Hillary's hypocrisy exposed, joins McCain's kooky call for suspending the gas tax

[ProSense]

The downside to suspending the gas tax?

Posted: Tuesday, April 15, 2008 12:05 PM by Mark Murray

Donning my old hat as a transportation reporter, it's worth noting that McCain's call to suspend the 18.4-cent gas tax from Memorial Day to Labor Day also potentially dries up funding to use to pay for highway/public transportation infrastructure.

The 18.4-cent gas tax goes into a Highway Trust Fund, which pays for roads, bridges, subways, etc. So there's a legitimate policy question here: If you suspend that tax, what are you doing to an already-deteriorating infrastructure system? (After all, remember that bridge collapse in Minneapolis/St. Paul, where interestingly the GOP convention takes place in September.)

VIDEO: Presidential candidate John McCain talks to CNBC’s John Harwood about his economic plan.

The also raises this question about suspending the gas tax: "Relief — or fewer jobs? According to a white paper circulated on Capitol Hill last week by the U.S. Transportation Department, every $1 billion of federal highway investment supports 34,779 jobs. Many economists have also questioned the wisdom of suspending or cutting gas taxes; doing so, they say, simply stimulates more consumption of gasoline."

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*** UPDATE *** Matthew Jeanneret, a spokesman for the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, tells First Read that suspending the federal gas tax for three months could cost $9 billion from the federal highway trust fund. And if that lost $9 billion is replaced by general Treasury revenues, that will increase the size of the deficit. "It might be good politics," Jeanneret says of the McCain measure. "But it is shortsighted, and it won't do anything to stimulate the economy."

Clinton's shameless hypocrisy on the fuel tax

by kos
Mon Apr 28, 2008 at 11:56:50 AM PDT

Clinton today:

Hillary Rodham Clinton on Monday criticized Barack Obama for opposing the concept of suspending the gas tax during the peak summer driving months, a plan both she and Republican John McCain have endorsed.

The idea to suspend the 18.4 cent federal gas tax and 24.4 cent diesel tax from Memorial Day to Labor Day was first proposed by McCain, the likely Republican presidential nominee, as a way to ease the economic burden for consumers during the summer.

Obama does not support the "gas tax holiday" and has said the average motorist would not benefit significantly from such a suspension; by some estimates, the federal government would lose about $10 billion in revenue.

"My opponent, Senator Obama, opposes giving consumers a break," Clinton said, campaigning in North Carolina. "I understand the American people need some relief."

Clinton in June 2000:

Campaigning in the Hudson Valley, Lazio continued a two-day assault on Clinton's support of maintaining the 18-cent federal gas tax and then used tough rhetoric to declare that "trust" and "character" were campaign issues during an evening fundraiser in Manhattan that raised more that $1 million.

Clinton, meanwhile, lashed out at Lazio's plan to repeal 4.3 cents of the gas tax, calling it "a bad deal for New York and a potential bonanza for the oil companies."

During a visit to a shopping mall in the Buffalo suburbs, Clinton said that "the gas tax is one of the few exceptions where we actually get more money back than we send to Washington."

Honestly, why take the 18 cents out of the federal budget? Why not take it out of the oil company profits? The $10 billion in revenue the federal government would lose, at a time when our roads are crumbling and bridges literally collapsing, is only a quarter of Exxon Mobil's annual profits:

The company reported Friday that it beat its own record for the highest profits ever recorded by any company, with net income rising 3 percent to $40.6 billion, thanks to surging oil prices. The company’s sales, more than $404 billion, exceeded the gross domestic product of 120 countries.

Exxon Mobil earned more than $1,287 of profit for every second of 2007.

The company also had its most profitable quarter ever. It said net income rose 14 percent, to $11.7 billion, or $2.13 a share, in the last three months of the year. The company handily beat analysts’ expectations of $1.95 a share, after missing targets in the last two quarters.]

And that's just Exxon Mobile, excluding every other Big Oil company. Add them all up, and $10 billion would be but a blip in their balance sheet. So why do McCain and Clinton want to penalize the federal government at a time of record oil profits?

[BlueIdaho]

1. Clinton supports more bridge collapses!

Now there's some good news for the rust belt - huh?

[hannybal]

31. 2/3 of Americans oppose tax hikes to fix bridges

From an August, 2007 poll:

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Nearly half of all Americans are worried about the collapse of a bridge somewhere in the United States, yet nearly two-thirds reject higher taxes to inspect and fix them, according to a new CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll released Thursday

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/08/09/bridges.poll/index.html

[BlueIdaho]

32. Everyone wants something for nothing.

That's what they have learned from the republican party.

[hatrack]

2. I think my Pander-Meter just broke

Whatever made it fall off the wall and wind up in a bundle of springs & wires, it sure was strong!!

[Doityourself]

20. uh huh!

[Iwasthere]

3. Agree

Plain stupid idea. Would be of absolutely no help to you and me in the end. Idiotic. And she jumped onboard. just another good reason...

[HockeyMom]

4. Treating the effect and not the cause

What happens after summer is over? They go right back up again and maybe even more than before?

[book_worm]

5. McCain and Clinton are panderers

[redqueen]

6. Surprised? Anyone? Is anyone surprised? Anyone at all?

Just ugh.

[Bensthename]

7. McCain/Clinton '08 (she wishes)

What a pair them two are..

[AdHocSolver]

11. This is plan C. Clinton is working to be selected as John McCain's running mate.

All of her actions recently from courting right wing power players to bashing Obama to supporting McCain's knuckleheaded positions all point to the conclusion that she is asking the Republican leadership to be selected as McCain's running mate in 2008.

When Joe Lieberman fawns over McCain, practically everyone assumes he is angling for a cabinet position under a McCain presidency.

Why is it so difficult to imagine Clinton acting the same way to become his running mate. McCain would serve one term and then step aside (or else) to allow Hillary to run as a Republican. She knows she will never get to the presidency as a Democrat. What difference does it matter which party gets you there?

Why would the Republicans select Hillary as VP? McCain can't possibly beat Obama on his own. However, he could pull enough Hillary Democrat votes away from Obama with her as his VP to win the election (after you account for all the African American and young person voters who will be disenfranchised by the "dirty tricks" crowd).

Her efforts to out-Republican McCain is ample evidence that plan C is in play.

[Bensthename]

23. You are right.

Right now she is just saying what ever sounds best at the time. She heard Obama disagrees and so she has to take the opposite view even if it is taking McCains view.

She is nothing more then a poilitical oppertunist.

[azmouse]

27. She acts like a Rep. She should join them.

[Ichingcarpenter]

8. And Clinton supports the loss of thousands of Jobs for a $28 pander

and increased driving carbon footprint.

This is so stupid

[John Q. Citizen]

9. It's very bad public policy. But she's desperate to buy some votes at the expense of lives.

[azmouse]

10. AZ already doesn't have any money for new roads.

And barely enough to maintain the existing roads. Talk here is raising the gas tax by a penny just to try to keep up.

A loss of more Fed funds would be devastating.

[Swamp Rat]

12. We should increase the gas tax and reduce the profits for the corporations.

[AdHocSolver]

13. Taking off the gas tax means that the oil companies will keep the price up and make more profit. nt

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

19. exactly, we will be borrowing to pay for dropping that tax and protecting the oil companies

sheesh, she's just like McSame. Hillary McClinton.

[jasmine621]

28. She has suggested a windfall tax on the oil companies to make up the revenues.

Of course, if Obama had suggested this or supported the idea it would have been one of those "visonary" suggestions. Did you criticize Hillary's suggestion that all foreclosures be suspended especially for military families?

[cali]

38. try and keep up. Obama HAS proposed a windfall profits tax, dear

and the gas tax holiday is a pandering piece of crap. do the math. The average driver would save a whole $25 or $30 over the 12 weeks proposed. Sorry, that won't help anyone and Hilly and JMac know it.

[dana_b]

33. right you are! They are hoping this happens.

What has happened to Clinton in 8 years? Has this administration gotten to her some how?

[LSK]

14. shes proven she cant manage money with her campaign

So why is it a surprise that she has bad ideas on tax/fiscal policies?

[BeyondGeography]

15. She was right in 2000

You take enough positions on the same issue, one of them is bound to be credible.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

16. Is Penn still working for her and is his firm still working for McCain

It seems like Hillary, Bill, McInsane, Joe Dead Intern Scarboro, Pat Racist Buchanon and
Tony Snow-Job are all running against Obama.

What a heavy load he has to carry.

[msallied]

17. What if they did this in conjunction with the

windfall profit tax that has been tossed around? The revenue from that could possibly offset the gas tax cut while providing some temporary relief to consumers... just a thought.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

18. Indiana roads are already falling apart.

The streets are atrocious and it takes months to do even the simplest repairs. Every weekday is an adventure in NW Indiana as you try and avoid the massive potholes.

[dcindian]

21. she is not even hiding the fact she is working with the NeoCons anymore

Blatant empty promise to gather more support from the only supporters she has left. Neocons

[AdHocSolver]

22. The intelligent solution is to impose an excess profits tax on the oil companies.

As their profits go up, the tax rate increases proportionately. That would give them an incentive to work with their buddies in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, etc. to hold the line on oil price increases.

[jsamuel]

24. I believe Clinton wants to put a windfall profits tax on the oil companies to pay for it.

where McCain doesn't. This of course negates Kos' criticism.

[redqueen]

26. Why was she against it before,

but for it now?

[jsamuel]

29. I don't know, maybe the record oil profits changed her mind?

[chill_wind]

25. And Krugman is saying--- what again? Since he came out AGAINST it under Bush junior..

This is rich:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x355773

[madrchsod]

30. i`m driving 5-10 miles slower than i have in the past

if i get my 600 bucks it`s going into rebuilding my 87 crx..35-45 mpg...

[ProSense]

34. Wow! Hillary's 2009 earmarks request

Clinton: $2.3B in earmarks

By Manu Raju and Kevin Bogardus
Posted: 04/28/08 08:08 PM

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) has requested nearly $2.3 billion in federal earmarks for 2009, almost three times the largest amount received by a single senator this year.

<...>

The total amount Clinton requested greatly surpasses the $837 million secured last year by Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi, the ranking Republican on the Appropriations Committee who took home the largest dollar amount of earmarks in the current fiscal year’s spending bills. In those bills, Clinton secured $342 million in earmarks.

Clinton’s huge earmark requests have some speculating that the former first lady is preparing for a soft landing should she lose the Democratic primary to Obama and refocus her energy on winning a third Senate term.

<...>

Obama has released all the earmark requests he offered since being elected to the Senate in 2004, which totaled roughly $740 million over three years. Obama has also criticized Clinton for not disclosing her requests. Her office would not say how much she requested in previous years.

linkd

Hillary's current request is almost three times as much as Obama's over three years.

[AZBlue]

35. Lead story on msnbc right now: "Crumbling Foundation"

Age and congestion are taking a heavy toll on U.S. roads and bridges.

Yeah, let's cut funding on upgrading and repairing roads, good idea!

[krkaufman]

36. Dunno if I'd call it "kooky" -- pandering, short-sighted and ineffective, most def.

Dropping the gas tax would have NO effect on prices. The gas companies would simply raise prices to take-up the slack.

[Scurrilous]

37. K & R

:thumbsup:

[donheld]

39. How can you expose Hillary anymore?

She's already buck naked and she's not even empress yet.

[Liquorice]

40. Hillary didn't support Lazio's plan in 2000 because

it was financed with transportation funds. She did, however, support Senator Bob Menendez's gas tax holiday plan in 2006 because it would have been paid for by repealing tax breaks to oil companies.

http://democrats.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=254762

Hillary's gas tax holiday plan today would be financed with a tax on the profits of oil companies. There is no hypocrisy here.