Gas Tax Holiday Shows Obama's Experience. He supported it in Illinois and it didn't work.

[mattclearing]

So now rather than try to pat himself on the back before an election by saving people $30 over the course of the summer, he would rather not raid the tax that provides already insufficient infrastructure revenue.

And does anybody really believe that Congress and W are going to collectively force oil companies to pay the difference, as Hillary seems to think is possible? That's completely ridiculous.

This is an example of Obama's experience clearly trumping Clinton's wishful thinking.

[Kokonoe]

1. Oil companies will be forced to pay the difference is a lie.

Does anyone think $7 a gallon is far away?

[mattclearing]

9. We're running out and we don't produce enough energy otherwise.

What do people expect? Rather than focusing on conservation, it seems like everyone else wants to focus on pretending Americans can continue to use as much gas as they want. Those days are over, and the price will be the deterrent that wins out.

[flor de jasmim]

2. Agreed. Even Krugman agrees!

(sorry, can't find the link now, but there was a thread on this yesterday or the day before).

[mattclearing]

8. I saw it. n/t

[aquarius dawning]

3. So, in ther words, he voted for the gas tax before he voted against it?

[aquart]

4. He learned. Give him the credit.

It would be a hopeless world if people couldn't learn from their mistakes.

[pinto]

5. Good point. The past is prologue only when you don't learn from it.

That would go for any politician, in any era, imho.

[aquarius dawning]

6. You mean he finally learned that he has taken hundreds of thousands of dollars from oil companies?

[cali]

7. stop trying to divert. it's lame.

do you support the so called gas tax holiday?

[JTFrog]

11. Yes that poster does wholeheartedly support it.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5746973#5747911

In fact it was their idea first. :eyes:

[aquarius dawning]

14. Why do you insist on being an asshole? Did I piss in your Wheaties?

[JTFrog]

16. Everytime someone props up McCain they piss in my Wheaties.

This gas tax holiday is just another shining example of good Republican values.

:hi:

[aquarius dawning]

19. I think the Democrats who pay the fewest taxes are the ones who bitch the most about reducing taxes.

A gas tax holiday is potentially a very good idea especially when implemented along side the rebate checks and tax returns that have just started making their way into the system.

[JTFrog]

21. Have fun shopping!

:hi:

[aquarius dawning]

22. I always do.

I forsee a zero-turn lawn mower in my future.

[mattclearing]

35. It's like chucking pennies at an oncoming tank.

Completely disproportionate to the problem. The only difference is it doesn't sound as ridiculous to the uninformed.

[aquarius dawning]

12. I think it's a potentially good idea worth looking at, yes.

Like all potentially good ideas, it's ultimate efficacy depends mostly on planning and implementation.

[JTFrog]

13. And like most Republican ideas, there is no plan to recover those funds.

Just some big what if's and maybes.

Kind of reminiscent of Iraq. Full speed ahead and no fucking exit strategy.

[cali]

20. so you actually think that a $30 savings over three months

would help anyone? And you actually believe that the oil companies wouldn't raise prices to benefit even more?

[aquarius dawning]

23. Do you actually think that corporations can't be reigned in?

Whatever happened to the audacity of hope?

[cali]

25. I KNOW that you can't reign in the oil companies in a month

and I fail to see where corporations have been reigned in much over the past 3 decades or so. Furthermore, hope does not mean being a pie in the sky idiot. You seem more the pie in the sky type if you buy this ridiculous pander.

[aquarius dawning]

27. Oil prices are a reflection of supply and demand.

gas will hit $4-5/gallon this summer because of the demand. Any simple short term relief will be a blessing until a long term supply fix can be implemented and, as I have been saying, when implemented along side the tax returns and rebate checks, the economic stimulus package is bolstered too. I would say there is a narrow window of opportunity for this to be useful. Once the window closes, it becomes less useful. Because congress moves slower than pond water, it's a moot point.

[mattclearing]

10. What do the oil companies care if the tax is cut?

And like I said, the forcing the oil companies to pay the difference is a pipe dream.

[aquarius dawning]

15. "forcing the oil companies to pay the difference is a pipe dream"

so much for the audacity of hope I guess.

[mattclearing]

17. Yeah. Much better to believe in someone who panders to you and tells you things that you know

won't happen.

[tekisui]

18. Gas tax holiday is worst idea ever.

If they did it, how the hell could they ever reinstate it? It would be framed like chimpy's tax cut, as a tax increase, and would be a helluva blow if and when it came back. You think gas prices will stagnate while we have a tax holiday?

Stupid idea, it'll never happen.

[mattclearing]

33. I think it would happen, it just wouldn't accomplish anything good.

A lot like these economic stimulus packages that basically give us an advance on our tax refund. It's a trick to make us think we are getting something, when the only thing we are getting is screwed out of a real solution.

[Buzz Clik]

24. Our former governor gas us a tas holiday a while back.

It was kind of a relief to pay $0.30 less per gallon for a while, but the revenues lost were significant.

[mattclearing]

29. Infrastructure is so woefully underfunded as it is.

People need to come to terms with the fact that the era of cheap gas is over. Lifestyle changes are a given. The idea that a 10% price break is somehow going to make a difference in the long run is ridiculous. In fact, I'd bet money that the price outstrips the tax cut by the end of the summer anyway.

[graycem]

26. His experience

trumping her pandering. She doesn't believe what she's saying either. She just thinks you get elected by telling people what they want to hear. I like the idea of being told what we NEED to hear. Some people have an aversion to the truth.

[mattclearing]

30. Some people would rather pander than lead. n/t

[graycem]

32. Yes

whatever it takes to get elected is all that counts at this point. Lies, mud, and push polling are her friend.

[pdxmom]

28. Huffington Post has the best analysis I've seen regarding the issue

of the gas tax holiday. They have quoted actual policy analysts thoughts on this, and I believe that Obama has gotten this one right.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/29/gas-tax-holiday-splits-cl_n_99296.html

[mattclearing]

31. I read it. It's clear that this is a bullshit band-aid approach to a major problem. n/t

[jasmine621]

34. It didn't work because they had no plan to make up the revenue.

Hillary would only do this if a wind-fall tax could be placed on oil companies to replace the highway funds. don't deal with half the story...deal with it all.

[mattclearing]

37. Did you not read my post?

I said that anyone who thinks Congress and Bush are going to force the oil companies to make up the difference lives in fantasyland. That would include Hillary.

[kenny blankenship]

36. Yes, but why won't he pander to us and our childish belief in simple magical fixes ?

to our enormous complex problems?

If he really cared about us he'd show it by indulging our every small-minded misperception of how the world works and every one of our local tribal biases like Hillary does. Hillary panders to every distinct and unique audience she appears before in a distinct and unique way, even if it means contradicting her earlier pandering--that's the hallmark of 35 years of experience and caring.

[mattclearing]

38. *Applause* n/t

[TragedyandHope]

39. Thanks for an informative post!

Yet another reason Obama is the right leader for our country.