Clinton's Gas Tax Plan Called 'Ineffective', 'Shortsighted'

The Washington Post published yet another article today showing the negative reactions to Hillary Clinton's plan to suspend the federal gas tax.

A growing chorus -- including a top congressional Democrat -- labeled Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's proposal for suspending the federal gasoline tax ineffective and shortsighted yesterday, even as she continued to paint Sen. Barack Obama as insensitive to drivers' woes for not endorsing the plan.

Yesterday, HuffPost's Sam Stein published a comprehensive article about how Clinton has nonexistent expert support for the plan:

Surely, however, there must be someone out there not associated with a politician or a candidate who supported the idea of a gas tax reprieve -- especially if, as Clinton suggests, it would be paid for by an excess profits tax on oil companies.

I emailed Howard Wolfson, Clinton's spokesperson, asking him to put me in touch with an economic or environmental analyst who favored his boss' plan. He never wrote back.

So I took the task upon myself. I would call experts from all sides of the ideological aisle to get a sense of where the debate stood. In the end, every single analyst I surveyed judged the gas tax holiday proposal to be, roughly speaking, a silly, superfluous, or outright pandering idea.

Comments

[DavidK08]

It seems like people who are trying to defend this stupid idea are making it bigger than it is.

18 cents. Anything more than that is stupidity or ignorance. Either way, you're not getting a tax cut.

Pandering isn't tough. It is the easy way to fish for a vote. She wont have to deliver on it either. Just let people think in long enough to get through another primary and stay alive. Later, she will have a well sctipted reason for not having a tax holiday. And some people will have to say that they are not surprized that they were lied to, she is a liar.....B­osnia ect...

[lisakaz2]

This a perfect smoke-and-mirrors reflection of HRC's candidacy. She don't care if the idea is ill-conceived or unfeasible, so long as it's a nice bauble that makes it look like she's offering something. How about ending the hemmoraging of this stooopid war? How about your practical cover for it and escalating the war drum beat vs. Iran?

I really don't see enough difference between her and McSame in terms of the Constitution and responsible governance; We the People are going to be sold further down the river with either.

[robodweeb]

Didn't Hillary introduce a bill to limit American's freedom of expression?

[Truthfighter1]

uh it's actually $28.00 over 3 months, get ya fact correct.

[TurgidCaterwauling]

Gas in my town increases ten cents a gallon each time it goes up. Today, $4.09. One more increase will mean that even with the gas tax temporarily suspended, I will still be paying at least $4.00 a gallon.
I am far less concerned about the gas tax than I am the naked greed of corporate America and a spineless president and congress that have so little regard for its citizens that they have done nothing and continue to do nothing.

[neve]

And what are you doing to help drive down demand and conserve. I hate GWB and corp. america too, but the responsibility is in our individual and collective hands too.

[cubs325]

i disagree, it is precisely effective as per hrc goals - pander for votes, try a get those people who would be reluctant to cjhoose Obama and tell them what they want to hear for their votes - who cares what is good for the country or what will really address the problem

[EnricoPallazzo]

In other news---

Today Hillary Clinton promised ponies to all families with females under the age of 13. She also put forth a plan that would ensure all Americans would hit powerball within her first 100 days as well as her "Leprauchan Engagement Plan" which promises a pot of gold for all registered voters in Indiana

[SuperBunny]

LOL

[AMJordan]

There MUST be a pony in this campaign somewhere.­..

It kind of reminds me of Steven Wright's "I Have A Pony".

[Truthfighter1]

NO actually Obama still has the Democratic lead nationally over Hillary and over McCain head to head by about 3% compared to Hillary's 2%, too close to call, check wsj and nbc poll.
Either way all of these polls either has one up or down but i have seen more up's for Obama.

realclearpolitics.com....averages most of the polls out, you can usually see them all their.

Get the facts.

Oh yes Obama is right once again on actual issues gas and home foreclosure, he has a better plan on that, but American seem to like being lied to, not surprised this country is so dumbed down and sensitive that people can't think for themselves, they need MSM to do i for them.

[faretheewell]

Its pretty clear shrillary thinks we are stupid. Are we willing to turn the government over to someone because they arrange a 4-5% discount on gas for 3 months? I guess if we are that stupid, then we deserve what we get.

God knows what evil we possibly perpetrated to get bush.

[MourningDude]

Ineffective? Shortsighted? Come on.

I heard an economist say that doing this will only encourage people to use more gasoline. Huh? I thought the entire reason prices are skyrocketing is because people buy gas no matter the price. Since people's behavior hasn't changed significantly with a $1+ increase per gallon, why would a 17 cent drop change it?
'
This WILL make a positive impact on consumers, and it's only a temporary window. It's not like they're talking about a 10 year gas tax holiday.

But far more important would be for Washington to get their act together and reduce the speed limits back to 55. We'd consume significantly less fuel overnight, and our lifestyle would not really be affected.

[HumeSkeptic]

I heard an economist say that doing this will only encourage people to use more gasoline.
----------

"More" is a relative term. What they are saying is that people would make more trips in the summer if the tax is reduced. This is no different than what Hilllary and McCain are saying: reduce the tax so people can afford to make more trips.

Also, look at the numbers. 18 cents is 0.5% of the current price of $3.60 per gallon. That's all we're talking about. If you use 2 gallons a day, that's 36 cents a day.

[Arbos]

The Clinton's would think nothing of letting the American people suffer for another 4 years under McShame in order to run again in 2012. What are they sitting on ? 110 Million Dollars. What do they care?

[robodweeb]

Has Hillary explained how she'll get the 60 votes to pass a windfall profits tax on oil companies?

Or is she just pandering to the uneducated (her base)?

[britethere]

Bosnia Billary = Liar in Chief?
Primary Panderer

[cruisepuppy7452a]

Nobody has a plan, that is a problem for the american people. Nobody wants t take action, fight the good fight to get our jobs back, our leaders recalled and charged with war crimes, our healthcare that would cover all of us, give us back our homes, give us real wages to live on, that would balance out the high cost of everything we now face. Not one person. Does anyone in this country have the balls to run for office who is willing to actually represent the american people? Anyone? I woudl do so, if I had the funds to do it as I do have solutions to these issues. I am living the american scream, not the american dream, I have walked the walk, not just talked the talk. I know first hand how it feels to lose healthcare, a job and a house in one month. Hello. Instead of saying poor me, I want to get into office to make a difference. End this fricken war, asap, get all of the troops home, not just a few, charge Bush for war crimes, impeach his ass and throw him and cheney in federal prison. I have a plan to put people back to work, get our jobs back, end illegal immigration, lower gas prices. The problems is nobody cares. I suppose status quo is good enough eh? Not for this gal.

[99hockeyman]

You know what it is just not the President of the United States that is the problem it is the House and the Senate that is the problem as well. As long as people keep voting in wealthy people ripping off the Ameican public to become wealthier or people getting elected to become wealthy, the American public deserve what they get. Before some Republican troll tries to post that these people are not getting rich serving, they become rich from the votes they cast. Either doing favors for friends or purchasing prime real estate at cheap prices. The greedy Republicans ran on term limits in 1994, but just like a good Republican they backed out on those once elected.

[hmmmmmer]

Pander to the uneducated masses and you can lie and do as you wish and they are never going to be any wiser. If she would take the high road I might be able to support her, but she always takes the low road.
Before this is over she will not only have divided the Democratic Party but set in motion a possible win by McSame. I am sure it will satisfy her and Bill completely.

[FarLeftField]

It would seem that Clinton's lust for power knows no end. I wish someone would remind the Senator from which party she is seeking the nomination. Her strategy of 'rule or ruin' is doing great harm to what should have been/ and may still be a great November.