Gas Tax Holiday? Who's the Real Elitist?

It was bad enough that Sen. Clinton signed on to the plain-as-day-pander to suspend the 18 cent-per-gallon federal gas tax for the summer months, but her continued allegiance to an idea that has been universally (except for her and Sen. McCain) derided offers a couple disturbing insights.

In the face of overwhelming evidence that the suspension would suck anywhere from $9 billion to $10 billion from the treasury, encourage more driving -- which leads to greater pollution and an increase in demand that would drive prices back up to pre-tax suspension levels -- and deliver even more obscene profits to the oil companies, she was back on TV today saying she didn't hold much truck with economists. That "if we did it right" she would see that it would be implemented effectively.

That, said Gail Collins in Saturday's Times, "turns a proposal that was unlikely to ever get passed into one that could not make it through the Senate if Ronald Reagan and John F. Kennedy both rose from the dead and hand-carried it there."

And despite the senator's assertion that she's going to "reverse the trends I've seen in our government and our political system," what she's actually peddling is more of the same.
It's the Iraq war resolution vote all over again -- and it's a page out of the George Bush playbook: make a mistake, and by God I'm gonna stick by that mistake because I'm resolute. That's not reversing the system, that's perpetuating it.

And the subtext to the whole gas tax suspension -- critics-be-damned, she knows better and she's going to take care of all of us working folks out there -- strikes me as more than a little elitist, frankly.

A pat on the head and 30 bucks in the wallet might sway a few folks, but the truth is it's more of the same misleading, elitist, top-down Beltway nonsense that's gotten us into the mess we're in.

Comments

[gianardil]

The only way we will ever get this huge gas tax rebate about $18.00 per month maybe, is for Clinton and McCain to go back to Washington immediately, sponsor a bill together, and hope it passes the Senate and the House the first time it comes out of commitee. So sometime in the next five years we might see a "vacation" from tax during the summer. If by chance this passes right away Bush will have to sign it. So, this whole bag of wind coming out of McCain and Clinton amounts to zip. Just some more campaign promises that cannot be kept.

[booker52]

I live on a fix income and even I can see that this is dumb and doesn't fix the problem. She is making promises that she cannot cover even (not to be mean) with her big ass. It's all hype, smoke and mirrors. At the end of the day she is making empty promises so she can try and get elected.

[Northshorewoman]

Typically, I drive 140 a week to make a living. I am fortunate, I get the IRS going rate of $.45 PER MILE compensation from the company I work for, as well as parking costs. 140 miles, $.45 per mile. Gas $3.50-plus. You figure it out. I need something which is better than nothing and I am not in an income-limited tax bracket. I cannot afford $120.00 per week for gas. And, before you ask, I also cannot afford the 2 1/2 hours of public transportation -- each way -- and still get in 40 hours per week. Give credit where credit is due. Something is better than nothing, then advocate with her: Stop filling the reserve at the highest prices out there; Give Americans some of the reserve and; Pass an energy bill.

[vcsmith]

"Give credit where credit is due. Something is better than nothing..."

Let us know when you get this something. I'll bet that the only something that is coming anybody's way is HOT AIR.

On the other hand go to:
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=176030,00.html
The 2008 rate for mileage is 50.5¢

How about getting someone to raise that deduction/allowance to 60¢. At least this has a chance of getting some traction.

Finally, your math looks a little fuzzy -- unless you driving a Hummer in 1st gear all the way to work.

[vcsmith]

You are missing the point. She is promising something that is never going to happen. If this swings votes to Hillary then next she'll be promising free trips to the moon or maybe simply an income tax holiday. Hell, let's just send everybody a roll of state quarters.
At the end of the day, ALL these politicians have done little to nothing over the last 2 terms. Its becoming BS on top of BS.

[dumboldfarmer]

When Hillary started with the gas tax thing, and Obama opposed it, guess who was speaking from experience?

Obama was speaking from experience. The State of Illinois tried to do the same thing a few years ago, and the oil companies simply increased the cost of gas at about the same amount. Didn't work. Won't work now.

[BillyT]

Another FACT to consider before you pull the plug on gas tax:

Highway Trust Fund is facing serious shortfalls.

Why? Its source is only the gas tax, and the rate of 18 or 24 cent depending on fuel type has not gone up with inflation.

NO, JerryinATL, that money does NOT come from the General Fund. Your "info" is only valid if you live in 1955. Highway Revenue Act of 1956 changed that.

It will start running out of cash by 2009.

Here is the story straight from the News Source Favored by BUBBAS Everywhere: FOXNEWS!! This way they can't accuse me of concocting the story from some leftist source:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,274113,00.html

[JerryinATL]

sorry, it all goes into the general. JUST LIKE THE SOCIAL SECURITY TRUST FUND

Everyone acknowledges that the SS trust fund will run out of money too! You are being duped if you think that the fed is 'setting aside' money in a 'trust' fund. That was a gimmick to get people to vote it in.

If you think conservatives are 'BUBBAS' you are mistaken. Calling people names is a poor substitue for a good argument.

[skibum49]

As currently authorized, only about 63 percent of federal trust fund spending in fiscal year 2008 will go to roads and services that are used by the typical motorist. The other 37 percent will be diverted to underutilized transit programs; federal lands; hiking and biking trails; enhancements (e.g., flower gardens, historic preservation, brick side­walks, and faux gas lamps); ferry boats; thousands of pork-barrel earmarks such as Alaska's infamous Bridge to Nowhere; scenic byways; metropolitan planning organizations; and the Appalachian Regional Commission—to name just a few of the many trust fund leaks.
While that 37 percent does not totally solve the projected fiscal shortfall it might be a nice start if we actually used the Highway and Bridge Gas Tax for what it was originally intended. The fact that so much of the tax goes to programs (read earmarks) that have NOTHING to do with transportation is one more reason why Congress would never choose to eliminate the revenue (even for three months and even in an election year). The pet projects that this money funds are far more important as vote getters for election campaigns.

[vcsmith]

Well stated, now I'm really depressed.

[klo]

Thanks for the history lesson.
And by the way, the foxnews story has been pulled. It's gone.
Hmmm...I wonder why?

[skibum49]

The story didnt go away. You just have to be smarter than the computer. You have to copy and paste the entire link going all the way out to html.

Ill tiny url it for you and make it simple.

http://tinyurl.com/2hkcbu

[tolate2pray4me]

We are doomed. America will never be able to work out our differences, we will stay divided and in stagnation until finally the Chinese flag pin says made in America. We have become the country of me to shining me, the masses no longer have the ability to look at the overall good of the nation only the overall good of me. Hillary knows that but like most rich folks it will not mean her doom, she will simply take her millions and go elsewhere along with the rest of the elite, while us common folk are left to contemplate how such a disaster could have happened and continue to blame one another. We will get what we deserve in the fall, I for one am stocking up on rice, beans, water, and bullets, that way I can be ready when the chaos breaks out.

[tjwdraws]

How about going after the oil companies and their chief officers for war profiteering rather than robbing the states of much needed funds for infrastructure?

[BillyT]

That should happen independent of any gas tax holiday sham scam.

[raw915]

The trouble is, the majority of people who vote tomorrow won't be reading your story.

[BillyT]

Actually, I think the problem is most people voting for Hillary tomorrow....

....CAN'T READ.

Hillary: favored by 70% of "high school only grads and dropouts" surveyed by Gallup.

You think these are the people who care about experts?? Experts to them are the high school teachers who flunked them.

[JerryinATL]

I had a fella work for me that was brilliant, and he had no formal education. he was self taught. don't confuse book knowledge with common sense.

[spyda]

Its so scary how many gullible America people there are and will fall for anything.They can hear true views from all kinds of experts on a subject and still be gullible enough out of desperation and fall for all kinds of lies and make bad judgements that will effect alot of other peoples livelihoods.Wake up DAMN! Who really don't know that Hillary is lying again and pandering just to get votes! And I guess out of loyalty to Bill Clinton people will keep this bull@#$% going on till the very end knowing full well that she will not get the nomination! She has damn near killed Sen.Obama using her pandering lies and some how people think this is good and shes a fighter but this crap is crazy and just goes to show like some say she will do anything to win,even damage the party!I just pray that Indiana and North Carolina voters wake up and please don't fall for the oaky doke about the gas tax that she knows fool well won't go anywhere!She got away with it in Ohio and Pa. so I guess she feels like as long as she can keep people stuck on stupid she'll get away with it!!Please wake up and end this now!!!!!! And nobodys gonna be scared by John McMcain in the general cause he has enough s@#$ to deal with too!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!! So bring it on!

[SMAGGIE]

JOHNATHAN DIAMOND? A QUESTION FOR YOU PLEASE? DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE VOTE FOR THE WAR CONSISTED OF? NOT ONE PERSON HAS SAID THAT THE VOTE TAKEN WAS TO RID IRAQ OF SADDAM HUSSEIN. THAT IS WHY THE PEOPLE VOTED FOR IT. IT WAS NOT A BLANK TICKET TO STAY THERE FOREVER. ALSO, SEN. CLINTON WAS NOT THE ONE REPONSIBLE FOR THE WAR, THERE WERE OTHER PEOPLE WHO WERE LIED TO AND VOTED FOR IT. PLEASE LETS GET OVER THAT "ONE VOTE" AND GET ON WITH THE PROBLEMS OF TODAY.

[BillyT]

SMAGGIE:

It's not what others did.

It's that when she had her own vote to consider, SHE MADE THE WRONG CHOICE.

Who wants this woman to sit in the WHite House and choose the "OBLITERATE" option again at 3AM when she can't even avoid "misspeaking" at 11AM, 9AM, and another time??

[vcsmith]

How did we get on Iraq?

[RichLiberal]

One outstanding trait of elitists is how "thick-headed" they are. Their brains are so filled with useless irrelevant information (economists are a particularly high BS ratio breed of this elitist species) that they are unable to sort real information from the BS.

In this case the real information is: "gas prices are too high".

Hillary's very pragmatic approach is: "let's make them lower".

Even a "low qualification" candidate such as Obama should realize that this is a reasonable way to talk to the "low information" voters.

[skibum49]

Every time one of you pragmatic folks post something like this I will ask the same question until one of you gets an answer.

If she has a pragmatic solution then what is the Senate Bill Number for the legislation that she has actually introduced in the United States Senate to make this "holiday" happen?

Talk without legislation is ...well its just talk RichLiberal.
Words do matter but if you are talking about something that requires actual changes in the law to make it happen then words dont mean much unless you legislate. Three weeks to the start of the Summer driving season (memorial day). So far I dont see a bill introduced by Senator Clinton or Senator McCain. Just stump speeches and TV interviews.

[unclefesta]

i can´t wait to see the legislation to know what she means by the words ´´íf we did it right´´. Then all those economics professors from Harvard and Yale are going to look pretty silly

[saulpaulus]

Leaving aside your obvious racism, Hillary is pragmatic. She wants to get votes any way she can. If it means lying and pandering about a gas tax holiday hat she would never enact as president and that would never save anyone any money, that's what she'll do. She and McCain are competing for the position of Panderer-in-Chief. Barack is going to be Commander-in-Chief and he knows America needs real leadership for the 21st century, not the same old politics.

[BillyT]

RichLiberal, WHAT YOU ARE SAYING IS:

She doesn't care what actually happens when she makes that choice. She only cares what it sounds like to voters.

So she can't be the one making decisions for us.

She should know gas tax would only hurt us and enrich only the Big Oil, if ever enacted.

It's not just something harmless to try. It has serious negatives. You think Big Oil will be kind to the summer travelers? They can raise the price right back up because you are used to paying for it.

So what if it sounds like the right thing? How come everyone else on the planet with half a brain can see this is not only a non-solution, it is actually HARMFUL?

We GET NO SAVINGS and We LOST ROAD WORK JOBS and we LOSE HIGHWAY TRUST FUND MONEY. Meanwhile Big Oil laughs at us. They just raked in courtesy of Hillary McCain. That's harmless to you?

[RRonin]

"Here's thirty bucks, get yerself something nice, now don't say I never did anything for yez."

[burnt]

Yes!! A gas tax holiday... then take ALLLL those "savings", and "BET ON THE FILLY!"... How can we lose??? We be able to pay our mortgage, afford unlimited full tanks of gas for the hummer, buy health insurance like she has and pretend we are multimilli­onaires... just like Hillary... ha!

I don't mean to beat a dead horse, but this is just more of the same lies, deception and spin that makes her wholly unsuited for political office... let alone as the Leader of the Free World. We've been cruelly lied to for far too long to accept any more of this nonsense.

Hillary "the economic expert" goes broke. If she want to enjoy any credibility from those of us who see her pandering as totally transparent, she should pay her campaign debts to those small businesspeople who gave her credit and believed she was honorable enough to repay in a timely manner... Clinton stiffed them. Next she will be encouraging us to fill our tanks and drive off without paying.

Her style of racing is killing her.

[ndolomar]

Bloggers, pundits and posters alike should be asking the obvious: If it were such a great idea for consumers and such a bad idea for oil companies, why have we not heard a single peep from the oil companies about how this is a bad idea? Dig my ad hoc flowchart:
1. lower the tax
2.a. demand increases 2.b. funds siphoned from infrastructure savings
3.a. supplies decrease 3.b. infrastructure jobs lost because of lack of funds
4.a. lower supply leads to price increase above 18% 4.b. because of lost jobs and price increases, people unable to afford gas.
5. oil companies rake in profits of 18% and higher, thanks to the gas-tax holiday.

The MSM has equated "elite" with "educated," and some voters aren't keen enough to recognize that this dig at Sen. Obama's supporters actually insults the people who AREN'T voting for him, by insinuating they're not smart (the college vote). The same blue-collar workers voting for Sen. Clinton and saving their hard-earned money are hoping to send their kids to college. Is getting educated becoming "elite"? Isn't this the goal for everyone in America? Indiana and North Carolina, unlike mainstream media talking heads, we KNOW you're intelligent, and we hope you recognize just how you are being played by a media that want this primary to continue so you can continue to pay more to media's corporate owners. Prove us right; prove the media wrong.