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

[PhyloSeFiser]

Obama, again, showed real leadership, integrity, and maturity. It would've been easy to jump on board this obviously pandering policy. Who doesn't want to pay less at the pump?

When O when are voters going to stop getting distracted by these phony issues like Rev Wright and start looking at the character of the candidates? Integrity matters folks. Character matters. Integrity matters.

Wake up Hillbots! She will say or do anything to gain power. ANYTHING!

[kellygrrrl]

integrity matters very little to those who believe it can be purchased at WalMart in the form of a
Flag Pin

what shocks me the most is how many people actually buy into these non-issues and get swept up.

obvs., there are some people who actually want a dictator
and they want the media to tell them what to think

frightening!

[xenite69]

Yeah and you want a MARXIST running this country! Character matters ! plus judgement. Barack Hussein Obama has lacked in the judgement department. Yeah after 20 years he didn't know what kind of man his mentor was? RIGHT! poor judgement there!, William Ayers and Tony Rezco are other issue's that he needs to address. Remember this! If Barack was trying to get a job with the FBI. He would never get clearence. It's like when a person in NY wants to become a fireman or a policeman. They check that persons background, they interview neighbors and ask about their charachter. So, for a person trying to get the most important job in the world, everyone has the right to ask any question. It is all fair game.
WAKE UP AMERICA. Barack Hussien Obama has a hidden agenda!

[KBAR]

For the first quarter of 2008, the average state gasoline tax is 28.6 cents per gallon, plus 18.4 cents per gallon federal tax making the total 47 cents per gallon. For diesel, the average state tax is 29.2 cents per gallon plus an additional 24.4 cents per gallon federal tax making the total 53.6 cents per gallon. If you live in Cal. or Conn. count it at 63.5 cents per gal.

22 gal.(fill up) x .47 = $10.34 per fill up
you can do the math for your car.

[donttasemebro]

I didn't realize we were getting relief from state taxes. Wait a minute. WE'RE NOT! What is your point here?

[KBAR]

You may wanna consider moving to Florida:
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2008/apr/16/gov-crist-suggests-temporary-gas-tax-cut/

[holyhandgrenaid]

They're talking about cutting federal taxes only, try actually reading the articles you drooling mouth breather

[thegreatgiginthesky]

Cutting the gas tax is like going to Bennihana's and watching the chef create a volcano with onion rings. It is a gimmick to lure the attention away from the oil companies so that they can continue to gouge you. In Bennihana's defense, at least you get to eat the onion rings.

[alaintex]

Oil company profits on a gallon of gas haven't changed since 1999, and neither has the federal tax.

It's the price of crude oil.


28-Apr-08
Distribution Costs, Marketing Costs and Profits $0.09
Crude Oil Cost $2.83
Refinery Cost and Profits $0.31
State Underground Storage Tank Fee $0.01
State and Local Sales Tax $0.29
State Excise Tax $0.18
Federal Excise Tax $0.18
Retail prices $3.89


Dec. 1999
Dealers Cost and Profit Margin (1) $0.10
Crude Oil Cost $0.59
Refinery Cost and Profit Margin (2) $0.21
State and Local Sales Tax $0.10
State Excise Tax $0.18
Federal Excise Tax $0.18

Retail Price $1.36

[thegreatgiginthesky]

LOL, how can the profits stay the same when the price of crude rises?

[alaintex]

Profit per gallon of gas.

[thegreatgiginthesky]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/01/exxon-mobil-profits-soar_n_99568.html

You are so right, the profits have not changed.

[BreakingnewsJustintime]

The gas tax idea is a bad one.

Drilling in ANWAR is a much better idea. I wish Republicans would push this debate. Make the voters render judgement on using an area the size of JFK airport out of an area the size of South Carolina with environmen­t-friendly drilling techniques. Force a choice between a minor incovenience to the carribou versus a million barrels of oil per day.

If Clinton hadn't vetoed the idea, we'd already be reaping the benefits.

While we're at it, let's talk about restarting our nuclear power generation as well.

Dems will lose this argument with the majority of citizens.

[HumeSkeptic]

Drilling in ANWAR is a much better idea. I wish Republicans would push this debate
------

That would be great. That would give us a good example to demonstrate that Republicans are dinosaurs who deserve to become extinct.

[99hockeyman]

Yes, lets start building more nuclear power plants. The next time something happens a plane might fly into one of those instead of the Pentagon.

[AMJordan]

They could have flown one into one on 9-11. Three Mile Island is still running in Pennsylvania, if I remember correctly. I might not, but the idea is there.

[Gma11]

Better to use the new reserves discovered in Montana:

http://www.nextenergynews.com/news1/next-energy-news2.13s.html

[Cherlesq]

This is so renimiscent of the Bush policies which tout the benefits for the common folk and really benefit the corporations particularly the gas companies. Are we not weary of the constant lies to us by both Bush and Clinton? I see no differentiation in Clinon's latest grab for votes and the Bush approach in lying to the American people.

[pkmaz]

Or the Clinton approach to diplomacy in the Middle East (obliterate) - sounds like Bush's "crusade" to me.

[IowaKid]

And McCain. Amen

[JimmyCrackcorn]

Check out this awesome "OnLine Gas Tax Holiday Calculator" on Daily Kos

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/5/1/61539/09560/738/506739

I stand to save all of $12.94 over the course of 15 weeks.

Waa-f-in-Hoo. If I just drive a bit slower I'd save about 4 times that.

[KBAR]

Only if you drive 20 miles a week!

[BillyT]

Oil prices might still be lower than $80 a barrel if we did not go into Iraq.

If you want a real gas price holiday, get out of Iraq. Undo Hillary's and McCain's mistake.

Hillary and McCain are screwing us once again with this foolish plan, after they voted YES for us to go into Iraq.

[obamanation31]

Please read this :

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=4757257&page=1

[99hockeyman]

Senator Clinton and the gas pumps and coffee maching could be like Bush 1 at the store with the scanners. There you go Senator Obama. I have given you an advertisment.

[NoRepresentation]

The real funny thing is that she says she is not an elitist, yet I don't remember anyone that doesn't remember the last time they pumped gas or know how to work the coffee machine.

[AMJordan]

No no no. You have to understand, and elitist is someone who is better than most people. Those who aren't elitists are just ordinary people---who can't work the coffee machine or pump their own gas---wait a minute, just how long HAS it been, Hillary?

[hjo4]

Again Hillary will say and do anything even if the stolen idea is wrong she'll do it anyway.This is becoming comical.Those that support Senator Clinton must be embarrassed by her behavior.This is hilarious

[HumeSkeptic]

I agree. I support Obama and even I am embarrassed that a Democratic candidate would propose something so dumb.

[zenguy]

In 2000, gasoline prices were climbing quickly, reaching $2 a gallon in the Chicago area — a remarkable price back then. Illinois legislators scrambled to offer some election-year relief to angry motorists.

Obama voted three times for a tax holiday.

The version that ended up becoming law required a six-month suspension of the state's share of the sales tax on gasoline, a 5 percent tax paid directly by consumers rather than gas stations. It also required gas stations to post signs on their pumps saying that the Illinois General Assembly had lowered taxes and the price should reflect that cut.

[Canukistani]

I must say that I'm a little puzzled about this gas tax holiday proposal. Even if it was a good idea, and I suspect it isn't really, how in the world would either Clinton or McCain expect to have it actually implemented for this summer? Neither is President yet, nor do they hold any special power that might get all parties to go along with it without lengthy discussions on it that would probably last until long past summer. Just how do they expect they would get this done?

[ConnieB]

That's just it. They don't expect it to get done. Even if there was a bill it would never pass. It's just political pandering to get votes.

[Canukistani]

Exactly, and that should be the story. The fact that they would put out this kind of nonsense is a story itself. There's no point even discussing the effect of it when it coudn't happen in the first place, so why isn't anyone asking them how they would make it happen.

[MPeter]

It is just a fact. Hillary does not get it. She thinks we are in the 1990s. All her advisors are of the same era and do not understand the economy and the technology that drives it today. What is her plan with regards to alternative energy? Zilch. That is why she has emacked on gimmickry to get elected and then she'll move on just like Bill moved on and left rural America and blue-collar America holding the sack.

[zenguy]

I missed in the article where Obama voted for a gas-tax holiday in the Illinois legislature on three (3) different times. He was for it in Illinois. In fact he responded then, "I just want them to place my picture on the gas pump so they know I supported this and get credit".

HuffPo....thanks for sharing all the details and not just one side of the attack against Clinton. We wouldn't want you to compromis your "journalistic integrity".

Could your one-sided response to every story be the reason Tim Russer banned Arianna from appearing on MSNBC to promote her book? Just saying.

[ConnieB]

Maybe Obama learned something and Clinton did not, despite her 35 years of experience.

[cballen]

exactly the point! Illinois proved that this sort of policy does not work and it is out there and it is in the public record and it is easy to lookup and verify. So why do HRC and McCain propose a gas tax holiday even though there is evidence (Illinois) that this sort of this does not work and may, in fact, be harmful in the long run? two words: PANDER BEAR

[AMJordan]

That's Ms. Pander Bear to you!!!

(What IS it about this campaign that makes me want to be such a smart aleck?)

[EinChicago]

As an Illinois resident, I have tyo say you;re full of baloney. It worked extremely well in terms of its purpose. Blago and Daley reaped massive votes in 2000 because of it. Anyone thinking that McCain won't do the same is fooling themselves. But fooling themselves and ignoring reality is becoming a daily ritual for Obama Kultists.

[BillyT]

It's not just Paul Krugman....

Thomas Friedman of NY Times has also weighed in and calls Hillary out for her PANDERING WAYS:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/30/opinion/30friedman.html?em&ex=1209787200&en=c74689f177717558&ei=5087%0A

PEOPLE: IF GAS TAX HOLIDAY COULD SAVE you any money it would be good. BUT....IT'S A FANTASY THAT WILL ONLY ENRICH THE BIG OIL COMPANIES!!!!

How could Hillary support this idea when everyone knows it will be BAD FOR AMERICA, WILL NOT SAVE YOU MONEY?? Take a wild guess. She wants to FOOL YOU INTO VOTING FOR HER.

Nothing is more out of touch with what America needs than this kind of shameful PANDERING.

Obama is not stooping that low. Good for him.

[ProgressiveThought]

Hillary promised me an extra choclate milk if I vote for her.