'm going to make sure we take care of the working people who were devastated by the excesses of Wall Street and Washington.

I have a plan to hold the line on taxes and cut them to make America more competitive and create jobs here at home. We're going to double the child deduction for working families. We will cut the capital gains tax. And we will cut business taxes to help create jobs, and keep American businesses in America. Raising taxes makes a bad economy much worse. Keeping taxes low creates jobs, keeps money in your hands and strengthens our economy.

If I'm elected President, I won't spend nearly a trillion dollars more of your money. Senator Obama will. And he can't do that without raising your taxes or digging us further into debt. I'm going to make government live on a budget just like you do.

I will freeze government spending on all but the most important programs like defense, veterans care, Social Security and health care until we scrub every single government program and get rid of the ones that aren't working for the American people. And I will veto every single pork barrel bill Congresses passes.

If I'm elected President, we're going to stop spending $700 billion to buy oil from countries that don't like us very much. Senator Obama will argue to delay drilling for more oil and gas and against building new nuclear power plants in America. If I am president, we will start new drilling now. We will invest in all energy alternatives -- nuclear, wind, solar, and tide. We will encourage the manufacture of hybrid, flex fuel and electric automobiles. We will invest in clean coal technology. We will lower the cost of energy within months, and we will create millions of new jobs.

Let me give you the state of the race today. There's eight days to go. We're a few points down. The pundits have written us off, just like they've done before. My opponent is working out the details with Speaker Pelosi and Senator Reid of their plans to raise your taxes, increase spending, and concede defeat in Iraq. He's measuring the drapes, and he's planned his first address to the nation for before the election. I guess I'm old fashioned about these things I prefer to let the voters weigh in before presuming the outcome.

What America needs now is someone who will finish the race before the starting the victory lap ... someone who will fight to the end, and not for himself but for his country.

I have fought for you most of my life, and in places where defeat meant more than returning to the Senate. There are other ways to love this country, but I've never been the kind to back down when the stakes are high.

I know you're worried. America is a great country, but we are at a moment of national crisis that will determine our future.

Will we continue to lead the world's economies or will we be overtaken? Will the world become safer or more dangerous? Will our military remain the strongest in the world? Will our children and grandchildren's future be brighter than ours?

My answer to you is yes. Yes, we will lead. Yes, we will prosper. Yes, we will be safer. Yes, we will pass on to our children a stronger, better country. But we must be prepared to act swiftly, boldly, with courage and wisdom.

I'm an American. And I choose to fight. Don't give up hope. Be strong. Have courage. And fight.

Fight for a new direction for our country. Fight for what's right for America.

Fight to clean up the mess of corruption, infighting and selfishness in Washington.

Fight to get our economy out of the ditch and back in the lead.

Fight for the ideals and character of a free people.

Fight for our children's future.

Fight for justice and opportunity for all.

Stand up to defend our country from its enemies.

Stand up, stand up, stand up and fight. America is worth fighting for. Nothing is inevitable here. We never give up. We never quit. We never hide from history. We make history.

Now, let's go win this election and get this country moving again.

"This is the fundamental difference between Senator Obama and me. We both disagree with President Bush on economic policy. The difference is that he thinks taxes have been too low, and I think that spending has been too high. Senator Obama's priority is not to get spending under control, it is to spend more, and if he has to tax you to do it, he's shown in the past that he doesn't have a problem with that."

I thought that was one of the best parts of the argument (I mean, most persuasive sounding) that I read.
Otherwise, pretty good, I think.

I thought it was a little light on policy and a little heavy on attacks (Obama's speech had plenty of attacks too). It doesn't really have any vision, which is something Americans could use right now. His convention speech was the best one I have heard him give.

I guess I have high expectations for McCain because I know he isn't your typical politician. Unfortunately for voters, I think he has been acting like one for the last few months.

I'll agree that he has been too heavy with attacks (perhaps in this speech, too); it does make him appear typical.  He seemed a little hostile during the debates.  He focused on what to cut spending-wise and why towards the end of this, but I think he should have been more descriptive and in-depth on those issues throughout the campaign.

I actually supported McCain back in 2000, however he's not the same man he was then. I think that he sees this as his last shot to become the president, and this time he's willing to do it by any means necessary. Sadly, I feel with his attacks and lack of focusing on the issues that matter most to the people that he's lost alot of the integrity that he had.

He focused too much on catchphrases, (Maverick, Joe "_____") and didn't bring much substance to his talking points. This is a good closing statement, but it's too little, too late.

I think the biggest fault, was that he picked a VP that clearly is not qualified for the job. She made blunder after blunder, even with them shielding her from the press for most of the campaign, and used her "Rock Star" status to attract many to rallies. The rhetoric and inciting of crowds is not something that I have liked in their campaign. They have encouraged people to get angry about being down in the polls, which sadly has encouraged the stupid to do and say some very stupid things.

Very well written. Too bad most people have made up their minds. This speech just strengthened my liking towards McCain but others have already decided he is "another Bush" even though it's not the case.

I do agree with jjseth that he did focus on the catchphrases a little too much but the end part just made me feel like an American, a patriot even.

Thanks for sharing akuma.

Actually, while Obama is a few points ahead, he is well bellow 50%. Most Americans have not made up their mind. I will still be surprised if McCain wins however.

The line that sums up the difference between the two is this:

This is the fundamental difference between Senator Obama and me. We both disagree with President Bush on economic policy. The difference is that he thinks taxes have been too low, and I think that spending has been too high. 

That's the best line in the speech.

As for a better "Vision" for the country, he has stated his vision very clearly. His vision is to not have government determine it. He feels it's Government's job to do what's needed in order set the people of this country up for success, so they can make their own vision.

Facts much?

If at this point in the campaigning, you don't know who you are voting for, you obviously haven't been paying attention.

And frankly, shouldn't be allowed to vote because they haven't been educating themselves on the candidates.

As of Sep 24th, the number of undecided voters was 18%. I find it hard to see 1 month later that the number is down to 4-5%.