Hillary Pedal To The Metal On Gas Tax Break
The Swamp:
Sen. Hillary Clinton told voters in North Carolina today that her dispute with Sen. Barack Obama on the issue of suspending the federal gas tax for the summer was emblematic of a larger difference over the leadership styles of the two Democratic candidates for president.
“I think if you are a leader, you have got to look at both the headlines and the trendlines,” said Clinton, who contends Obama is an elitist for opposing a gas tax cut to help the middle class Obama calls it a gimmick that will not provide any substantial relief for motorists or curb the nation’s reliance on foreign oil.
“Now, it’s important to me that we come up with solutions, and in a campaign, sometimes that’s hard, because of the back and forth in the campaign,” Clinton told voters. “But it is important, too, for you to see clearly what it is I propose and what I would do. There is no contradiction between trying to provide immediate relief and having a long-term vision and a plan for what we must do to lessen our dependence on foreign oil, and to be moving towards more home-grown fuels.”
As she pushes the gas-tax cut proposal despite opposition from Obama and many economic experts, the Obama campaign was quick to point out that a top Clinton supporter also has voiced criticism of such a plan. North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley called a gas tax cut “a subsidy for the oil companies,” according to the Charlotte Observer in May of 2006. More recently, Easley told the News & Record of Greensboro, N.C., last month that a state tax suspension wasn’t on his agenda.
“There’s really no alternative but to just get off of oil and we’re going to have to do that with alternatives,” Easley told the newspaper. “The country–America–has to be far more aggressive.”
Clinton has proposed a tax on oil company profits to fund the tax suspension. Likely Republican nominee John McCain also has proposed a summertime lifting of the 18.4 cent per gallon federal tax, with the lost revenues to the highway construction trust fund coming from general federal revenues.
“This issue that we are facing today over gas prices, and the debate that my opponent and I are having over it, is really part of a larger difference between us,” Clinton said. “It’s something I hope you will think about when you go to vote - either voting early today or voting next Tuesday.”
With the next round of presidential balloting only a few days away, the Clinton campaign gave its version of the TV advertising dollars both candidates are pouring into Indiana and North Carolina. The Clinton campaign says in Indiana, Obama has spent $5.6 million compared to her $3.2 million with the Illinois senator also pumping some ad dollars into the expensive Chicago media market to attract the attention of Northwest Indiana voters.
As for North Carolina, where Obama has long been favored, the dollar gap on TV spending is narrower, according to the Clinton camp. They say Obama has spent $4.9 million to Clinton’s $3.5 million.
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Not a single one of these clowns is talking about the real issue here…which is developing our own resources for getting off of foreign oil.
This is by far the dumbest group of POTUS candidates to come along in the last 30 years.
May 3rd, 2008 at 6:01 pm“Clinton has proposed a tax on oil company profits to fund the tax suspension.”
Just one more obvious example of how the democrats know absolutely nothing about the economy. It doesn’t matter where you place the tax (on the buyers or on the sellers or farther down the line on the producers) the incidence of the tax will be shared the exact same way. So the tax on the oil companies will just be transfered to the consumer in the cost.
Having taxes like this isn’t going to hurt big oil (whoever the hell that is, Dick cheney?) but most likely will hurt the average person through stock portfolios and 401k’s. The democrats just don’t understand that the company is not owned by some big behemoth (big oil oooh) but by entities that own the stock (investment companies, private investors, etc.) But I guess as long as the average liberal idiot thinks that their politicians are going after “them” everything will be ok.
Who exactly is them? Those bastards thats who they are. oh ok, well then…
May 3rd, 2008 at 6:13 pmSame old Billery bull-shit by saying anything to get elected and say anything that they may perceive that the American middle-class may want.
May 3rd, 2008 at 7:08 pmSTFU!
I need a freaking beer.
of course she is for the gas tax being removed. it will save them money while travelling around the country during this campaign season. we need to drill and build more refineries, build nuclear plants.
May 3rd, 2008 at 8:11 pmThe Democrats have a long term political agenda. The are well aware of the Federal taxes to the consumer at the pump. This is not exactly the “Tax Holiday” it’s being made out to be. Hlllary and Obama have stated many times that they wish to “reign” in the Oil companies. This tax break removes he burden of taxation from the Fed to Consumer and will then move the Tax Burden to Fed to Corporation.
This will have the net effect of generating more revenue for the Fed while at the same time as placing blame for rising fuel prices directly on the Oil Companies. As prices rise because of the corporate tax burden, the Dems will continue to demonize the Private Oil Sector as gouging greedy monsters, which the Dems will then use to leverage more legislation for more “Regulations” of the Oil Industry. Which will reduce our international competitiveness even more and continue to increase costs until finally, The “Private” Oil Industry becomes the “Nationalized” Oil Industry.
I forgot to mention that America’s Oil Industry is the only privatized oil industry in the world that is left. After that all world oil production on the planet will be under Government control.
May 4th, 2008 at 6:29 am