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The Accomplishments of the McCain Administration Pt 1

President John McCain (2009-2017)

After 16 years of Democrat leadership (albeit somewhat shaky ones, especially with how distinct the terms were), people were ready for something new. As such, the Republicans were set to capitalize on their opportunity to implement their party policies. However, the surprise victory of the Gore presidency and their electoral successes changed the Republican party to where many of the potential candidates would be deemed potentially too troublesome to try and run against Gore. While McCain considered running against Gore in 2004 (and some believed he could have gotten a fair chance), they maintained Jeb Bush and lost. By 2008, McCain's maverick nature made him enough for the GOP to run him successfully as he could still fit in with the new order that had been gradually shifted by the Democrats. While he implemented the classic tax cuts the Republicans have become known for, the McCain Administration was cautious not to provoke the voters by messing with anything the Gore Administration had implemented recently. Fortunately for the more hawkish sort, the trouble caused by Russians allowed for funds to be allocated more for security measures and other aspects. All in all, while some on the left were wary, there was a bipartisan tone of peace over the leadership of McCain that it would be relatively adequate and continue on his work, if in different focuses and achievements.

And then the Great Recession occurred.

The Great Recession for the Americans was a combination of different aspects such as predatory housing loans, bank problems/corruption and other various factors. While elements of it have been seen since the Gore era, many have traced that the actual origins may even go beyond Gore, Clinton or even Bush regarding long term policy. Nonetheless, it would be up to the McCain Administration to try and resolve with the Great Recession. Unsurprisingly, he responded with cuts to business taxes in the hopes to convince them to try not to fire people and initially refused attempts to try and try spend government money to deal with the Recession, claiming it would leave a large debt over to the next generation. While he would also lead actions to deal with the mortage industry along with helping with mortages to prevent homelessness, many would view that McCain performed poorly when it came to handling the Great Recessions, sentiments that gradually led to frustration among the voters The successes of other nations (to varying degrees) intensified this. Beyond this, the McCain Administration would be defined by the culture wars, though they would often be suffocated by the economic problems of the nation. Even when he would do some spending to try and promote the economy (though more in the section of security and a few others), it still felt tepid and lukewarm at best. Talks of "fiscal discipline" and responsible money handling became words of poison and insult as the nation began realizing that the people behind the bailout were getting relatively scot-free and the the McCain Administration did little to assist the American people in the time of need.

Despite this, McCain managed to retain a mixed reception through a combination of his personal charisma, his stances that did appeal to a majority of voters and his foreign policy victories. He did plenty of work to ensure campaign finance reform went through and several savvy Congressfolk used this to get similar passing legislation passed through, such as regarding voting locations along with maintaining the Fairness Doctrine of the FCC that was reinstated by the Gore Administration. However, his primary drawing point was his victories abroad. A careful combination of opportunism and luck allowed him to get the US involved in several military conflicts abroad that all ended positively. From assisting the president in Nicaragua with a counter-coup (despite being different on the political spectrum though wuth the caveat he should probably not run again) to the intervention in the Iraqi-Syrian War and the Arabian Civil War, they were recieved positively. A large portion of voters and congressfolk approved of it though what helped was that the involvement was not prolonged. Many attributed this to the lack of interest in foreign oil thanks to the Exxon-Mobil scandal along with lobbying reform. As such, there was not much incentive to remain outside of thoroughness. However, while the McCain Administration's successes did do a lot of patriotic pride in the nation not doing any wrong, it could not mask the economic disparity or the growing criticisms. Though it seems that McCain's personality along with his growing exhaustion near the end led to some sympathy points. His opponents also assisted, at least in the sense of not blaming McCain himself, but rather the systemic problems at hand, which led to the rise of the populism that saw Bernie Sanders elected. As such, many saw McCain as last of an old order that should be removed and put in with something fresh and new.

As such, people began looking back on the McCain Administration and some of its major aspects:

Economy
For many voters, the McCain Administration's single biggest failure was in the economy or more specifcially, its handling of the Great Recession. The McCain Administration's approach to the economy followed much regarding the neoconservative handbook such as cutting taxes though the McCain administration did make an effort in trying to push and hold accountable the various businesses who's practices helped lead to the Recession as well as profiting from it. However, at the same tie, he posessed a very business friendly approach and was reluctant to raise taxes on the very well-off, likely leading to the rise of the Occupy Wallstreet movement. Additionally, he showed a reluctance in spending government money in order to try to boost the economy though he did make some concessions in with energy independence along with maintaining investments in renewable energy. He blamed excessive spending for the Recession and used it to try and cut some money from government spending. Unsurprisingly, this did little to assist in dealing with the Recession and the people. In fact, he became the subject of humor when reminding people of being at the forefront of the "Reagan Revolution", namely with Reagan assisting by raising taxes along with the fact that most of the profit and prosperity within the Reagan 80s went over to the very rich and well-off. Overall, McCain's economic stances were viewed as enabling the Recession while overall exposing much of the subtle but deep-running business preferring practices at the cost of the "little guy." He talked a big gain and did make some remarks at Wall Streets, but was perceived to not perform the adequate actions to back his tough talk along with the unwillingness to really assist struggling businesses and so on led to a general feeling of disappointment and frustration.

Foreign Policy
The McCain Administration was viewed with favorability on the world stage thanks to the successes in military conflicts abroad:

-Europe: McCain with Europe did very well though his most notable actions was on his administration working to steer them away from Russia's sphere of influence. McCain treated the Putin Administration's actions as being dangerous to the free world and responded by working to extend American influence over in Europe, especially in certain prominent places like Poland and Hungary and especially Ukraine. Increasingly, the political connections were tied economically and so on due to Russia being compared increasingly as a petrolcartel. Beyond that, there was nothing truly noteworthy of McCain's interactions though he did show surprise at Corbyn's victory though congraulated all the same while asking him not to leave NATO due to the political turmoil of Russia and the threat it represented to both of their interests and agendas.

-North America: While McCain interacted amicably with Canada, the comparisons between him and Jack Layton became prominent ones for groups covering both nations and the contrasts showed a large preference toward Layton, at least when it came to domestic affairs and duties. With Mexico, it was business as usual with both nations trying to work dealing with the cartels and McCain trying to maintain a tough on crime stance. Beyond that, he was treated with a neutral respect by most of the nations within North America and while Nicaragua caught them by surprise along with McCain not really getting involved in the affairs of his neighbors, there was still the fact that there was not much else there for them. Unsurprisingly, McCain kept up the hostilities with Cuba though it was a continuation of prior policies rather than add anything new.

- South America: Much like with the Latin American nations up north. McCain's relations with South America were cordial albeit nothing special. The environment remained heavily into the discussion along with dealing with matters of illegal logging and so on. McCain did on occasion weigh ideas of using force along with discussing deal with the cartels through a similar matter though the Recession priority over that along with resolving other more immediate issues. Venezuela was the main exception. There was something when Maduro's regime fell and the Chavistas fell into disarray though McCain did not make much commentary on the matter except that it would be one less nation to worry about. Furthermore, the lack of real interest in the oil did also change the dynamic and McCain was willing to offer emergancy aid if need be along with working with the President.

- The Middle East: McCain's biggest mark was in the resolution fo many Middle Eastern conflicts, albeit by intervening in pre-existing wars for the sake of restoring stabiluty. With Iraq and Syria, it was the chance to kill two birds with one stone and they entered on the basis of damage control and to bring Saddam to justice. He didn't even have to do anything with Assad. Of course, afterwards came trying to do nation-build, but a large chunk of that was just taking ideas from his allies, including Iran, on how to deal with it. While he was initially skeptical of Iran, he did come to view them as changing and more reliable compared to Saudi Arabia. The new Arab government is building ties with him and while some of the reception with him is mixed, they are happy that he will be able to provide some optimism for a better state especially with the situation having gotten peaceful.

- China: McCain's interactions with China were underlined early from the change in government and the events that led to the resignation of the Kims from power and the shift to a less provactive and volatile administraton. Both parties walked away with greater boosts to their credentials and felt a little lighter in their step. Beyond that though, it was a slightly awkward relationship as it was a balance of the two powers. However, McCain did work to try and gain China on the side of the Americans against the Russians. The environmental concenrs did help on that front along with the new leadership working to try and address the rampant corruption that nearly led to a mobster-like politician taking over in China, even if progress would still be a while.