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

[Crumbx]

Just heard Zuckerman on MSNBC say that the proposed "gas tax holiday" would save the average consumer $30.00 per week. I thought this guy was smart? Isn't he a billionaire? What in God's name is he talking about. I don't drive 5,000 miles per week. This tax will save the average the average consumer $2,70 per week or about 35..00 for THIRTEEN WEEKS.

[davidrusso]

I'm no mechanic but I am fairly certain that the same ~5% efficiency (18 cent discount on, let's call it, $3.50 gas) could be accomplished by buying a lower amount of higher octane fuel, or cleaning a hose, etc...

The point is - this is such a ridiculous proposition relative the negative impact it will cause that HRC should be laughed off the podium.

There is a history of this behavior. She offered that the cure to the subprime crisis was to 'freeze interest rates'....an equally moronic, yet popular, idea. She preys on economic ignorance.

[JerryinATL]

I am a mechanic, and octane does not increase or decrease gas milage. Octane is used to lower the temprature of the fuel as it enters and stays in your tank. The higher the octane the lower the temprature. So on a hot engine, close to 11 to 1 compression, heat is generated in the engine. the colder the fuel the less liklyhood of predetonation. the less performance engines will run a little colder (heat wise in the cyclinders) so the gas can have a little higher temprature and still not cause detonation.

tire pressue, and filter elements, and a tuneup can help 5% gas milage.

[VicPerry]

Good god, I used to have a 120 mile round-trip commute in a used gas guzzler that got about 17 miles to the gallon. So I needed 50 gallons a week, adding errands in. Hardly average. Well, my savings at 18 cents a gallon would have been $9 a week.

Hillary Clinton: Pray For A Math Crisis

[davidrusso]

Not a fan of the gas tax but you have some facts wrong...

If by "Big Oil" you are referring to the refiners (companies that make, or "crack", gasoline from crude oil) then in fact they have been artifically holding prices *down* for some time now. Retail gas prices have stayed flat during a period when crude oil prices (the input into gasoline) have risen 35%. In April, for the first time in memory, the 'crack spread' (the spread between crude oil price and gasoline price) was *negative*..meaning the refiners were *losing money* on every gallon of gas they sold.

So it is not true that the American consumer has been getting robbed by the companies that produce and sell gasoline. The American consumer, actually, continues to be coddled with low, yes low, gas prices and until that changes the move to alternatives will be stymied.

Stop blaming the oil companies and start looking at your own wasteful lifestyle.

[mspiglet]

Zuckerman is a Neo-Pig and wants a Neo-Hillary in the Oval Office to perpetuate the Neo-Agenda.

[JerryinATL]

I would save 34$ per week (I have to drive a lot)

Hillary (staff member) must have divided the 9-10 billion tax from gas by the population which is 330 million folks. that is where the average of 30 per year comes from

[jvarga]

you use 188 gallons per week?

[dartagnan]

Of course the true elitist is the cynical, pandering politician who thinks she can buy the votes of the ignorant masses at $30 each. Her Royal Highness's "gas tax holiday" is a scam and most voters see through it. (See latest Times/CBS poll out today.) They're more intelligent than the Witch of Chappaqua gives them credit for.

[sf94127]

The gas tax suspension could kick start lower prices if Americans used it as an opportunity to be more thrifty on consumption. Gasoline is a commodity, driven mostly by supply and demand. If consumers use the gas tax suspension to consume more, prices will go up. If they use it to finally get serious about reducing their consumption prices will head down even more. Consumers have more of a voice in prices then they think they have. Hillary did not offer this proposal to just stand on its own. She has said consumers need to get involved to bring down prices.

Obama is leaving out the part about consumers leveraging the tax break; he prefers to use the issue for negative campaigning.

[xenofile]

Now who's living in a fairy tale?

I haven't heard Hillary say anything about "consumers" bringing down prices, so clearly, it's not part of her core message. But even if it's part of her "plan", how is she going to do it? She can't enforce it by law (well, she could try, but that sounds like "rationing", and what are the odds?), so she ought to be out there talking about self-restraint and driving less. But somehow, I don't think she'd be quite as popular with her core constituency if she talked like that.

[ceu]

I'm thinking that the 300K newly unemployed because of the gas tax hiatus (were it to pass) would be damn thirfty about their consumption. Heck, they won't be driving to work!

[davidrusso]

How exactly does the artificial lowering of price "kick start" decreased consumption?

The results will likely be increased consumption, or at best sustained, beyond that normally expected for the summer driving season..a shame since year on year demand is down roughly 6-9%.

This "plan" is nonsense. HRC and her advisors aren't stupid, they know this. It may, however, get her a few votes from those who know no bettter. Obama's windfall tax idea is not much better, but at least he plans on investing them money into alternatives. Now if only he would go the final step and be honest with the American people that we will be a petroleum based economy for the foreseeable future.

[jsarets]

Huh? How can the suspension of a consumption tax be "used" as an opportunity to reduce consumption? Even if consumers were planning on reducing their consumption, than eliminating the consumption tax could only cause them to reconsider. The idea simply doesn't make any sense.

[twinkerbell]

Definitely pandering by both Clinton & McCain. A gas tax holiday during the summer driving season, when people drive more. that's not going to do anything for the average consumer. Of course, if you and your hubby made 100 million dollars in just 7 years, you don't have to worry about gas prices.

[Zogtastic]

When did you ever see a sign saying "SALE: LIMITED TIME ONLY" and said "Nah, I think I'll pass" especially when it's something you need every day? Reducing costs will never reduce consumption. Name one thing that, when the price is decreased, will result in less consumption.

The fact that she says consumers need to get involved to bring down prices is spot on, but it's contradicted by the holiday.

If we want to bring down prices, we can do it now without a holiday.

[sf94127]

Americans are seeking gas stations that are 3 cents cheaper then the last one; 18 cents is pretty substantial by that reckoning.

Obama and Wright drive around in gas guzzling Mercedes as they eat at the best restauanants and shop at the upmarket stores off Michigan Avenue. Neither moron has a clue about people who don't have money to feed their cars or their kids. Its also quite disgusting to see these so-called anchors on CNN, MSNBC scoff at $30 savings. So, who is the elitist?

[darcy]

Thank you, sf94127.

[LiberalBuzz]

What was left out of the discussion for those morons who think the suspension of 18 cents is a good idea was also the fact that almost THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND highway workers would have been laid off as well as where was the money going to come from?

Hillary's idea is pure pandering that would have caused more damage than good. AND that is exactly what, McBush and Hillary would do as president. We've seen what that type of thinking has gotten us so far.

Deeper in the hole.

With THAT sort of thinking we see just how bad a president Hill would be.

A TERRIBLE PRESIDENT.

She has NO USE FOR EXPERTS???

Where have we seen that before as well.

Oh yeah, the current moron in chief who puts cronyism above doing the right thing. Who puts religious nutjobs in the FDA, who puts corporate polluters in charge of the EPA.

Yeah just what we need in charge again. Another "I don't need no steeenking experts!"

[Schnitzel]

And you trust that the oil companies are going to pass that $.18 along to you?
I've got some beach front property on Mars I can sell you real cheap!

[BillyT]

And you....genius number 2.

You believe Big Oil loves you for who you are, not for what's in your wallet.

[VicPerry]

First, you needn't call newspeople "so-called anchors" as if being an "anchor" were some kind of distinction according honor. Second, it is to laugh, claiming that Obama and Wright are rich people while the Clintons and McCains are average joes who rilly understand the little guy. Third, explain why the oil companies won't simply work the 18 cents or more into their everyday profits. There is absolutely nothing to stop their doing it. Fourth, don't you think the government will find some other way to get that money back? Fifth, a $30 savings over an entire summer IS jack, jack, and I'm poor. Sixth, if gas prices had only gone up 18 cents (or 36 cents or 54 cents) in the past year nobody would be crying, so how is the 18 cents now some kind of godsend? Seventh, I must be elitist, since I can add and subtract and multiply and divide. Or so Hillary Clinton would have us believe --- I can see what a high opinion she has of working class people.

[photochick]

What the hell do you think Hill and Bill drive around in -- a 1966 Rambler????? They live in a mansion in the richest county in New York; they are multi-millionairs; and they haven't live in a little humble split level since he was Governor of Arkansas. Get a grip.

[dartagnan]

"Obama and Wright drive around in gas guzzling Mercedes as they eat at the best restauanants and shop at the upmarket stores off Michigan Avenue."

Yeah, and I'm sure Her Royal Highness, with her eight-figure annual household income, drives around in a 15-year-old Chevy, eats at Mickey D's and shops at K-Mart. Gimme a friggin break, man.

[Jaradan]

I guess you didn't read the part about the savings being about $30 TOTAL throughout the whole summer. And that's based on the assumption that the gas stations won't just raise the sales price to make up for the sales tax decrease. Barack's state of Illinois proposed the same gas tax holiday and he voted for it. 6 months later, they studied the effects and found that gas consumers didn't net any benefits and actually ended up PAYING MORE AT THE PUMP than they would have without the gas tax suspension.

[jules233]

Everyone assumes that this reprieve from gas taxes for the summer will save them money which they can use to help lessen the pressure in other areas. How much benefit will someone actually get from $28-30 dollars, which is the projected savings over a three month period (that's not $30/month, it's $30 total)? The down-side is that the money which doesn't come into the Highway maintenance funds will result in worse roads and increasing danger on numerous bridges which are already in poor shape. The public is being sold on the fact that gas will be cheaper, but this assumes that if demand increases, the oil companies won't raise their prices in response and of course, that's not going to happen. So come fall, we not only will more than likely have higher gas prices, then will have the addition of the 18 cents on top of that. Then what? The MSM needs to be honest about the reality of this fairy tale, but of course, that's as likely as Bush instituting a windfall profits tax on his "base", the oil companies.

[skibum49]

If the MSM was "honest" they would do a little research and find that there is another very important reason why this type of legislation would never pass the Congress. Do most of you out there not understand that the 18.4 cent federal gas tax doesn't all go to the Federal Highway Trust Fund to build highways and bridges? Only 60 percent actually goes to the trust fund. The other 40 percent (technically 37 percent) is used to fund general revenue projects (read "earmarks") that benefit Congressmen of all political affiliations. Some of these general revenue appropriations are for projects that are remotely related to transportation (i.e. bike trails and walking trails) and some have absolutely nothing to do with transportation (museums and federal grants to organizations in a Congressmans district). No federal gas tax revenue....no revenue for these little pet projects for three months. Never going to pass folks..even in an election year. Which explains why Senator's McCain and Clinton are "proposing" this solution but have not introduced any actual legislation in the Senate to accomplish it.

[Jaradan]

It's really hard explaining what is a simple concept in economics 101 courses but sounds like complicated math to the average American citizen. It's simple supply and demand. If the cost of a necessity goes down, the demand will go up. Suppliers will see the increased demand and raise the prices to make more profits. With normal products, the demand would then go down as the price increases past the point of affordability. The problem with gas is that it's not a "normal" product with a normal demand curve. Most people don't have acceptable alternatives to driving their cars (public transportation is entirely too inconvenient and time-consuming if you work more than 35 miles away from home), so the demand doesn't decrease as it normally should if the prices increase. As we can see with the current gas price. Who would've thought 9 years ago that we would all willingly (although grudgingly) pay $4.00/gallon? If gas went up to $10, people would still pay. They would just cut back on luxuries or expenses and maybe drive less. But the gas people know we're not getting rid of our cars anytime soon. We are addicted to oil.

[liberalghost]

Oh stop being an ass, we aren't *ADDICTED* to oil, we're trapped in oil. Like the nation can actually "Just say "NO" to oil". Conversion to other energy systems is in the trillions of dollars.

Have you any concept of *WHY* oil rose to control our existence? BECAUSE IT WAS CHEAPER THAN HORSES!. The reason it is so difficult to convert to a non-petroleum based economy is because there is no equivalent cost savings.

Over the last couple of days even HuffPost bloggers bemoaned the cost of 700+ nuclear power plants without grasping the point that 700 such plants would allow an assembly-line orientation to their construction, similar to the building of WWII Liberty ships. Construction of these vessels dropped from months to days as practice building one led to faster building of the next. An "assembly-line" approach doesn't equal "flimsy" or "unsafe". The strategy, instead, would be "perfect" components, no cracks or defects.

What the nation needs is an "Energy Bond" approach to other forms of energy, similar to the War Bonds of the 1940s, to finance the conversion.

[twinkerbell]

Right on. It's known as inelastic demand for products like oil which do not have the normal demand curve.

[PaulALondon]

In 1975, when I was the Director of the New England Economic Research Office, I recommended that New England congressional representatives support a 50 cent gasoline tax to promote conservation. Paul Tsongas, then a representative and later a senator, called me several months later. He remembered my recommendation and said that instead he had voted for a 5 cent tax. He laughed and said that even backing a 5 cent tax had gotten him more angry mail than any vote he could remember.

The lesson is that taxing gasoline to raise it to the $7-8 per gallon paid in Europe to restrain consumption, promote efficiency, and all that good stuff is extraordinarily difficult. Ergo, Hillary's short-term 18 cent per gallon tax rebate coupled with a windfall profits tax on oil companies to make up the revenue loss is just a little relief for ordinary Americans. It is not a terrible "pander" because it doesn't change the fact that the U.S. has been unable for 35 years to develop a consensus on ways to reduce dependence of foreign oil. Hopefully Hillary (my choice) or Obama will develop a politically saleable approach taking into account the Tsongas dilemma after they are elected. It will be hard, but I can imagine progressive ways to do it. In the meantime, Obama-niks, get off your high horses. It looks easy when you aren't in politics and don't have to cast a vote.

[PAposter]

High horses? The people who want Hillary to get this Bullshit Bill through the Senate, will need a horse if she does. Because if they think the gas prices are high now, they ain't seen nothin' yet. If she was so concerned, why didn't she take action sooner. Once again, Hillary is attempting to pit Democrats against one another, and for what, this stupid idea that voters will never benefit from. BTW, how many times is she going to commit the same money to take care of all of her empty promises?

[BurtR]

Wait till we obliterate Iran for Jesus
then how much will gas cost?

[BillyT]

PaulALondon,

It is pandering because it will only benefit the Big Oil companies and rob us of jobs supported by the Highway Trust Fund. Oh, I should add it could also benefit Hillary in swindling a few votes (the magnitude of benefit to Hillary is directly proportional to the degree of ignorance in IN and NC voters).

Your situation is adding nonexistent taxes. This situation is taking away taxes, without any ability to control what Big Oil will charge. Of course it will go up and up.

It is not just the concept of "a little savings couldn't hurt...."

It is harmful, saves nothing, and only benefits Big Oil.

[pdsimdars]

You slid over or ignored facts and rational arguments. You don't want it to be what it IS. To anyone paying attention that defines you as a Clinton supporter.
The reality - it won't help AT ALL and will do a lot of damage. It is a HUGE, BLATANT, ARROGANT PANDER.
That's $9 Billion out of infrastructure. That's a lot of JOBS. Can you REALLY tell people STRAIGHT FACED that $10 a MONTH is RELIEF? You HAVE to be kidding. That's only POSSIBLE 'relief', IF gas prices stay the same. Increased DEMAND means increased price. Did you miss that part?
Also, remember how quick Congress was with the 'economic stimulus' package? THAT had LARGE bi-partisan support. How quickly do you think Hillary can get this windfall-profits tax passed? How much bi-partisan support is there? Will Bush sign it, by SUMMER? Which summer? Not the one that starts any day now?
I am sick to death of so called 'leaders' slurring over the facts and fudging reality with some fantasy scenario. What troubles me is a Supposed Democrat pushing a whimsical plan, discredited by all EXPERTS in the field, insisting she knows better than they do, "with her or against her" mentality, ignoring everyone and everything and stubbornly pushing down a path because she will not admit she is WRONG!
You need to wake up, look beyond whatever you think you are seeing and realize that what you are really seeing is the Bush characteristics in a pants suit!

[skibum49]

Ok I have a real simple question for those of you on here who know more about the Clinton Campaign than I do. Where is the BILL (what is the number for the Senate Legislation to accomplish this gas tax holiday? Where is Senator McCains Senate legislation to do the same thing? I keep hearing that she and Senator McCain are "proposing" this temporary relief but so far I have searched Thomas.gov and I don't see any legislation in the Senate or the House for that matter. Lets get real folks. Neither Senator even has to be in Washington to introduce this legislation. An aid could draft the bill and take it down to the Senate Clerk. Hell they could draft the bill themselves and Fax it to the Senate Clerk. We have three weeks until the start of the summer driving season. Where's the beef (ops the bill)? So far it just sounds like sound bytes for TV interviews. You and I can't introduce Bills in the Congress but these two clowns can. If there is only talking and no legislating then it is indeed just pandering.

[BillyT]

It's just GAS BAGS TALKING.

There will be no BILL.

It's already shot down by Reid, Pelosi.

It's just catchy enough to grab the ignorant voters in IN. But she has no intention of implementing it.

And just like a snake oil saleswoman, she will have skipped town after swindling their votes, never to come back to the topic or to care about Indiana again.

[dragonfly777]

If I had known the Huffington Post was biased, I would not have joined and will definitely get out. You bunch of elitists asses. When was the last time you watched someone making minimum wage fill their tank? Put penny's up to pay for the gas or food. Undereducated, poor old gun-toting, religious clinging anti-everything rural, ghetto people (urban uneducated)
It is temporary relief...and poor people need it. How about you elite educated people take up some donation for the minimum wage earner and help them buy gas? Put YOUR money where your mouth is! Didn't think so....MY MONEY? MY POCKET?
How about the Huffington Post employees taking public transit and riding bikes to work.?
You scorn Hillary, but you have no plan. Like Obama..you criticize, but you have no real answer or plan how to help..Lots of blowing off your mouths, but no real substance and no answers.
If you educated sages have the answers then let's hear it. Run for president,. Hell, post your big ideas on the web so everyone may benefit.
I await your big answers!

[saulpaulus]

As you should have noted below, this gas tax cut won't save anyone any money. It's been tried before and the oil companies haven't lowered prices at all. They've pocketed the money and kept prices the same. Also, there is no way either Hillary or McCain would follow through on this. If they were elected, they would find some excuse for not doing it and count on all of us having short attention spans when they were called on it. Barack is telling you the truth about the gas tax. It's a bad idea and Hillary and McCain are lying to get your vote.

[Cybershaman]

Not only that, the individual gas stations are having a hard time selling pop and snacks to people who have to put every last dollar into the tank. THAT'S the only way they have been able to make any money for the last thirty years. They'll have to keep the price up to finally make some money.

[Zogtastic]

I don't have a solution... but I can spot a shit one from a mile away.

This won't help anyone.

And stop using the word 'elitist' like you just flipped to it in your word-a-day calendar.

[thetruthbringer]

Exactly...You can tell the surest sign that people have no clue what they're talking about...when they keep using these stupid buzz words that they just learned, like "elitist". It does not even fit in this context, idiots.

[TheJibreelaMonsters]

Its the New Chicago Politics of "hope and change"

dont worry, Obama's Children of the Corn will cover for him.

[BillyT]

OK, dragonfly777, time to get some reality in you:

it's not the amount of savings that we object to.

IT WILL NEVER SAVE YOU ANY MONEY!!!!

Do you get that part: it won't help, and will definitely hurt??

1. Do you think Big Oil cares about minimum-wage people? They will raise the price to match or exceed once 18 cents tax is lifted.

2. Where do you think that money is going, instead of to paving and repairing roads, it goes straight to Big Oil.

3. Without money to repair roads, hundred of thousands of jobs will be lost.

This is the scenario.

Before you get off more Hillary-sponsored mindless droning about how to not trust the experts, just think about steps 1,2, and 3 and you will see it takes no expertise to see why Gas Tax Holiday is such a damaging idea.

Again, it's not that it will only save a little bit: IT WILL NOT, AND WE ALL SUFFER TO MAKE BIG OIL RICHER.

GET A GRIP ON THE FACTS AND NOT HILLARY LIES.

[SpoxLogic]

- If you smoke, forgo just two packs a month, and you'll get the same savings.
- If you like to eat at McDonalds (or any fast food joint), forgo one thing from the dollar menu and you'd
save the same amount (if you just ate there 5 times per week)
- cut the amount of miles you drive over the 90-day peiod by 300 miles (that just 100 miles per month)-
and you save the same amount

The end result is, you have the same amount of money in your pocket and you didn't lose anything for the Highway Fund.

But, I guess, you'd rather stick to your old habits and could care less if jobs are lost or your roads go to hell...

[AC500]

She has such a lot in common with Bush its scary. Instead of admitting she made a mistake, as said, instead she digs in. She stood by and watched her campaign being run off a cliff by Penn, a trusted adviser and loyal friend, rather than stepping in and making a course correction. Her thinking is in a rut ... she has a one track mind. She dug in about health care back in the 90's. She doesn't seem to learn from her mistakes. She's stubborn and lives in a fantasy world (When I'm the President ... we're succeeding in Iraq). She's full of rhetoric (obliterate Iran ... weapons of mass destruction) and bluster (landed under sniper firer ... mission accomplished). She's divisive (you're either with us or against us languaging) and confrontational (obliterate Iran). She fear mongers (red phone/ads featuring bin Landen ... 911). She lies (sniper fire in Bosnia ... fuel rods). The list goes on.

[InDaZone]

I live in Buffalo, NY. When Hillary was running for Senate... she said she was going to bring in 300,000 jobs. We lost 30,000 jobs and she blamed it on Bush. But ask anyone in New York what she actually did to try and bring in the jobs.... everyone will say... I DON'T KNOW.

Hillary will say absolutely anything to get votes. This is just another example of her pathetic pandering and false promises.

[TheJibreelaMonsters]

I lived in Buffalo, NY also and never voted for for Hillary... and I'm not voting for BHO either

Life long Republican just because of living in Buffalo!

[VicPerry]

What did Buffalo do to deserve that?

[auntiecairo]

A true Democrat would be imploring people to conserve energy and working on funding for alternative fuels - which is what Obama is espousing. This way Clinton can make the oil companies happy by increasing their profits over the Summer and some consumers who actually believe a few cents is going to help them. Why not put forth programs to assist specific parties unable to pay for fuel - discounts for truckers; vouchers for the poor -- all of the politicians talk about breaking our dependence on foreign oil - but nobody actually does anything about it. And you'll see the same method for dealing with insurance -- the insurance companies will profit as mandates are put in place, but people who really need insurance still won't be able to get it. . .

[Futumpsh]

Exactly right! Our leaders should be encouraging us to conserve this summer, not consume!

Get out your bikes, people! It will save you FAR MORE than a gas tax holiday will. I'm 70lbs overweight and I've been biking to work for several weeks. If I can do it, anybody can. Don't look to Hillary to help your pocketbook or the environment. Do it for yourself!

[OkieMon]

in another obama slap in the face to the little people he basically says in you remove the gas tax the greedy oil companies will just raise prices....well if obaby had a spine his response to this should be if they do, we will throw the oil CEOs into jail for price fixing. but instead he smears clinton like the obaby that he is.

[smark]

It is so pathetic how many lies Hillary will come up with to drum up votes. And after she gets the votes, she will just kick the voters to the curb because she does not need them anymore! How can anyone believe her when she tells them that she opposes NAFTA and trade deals with Columbia and China while Bill is out making millions promoting trade deals!! Maybe Hillary and Bill will make the mortgage payments of their supporters when they lose their jobs to China and Columbia. Maybe the shady Clinton Foundation can give them all jobs?

The Clintons only care about THEMSELVES and NO ONE ELSE! It is quite obvious the way she is trying to tear the Democratic Party apart. What part of the DNC rules do they not understand?? Or is it that they are always opting to move the goalpost and change the rules when it is convenient for them? She acknowledged when she did not think she NEEDED the voters of Michigan and Florida that they did not count due to the individual state's breaking of the DNC rules. And now that she NEEDS the votes, all of a sudden she cares about the voters?!! Give me a break!! THE LAST TIME I CHECKED, THIS COUNTRY IS NOT CALLED THE UNITED STATES OF CLINTON.

[tc399]

Oh, the BUSH administration, whose family business is oil and passed laws which enable big oil to make RECORD PROFITS EVERY MONTH is going to toss someone in the oil business in jail for price gouging or price fixing?

How many suns can you see from the plant you live on?

[Linglu]

What makes you think she can suspend the tax anyway? It's not her decision alone. You want to save $20,00 or 30 bucks so that our highways will go to #ell and people will lose their jobs because they have no work? The Republicans won't stand for it and unless we get 60 loyal Democrats in the senate, the Republican's can stop it. These things aren't just a majority vote and the Republicans are sleeping with the oil companies.
It won't be done this summer anyway.
Promises, promises and people swallow it.

[holleyc]

That is impossible for that would just amount to the government setting oil prices which legally it can't do and if it did would only make the problem much worse as the demand would skyrocket and drive up the price of oil on the global market. Plus, the US hasn't done that since world war 2 and if you insists we go that rout we may as well set prices for food too. Also, Obama he has stated repeatedly (go to youtube and watch any of his numerous speeches. ) he plans to investigate price gouging on the part of the oil companies and institute a oil profits tax like Hillary which if ever passed then the companies will just pass the costs on to the consumers again, offsetting the repeal of the other gas tax. It would be a zero sum game. This is something that just about every economist (most of whom are not rich elites as Clinton would say) and expert with common sense has said.

FYI If you do some math if you were to redistribute the 30 billion that exxon profited last year, that would only amount to 20 cents a gallon. The fact is that Oil itself is a very scarce and very indemand product. If you think that gas is ever going to be less then $3.00 a gallon you are living in a fantasy.

[proudliberal4truth]

If YOU think oil prices are actually driven by supply and demand, then YOU are the one living in a fantasy world. Does the word "monopoly" mean anything to you?

[peskyliberal]

Thanks for another episode of "Revenge of the C Students"

[rkoenn]

Hilary would sell her soul to the devil to become president. She has become pathetic and I think has already sold half her soul to Karl Rove (he gave her his play book for it) and the Repubs. This is such a feeble, ill-conceived attempt to buy votes. We have a public infrastructure collapsing, like bridges killing people, and we are now going to pull the taxes that support rebuilding these things so she can become president. And as much as she touts job formation how about all the jobs that go away because we don't have money to spend on rebuilding? And of course lets make it easier to drive where we don't need to go and build up more green house gases. We should raise the gas tax, rebuild the infrastructure, put money into energy research, and figure out a way to quit sending money to our mid-Eastern buddies like the Saudis. But pandering for votes is more important than touting the difficult course that we need to follow in this country for a few years. I will vote for her over McCain (Bush Jr.) but am hoping and praying I get to vote for Obama instead.

[researcher]

The mentality that got us into Vietnam is the same mentality that got us into Iraq.

Just yesterday I was talking to a veteran of the Vietnam War. He was in the air force and stationed in Vietnam. So I asked him who were the Viet cong. he said they were the North Vietnamese.

The Viet Cong were the South Vietnamese. We got involved in a civil war just like we now have created a civil war in Iraq. Vietnam was a war for profits and Iraq is a war for profits and oil reserves.

My point is that most Americans don’t even know whom they are warring with.

The American people must change their imperialism ideas or else these wars will happen over and over again. Mc war wants more war and will bomb Iran. If we elect him we deserve him. He wants a win under his belt. And we call this man a war hero.

Maybe an economic collapse will tone down our imperialism and wars for profits. Karma demands that we pay a heavy price for our war mongering not as punishment but as lessons in life and society. Ask Germany how their war mongering worked out for them.

Rev Wright was not that far off base but we Americans prefer to be victims and self-righteous.

[saulpaulus]

Vietnam was NOT a war for profits. On one level, it was about ideology. We were involved in a Cold War and this was another front. On another, it was about political cover. First, JFK and then LBJ got political cover from the Right for their domestic agenda. Then Nixon got political cover for his foreign policy agenda by promising to turn the conflict over to the South Vietnamese....after laying waste to the Viet Cong (or as they were properly called, the National Liberation Front). The sad thing is that many of the NLF were killed or put into reeducation camps right along with their ARVN enemies in 1975. They might have been on our side if we'd kicked the French out in 1945. And, even if we think he is wrong on some issues, McCain is a war hero.

[SpoxLogic]

I once had some respect for McCain, but once he flip-flopped on the waterboarding torture issue, he lost me completely. That's another person who'll say or do anything to get elected, too. I mean, some political pandering is to be expected, but these two (Hillary and McCain) are just too much.

And you know the shocking part...a lot of people thinks it's a sign of strength.

[MourningDude]

If 'pandering' is defined as "giving the voters what they want", then I think we should see far MORE pandering by people in Congress.

The gas tax is regressive, and it's making already high gas prices even more painful.

If giving people a tax holiday is pandering, then pander away!

[ConcernedAboutRFuture]

Dude! Stay in bed.

[blytzd]

Federal Gas Tax is 18 cents, the price of gas sways more than that each weekend. Hell it spikes permanently more that every other month. Ending the Iraq War would lower gas prices more than a tax break. Ending our constant spewing of harassment towards Iran and other oil rich countries would lower it further.

[joselopez]

Mourning:

In politics, pandering is to portray one's views to fit in line with a certain crowd of voters the candidate is attempting to impress, when often, these are not the candidate's true beliefs. A candidate may engage in pandering out of desperation if s/he is already losing a race, or if polls taken prior to an election show others as being in the lead.

That does not mean that the voter is going to get what the person said they were offering. As in this case, there is no way on earth Bush would sign any law that calls for the oil companies to pay the tax.

[mheister]

The gas tax is cheaper than the additional car repairs people would face from unfilled potholes. FYI.

[NightRider]

Your definition is wrong. That is why you don't get it.

Pander: To cater to the lower tastes and desires of others or exploit their weaknesses

YOU ARE BEING EXPLOITED BY HILLARY!