John McCain on Families & Children

Unfiltered Internet robs our children of their innocence

We parents should know what our children are seeing. I can’t tell you that I always know what my children are watching. I can’t tell you exactly what they’re seeing when they go to the mall. It’s my responsibility [so] when we’re wiring every school and library with the Internet, each should have filtering software to filter out that stuff. We need to know why we’re robbing our children of the most precious treasure, and that’s their innocence. Source: Des Moines Iowa GOP Debate Dec 13, 1999

Parents should be active in media kids are exposed to

McCain issued “An Appeal to Hollywood” calling for a “new social compact” that reminds parents of their serious responsibilities in determining the entertainment media in which their children involve themselves. “Our homes are being flooded by a tide of media violence,” said McCain. “As concerns grow over the climate of violence in our culture today, it’s important not only for parents to take a greater role in their children’s lives but also to encourage the industry to be responsible citizens.” Source: Press Release: “Media Violence” Jul 21, 1999

Label violent media products like we label cigarettes

Saying parents need clear, consistent information about entertainment products, McCain [proposed] a uniform labeling system on all movies, video games, and music products. The “21st Century Media Responsibility Act” amends the Cigarette Labeling Act to apply its warning label requirements to violent media products. “Our children are vulnerable to images of violence. We must help parents better determine the violent content of the entertainment products by giving them information,” McCain said. Source: Press Release: “Violent Labeling Bill” Jun 16, 1999

Media Responsibility Act requires video & music labeling

McCain will introduce a bill to create a uniform labeling system for all entertainment media violence. The “Media Responsibility Act” [requires] warning labels on violent media products. “One way to help parents is to provide consistent & clear information about what their children are purchasing,” McCain said. The bill gives the entertainment industries 6 months to establish a universal labeling system for video games, video programs, & music, [reflecting their] intensity & age appropriateness Source: www.mccain2000.com/ “Press Releases” Jun 4, 1999

Violence in media caused Littleton shootings

Following the Littleton school shootings, McCain was one of four lawmakers who wrote Clinton after the shootings to call for a close look at “the entertainment media and the violent images and message with which they are bombarding our children.” Source: CNN AllPolitics Apr 30, 1999

Voted YES on restricting violent videos to minors.

Vote to kill an amendment that would prohibit the distribution of violent video programming to the public during hours when children are reasonably likely to comprise a substantial portion of the audience. Bill S.254 ; vote number 1999-114 on May 13, 1999

Click here for definitions & background information on Families & Children. Click here for policy papers on Families & Children. Click here for a profile of John McCain. Click here for VoteMatch responses by John McCain. Agree? Disagree? Voice your opinions on Families & Children or about John McCain in The Forum.
*Other candidates on Families & Children:*	*John McCain on other issues:*
John Ashcroft Pat Buchanan George W. Bush Dick Cheney Bill Clinton Hillary Clinton (D,NY) Elizabeth Dole Steve Forbes Rudy Giuliani (R,NYC) Al Gore Alan Keyes John McCain (R,AZ) Ralph Nader Ross Perot Colin Powell Jesse Ventura (I,MN) *Party Platforms:* Democratic Platform Green Platform Libertarian Platform Republican Platform	Abortion Budget/Economy China Civil Rights Crime Defense Drugs Education Environment Families Foreign Policy Free Trade Govt. Reform Gun Control Health Care Immigration Labor Principles School Choice Social Security Tax Reform Technology War & Peace Welfare