Cheney Knocks McCain's Gas Tax Holiday

WASHINGTON — Vice President Dick Cheney on Monday rejected a suspension of the federal gasoline tax as proposed by his party's presumptive presidential nominee, Sen. John McCain. Cheney said it would offer little help to consumers coping with gas prices around $4 a gallon.

The vice president's critique went further than President Bush's own comments on the idea, which appears dead anyway.

"I think it's a false notion, in the sense that you're not going to have much of an impact, given the size of the gasoline tax on the total cost of the gallon of gas," Cheney said when asked about the matter during a luncheon appearance. "You might buy a little bit of relief there, but it's minimal."

The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline on Monday was $3.98, according to a survey of stations by AAA and the Oil Price Information Service. Of that total, the federal tax on gasoline is 18.4 cents per gallon.

Both McCain, R-Ariz., and a contender for the Democratic presidential nomination, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, have proposed suspending the tax.

Bush has said he would consider any idea from Congress, but he was not enthusiastic about it.

Democratic leaders in Congress have shown little interest, too, and no votes are anticipated on the matter in the House or the Senate.

The gas tax is the main source of revenue for the Highway Trust Fund that provides grants for highway and bridge construction and repair.

Cheney said the broader solution is to expand the exploration of energy sources in the United States. Bush has long called for opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska to oil development, which is strongly opposed by environmentalists, most Democrats and a few moderate Republicans.

The vice president spoke in a Q&A session at the Gerald R. Ford Journalism Prize luncheon.

When asked about the scathing tell-all book by Bush's former press secretary Scott McClellan, Cheney said he hadn't read it and had no plans to do so. But he did pointedly comment when asked generally about former administration officials who write such books, saying, "I thought Bob Dole got it about right."

Dole said, among other things, that "there are miserable creatures" like McClellan in every administration who are spurred on by greed. Cheney's comment comes after White House press secretary Dana Perino has said the White House harbors "no ill feelings" toward McClellan.

Comments

[KOisGod]

Hey dick - we're going to drill for gas in your yard.

Is that ok with you?

[Yuma]

Dear Dick:
You made so much money as being an oil man.
Hey, share some money with us.

[SSF]

Hey, McCain, how are you gonna stick by your Gas Tax Suspension plan if old Darth Cheney won't even support it! Good luck in November, you'll need it !!!

[jrterrier]

i think that's the best endorsement for the mccain gas tax plan that i've heard. anything cheney opposes is sure to be good for the country.

[FweetyBigalow]

Sookie, sookie now. McGrampy, get a clue!!

[madron]

Cheney is one good man.....now will you post that....

[leduck]

From the point of view of Peak Oil -- or any sane and rational human being -- the gas tax holiday is a retarded idea. Isn't that were money for mass transporation comes from? If anything -- gas taxes have been way too low for way too long.

[PaulLee]

Nawh!! Dicky boy wants to increase public pressure to drill in the Artic !

[christieZ]

Wow. Even Dickface admits the gas tax holiday is ridiculous pandering.

[research]

Hi I'm Bob Dole, selling ED drugs. But that McClellen did it for the money. Sure.

[Faith101]

Oh, he decides to try to become relevant now. Cheney you are so full of it.

[Chillinout]

Hey McCain! When Darth Cheney thinks your idea is stupid, maybe you should take heed.

[GiannaX]

I think the Repubs settled on McCain because they know this election cycle is a lost cause. Pretty telling when "Darth Vader" disses McCain.

[Chillinout]

My sentiments exactly. They didn't want to waste a "good" candidate.

[Cunningham]

They don't HAVE any "good" candidates.

[Cunningham]

Go F yourself, Cheney.

[mamacat]

This may be first time in 7+ years that I can say that I agree with Cheney.
Somebody pinch me.

[hbw3]

Tapping ANWAR would take about 25 years at the minimum to get one barrel of oil out. Does the Vice President seriously think we are that dumb?

[utd]

Pretty much, yes.

[TheKidd]

i'm no expert but i think it would influence the price still because of speculators. It's all about speculators. not saying it would be a great idea though...

[angryrabbit]

Yes, actually, he does think we're that dumb. Just like 9/11 was twisted and used to further the administration's desire to attack Iraq, high oil prices are being used as a cover to get Americans to agree to drill in ANWAR (which would do very little for our oil prices for some time, if ever). I don't think the administration is intentionally doing anything here, just using the situation at hand to further their goals.
Remember when Bush first was elected? We needed a tax cut because we had such a budget surplus. When the surplus went away, suddenly we needed a tax cut to help the economy. "Here is the conclusion on which I will base my facts."
A gas tax holiday wouldn't save us any money, the oil companies would leave the price the same and pocket the difference.