U.S. presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and John McCain have said they support temporarily suspending the federal excise tax on gasoline and diesel fuel over the summer to ease the impacts of high fuel prices on consumers. McCain indicated he would shift revenue from other sources to cover the estimated $9 billion dip in highway infrastructure funds that would result; Clinton has proposed enacting a windfall-profits tax on oil companies to make up the shortfall. Both Clinton and McCain attacked Barack Obama for opposing the tax suspension. "This is one of the big differences in this race," Clinton said at a campaign rally. "My opponent Senator Obama opposes giving consumers a break on the gas tax at the federal level. I support it. I understand the American people need some relief." Obama said the tax suspension will make little difference, will encourage oil consumption and imports, could be canceled out by subsequent oil-price increases, and will only save the average consumer about $30 total over the summer.
How I Spent My Summer Tax Vacation
McCain, Clinton support summer gas-tax rollback 17
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29 Apr 2008 5:39 AM
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juliedell Posted 3:20 am
29 Apr 2008
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bobmaginnis Posted 3:22 am
29 Apr 2008
Bob Maginnis
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amarct Posted 3:47 am
29 Apr 2008
McCain and Clinton are ready to give up a big chunk of taxes(in a time of war, mind you) just so people can feel better at burning more gas... while still giving the Exxons and Texacos of the world their unfair share while subsidizing their polluting activities?
In my mind this is utterly unpatriotic!
And that speaks loud on the type of leader those two people would be: To please the basic instincts of the masses and blind them to the reality that awaits them...
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roncastle Posted 3:49 am
29 Apr 2008
Senator Obama is the only candidate who appears prepared to tell us what we need to hear. The past and current lack of leadership in Washington is going to cost us much more than high gas prices.
We need real leadership to make big changes in energy policy. I want my electric car and solar panels to charge it up NOW.
Clinton or McCain? Doesn't make any difference. Neither one of them are up to the job of making the real changes we need. Perhaps they should run on the same ticket?
Go, Barack, go,
Ron Castle
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earlysnows Posted 4:00 am
29 Apr 2008
I should be for gas tax relief, right? it would keep the traffic coming.
Well, some time ago I realized that the post world war II party America has been on is now over. I'm wondering, though, how many people in the States realize this.
It ain't business as usual anymore and we all better "make other arrangements".
One more summer of great driving because of gas tax relief? Get a life.
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Wolverine Posted 4:53 am
29 Apr 2008
It's nice that Barak Obama is opposed to the proposed tax suspension, albeit for the wrong reasons (i.e., not because he doesn't want people to consume gas) from what I've seen. But it is Hillary Clinton, not Obama, who is supported by the people who run the Democratic Party. Right wing Democrats are becoming indistinguishable from Republicans, and disgusting positions like this one by Clinton just add fodder to those who claim there is no difference between the parties.
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awkline Posted 5:12 am
29 Apr 2008
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GonzoDon Posted 6:06 am
29 Apr 2008
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Wolverine Posted 6:17 am
29 Apr 2008
But don't delude yourself into thinking that some magical technology will solve the ecological problems caused by private motor vehicles. Consumption and burning of petroleum is only one of those problems, the rest of which will not be solved by switching to alternative fuels.
Instead, people have to live more simply, including living near work, shopping, and school, and committing to public walking, bicycling, and public transit. All else is just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.
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Pangolin Posted 6:55 am
29 Apr 2008
It's working great for that Iraq war budget. We can just peg the dollar to the peso at this rate.
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Howell Haus Posted 9:45 am
29 Apr 2008
If the Clinton campaign wishes to align itself with the oil interests by supporting more consumption via lower prices, so be it. But, she won't receive my vote come November. Obama, although mentioning that it won't affect consumption, has an opportunity to really differentiate himself from the others, especially McCain. To do so might help him be the Greener candidate and score the endorsements of Gore and Roberts.
For all of us posting on this site, the important thing is to think and act in ways that affect the decisions of those around us, especially our family and neighbors. My rooftop organic garden has attracted more conversations than anything else and helped me get to know others, while encouraging them to do something positive too.
More than anything, we need to invest in clean technologies and companies that 'are' making a mark on society. Just do a search for electric vehicles and you'll be astounded. As for me an mine, we'll see you out there, on our bikes, of course...
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Nickelking Posted 6:10 pm
29 Apr 2008
I'm with Obama on this one, even without the environmental impacts in mind.
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jennconspiracy Posted 7:59 am
30 Apr 2008
People pay a lot more for gas in other parts of the world -- it's a travesty how little we do pay. Once we get up to $7-9/gallon (like in England and Italy), people will start thinking about public transportation, working closer to home, using more fuel efficient vehicles.
But cutting taxes to help them maintain their current standards of consumption? What will that help? Enough of this magical thinking already.
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Pangolin Posted 8:21 am
30 Apr 2008
Cars are magic boxes that get you there. They work when you turn the key and feed them gas. When they don't work we take them to the wizard mechanic to get fixed.
We won't even discuss where the electric power goes and why you can charge somebody $75 to change a light switch. I've met grown adult asians who were unable to cook rice without an electric rice cooker. I know a woman in her 70's who cannot bake a potato without reading instructions.
People have no ability to distinguish who is lying to them because they really have no idea how anything works. We're all bleeping idiots and we just want our free cookies.
That's why we're willing to believe total BS from our political leaders.
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greenfire8 Posted 8:44 am
30 Apr 2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mk8pxyAWTBk
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Wolverine Posted 11:05 am
30 Apr 2008
Re this speech, I fully agree and even wrote an essay to that effect in law school. Read the Federalist Papers if you haven't, and you'll be surprised at how little concern that the "Founding Fathers," especially the Hamiltonians, had for the general population.
* This is the one area where I totally disagree with Chomsky, and we even had a brief telephone exchange re the matter on a radio talk show. He thinks most Americans are just fine, but that they don't have the information they need to make informed decisions because of censorship and propaganda by the corporate media. While I agree that the censorship and propaganda takes place, there's no excuse for not at least making a serious effort to find out what's really going on. And it's also obvious to me that Americans have had it far too good for far too long, as a close friend once put it, causing them to be much more greedy, selfish, and materialistic than others, and causing great apathy regarding politics. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it, and I've got my big screen TV and SUV, so leave well enough alone and don't bother me with politics!"
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greenfire8 Posted 11:25 am
30 Apr 2008
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