Editing Thaddeus McCotter (section)

==Political positions==
McCotter was a member of both the moderate [[Republican Main Street Partnership]] and the conservative [[Republican Study Committee]].

In May 2007, McCotter, along with 55 other Republicans, voted for a bill written by House Democrats aimed at stopping energy [[price gouging]], against the wishes of House Minority Leader [[John Boehner]], who labeled the bill "as pointless political [[pandering (politics)|pandering]]".<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/31/AR2007053102102_2.html | title= Boehner leads effort to polish GOP brand | newspaper = The Washington Post| date=May 31, 2007| access-date=October 14, 2009 | first=Jonathan | last=Weisman}}</ref>

McCotter was a supporter of the United States' involvement in both the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|War in Afghanistan]] and the [[Iraq War]]. In his 2011 book ''Seize Freedom!'', he wrote that the wars "were never separate wars; they have always been battle theaters in the War for Freedom."<ref>[http://www.issues2000.org/2012/Thad_McCotter_War_+_Peace.htm Thad McCotter on War & Peace], ''On the Issues''.</ref>

On September 22, 2008, McCotter became the first Republican in the House of Representatives to oppose the $700 billion [[Paulson plan|Paulson bailout plan]], calling it "American socialism".{{citation needed|date=July 2012}} A week later, he and 132 other Republicans voted against the bill.{{citation needed|date=July 2012}}

At the end of July 2009, McCotter introduced a bill to allow pet owners a $3,500 tax deduction for pet care costs.<ref>[http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.3501: H.R.3501 – Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years (HAPPY) Act] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131006214413/http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.3501: |date=October 6, 2013 }} Bill Text 111th Congress (2009–2010) [[Library of Congress]].</ref>
The bill, called the ''Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years'' (HAPPY) Act, was criticized by Howard Gleckman of the [[Tax Policy Center]] as "the poster puppy for all that is wrong with the tax code."<ref>Howard Gleckman, [http://taxvox.taxpolicycenter.org/2009/12/01/happy-act-the-poster-puppy-for-whats-wrong-with-the-tax-code/ Happy Act: The Poster Puppy for What's Wrong with the Tax Code]  [[Tax Policy Center]]. December 1, 2009.</ref>

McCotter supported [[Trade union|union]]-friendly measures including collective bargaining agreements for government jobs and [[card check]], although he later said his vote for the so-called card check method was a mistake.<ref>[http://caucuses.desmoinesregister.com/2011/08/04/michigans-mccotter-keeps-critics-allies-guessing/ Candidate profile: Michigan's Thaddeus McCotter keeps critics, allies guessing], ''[[Des Moines Register]]''. August 4, 2011.</ref>