Conservatives give McCain mixed reviews

WASHINGTON, May 30 (UPI) -- GOP presidential hopeful John McCain's positions on global climate change and healthcare reform draw mixed reviews from conservatives, political analysts say.

The New York Sun reported Friday that conservatives are generally supportive of McCain's healthcare proposals but are critical of his plan to fight climate change with a cap-and-trade system.

By vowing to address healthcare reform, McCain is selecting from "within the general Republican quiver of arrows," said Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform.

McCain's healthcare plan calls for $5,000 refundable tax credits to families who purchase health insurance. The plan would eliminate the exemption for employer-provided health benefits from income taxes.

"I think it's quite good," Norquist said of the plan.

While his healthcare plan has drawn praise, the Club for Growth has decried McCain's plan in which the government would impose a cap on greenhouse gas emissions, and companies would be able to buy and sell permits for emissions that exceed the cap.

"This is a very, very dangerous proposal, and it's very unfortunate that Sen. McCain has embraced this," said Club for Growth President Pat Toomey. "Any cap-and-trade mechanism is going to be enormously expensive and devastating to economic growth."