Obama: Rivals' gas-tax cuts a ploy

This so-call "gas tax holiday", it's almost as dumb as the Winger's always saying "we're winning in Iraq" and it figures that it would come from an economic know-nothing like McCain...and it also figures that Billary would piggyback on it since she's really a Republican.

This so-called summer gas tax rollback would not only encourage increased gas comsumption, it would also continue driving up our massive $9 trillion and counting budget deficit that the Repubs have run up and it would do it in the summer months when we can actually work on our infrastructure because it would dry up money (this is already massively underfunded) that's goes to repairing our crumbling bridges, roads etc.

"this isn't an idea designed to get you through the summer, it's designed to get them through an election."

EXACTLY the truth!

First, he votes in FAVOR of big tax breaks for oil companies, then he gives a speech right beside a gas pump in Indiana that he wants to take away tax breaks for oil companies, now he says NO to just a slight break to Americans at the pump. Why? Because he wants those big tax breaks for oil companies to continue! He voted IN FAVOR of these! Obama, Americans will go down the street to save 2 cents! It is principle now! Another fraud Obama. Owned by big oil companies! Plenty of BIG OIL EXECUTIVES gave big bucks to Obama. Yes, they did! Kind of like NAFTA/Canada gate! The more we know of Mr. UNAmerican, the more we know to never vote for him.

It is a ploy.

The money goes directly into the transportation fund to pay for road maintenance and improvements. Thousands of jobs would be lost/laid off, roads would deteriorate even more and existing projects could be cancelled.

Follow basic economics and see how those dollars spent on roads get filtered through the economy over and over.

This is an area of government that actually has an immediate real effect on the economy. Keep those road projects moving to keep people employed.

Gee...if that is the answer...instead of sending us checks, how about we just don't pay income tax for the summer. This is just a placebo for votes.

Then why as an IL Senator did he vote for a gas tax holiday? In Chicago alone you pay over $1 per gallon in taxes both federal, state, and city. Think giving us a holiday on those taxes wont make a diff. That is the diff between 3.80 a gallon and 2.80 a gallon. that would save you $20 per fillup.

We would not need gas tax holidays or stimulus checks if the original "tax cuts" benefited people fairly. They didn't, and now we are being thrown little bones here and there, which won't do a bit of good.

Think how much gas we'd save if we eliminated the gas tax and stopped funding road and bridge repairs! I'm surprised McCain hasn't asked for a permanent tax holiday.

Obama:
"Well let me tell you something," he continued, "this isn't an idea designed to get you through the summer, it's designed to get them through an election."

Dude! Enough said.......

I didn't believe the Hillary and McCain tools for a second.

None of the propaganda out here on the sphere is aimed at anyone other than Obama??.....

Go figure.........someone fears him.

"OBAMA SPEAKS"

GEORGE BUSH, DICK CHENEY HEARD THE VOICES AND HERE WE ARE!

GEORGE BUSH, DICK CHENEY HAD "SECRET" MEETINGS WITH "THEIR GOD" AND HERE WE ARE.

GEORGE BUSH, DICK CHENEY, HELD HANDS WITH THE SAUDI PRINCE! AND HERE WE ARE.

GEORGE BUSH, DICK CHENEY, "BIG OIL" FAB FIVE FREDDIES 200 BILLION DOLLAR SURPLUS AND NO END IN SIGHT, AND HERE WE ARE!

"EAVESDROPPING, WIRETAPPING, DATAMINING, ILLEGALLY FOR 6 YEARS, SABER RATTLING, AXIS OF EVIL, AND THE LACK OF "LEADERSHIP" IS WHERE WE ARE!

GEORGE BUSH HEARD THE VOICES, HE'S THE DECIDER GUY. AND HERE WE ARE!

NO CONSTITUTION FOR YOU!

None of the propaganda out here on the sphere is aimed at anyone other than Obama??.....
Go figure.........someone fears him.

Posted by: ApostasyUSA | April 29, 2008 2:09 PM

Very true..
Corporate America/Corporate Media (GOP/Clinton family) runs this country and they're going to do everything in their power to make sure that Obama doesn't win this fall.

It's already happening, it's why we're debating stupid stuff like flag pins, pastors etc etc, they'll stop at nothing to bring Obama down, you watch....

"We're both in favor of taxing the windfall profits tax of oil companies. They're making billions and it's time we made them give back," Obama said.

I'm a little suspicious of Obama's plan of raising taxes on oil companies. First, nobody roots for Goliath, and big oil is an easy target for a populist message. But to imply that cracking down on "price gouging" will bring down oil prices oversimplifies a complex problem. We have increasing worldwide demand, an unwillingness of Americans to consume less, and a cartel called OPEC that controls two thirds of the world's known oil reserves, arbitrarily fixes prices, refuses to increase supply, and has several member nations hostile to the west. These factors and others have driven up the worldwide price of gas, not just in the US. A gallon of gas in places like the UK and Germany costs north of $8 in US dollars. Implying that “price gouging” by US oil companies is the source of the problem grossly oversimplifies the complexity of factors putting upward pressure on gas prices.

Secondly, big oil passes along every current tax to the consumer. Is there any doubt they would also attempt do so with this proposed tax? Wouldn't that put upward pressure on price? And how does increasing taxes help to increase supply?

Finally, is it really the federal government's job to tell private companies how much they can charge for their products, or how much money they can make? Where do they come up with the figures? Just pick some arbitrary number? As I said before, nobody roots for Goliath and nobody roots for big oil, but the federal government arbitrarily deciding who can make what is a dangerous precedent.

I'm glad to hear that Obama is above pandering. He wants to take the chump change and invest it to make sure our oil prices are cheap next summer.
"I want to invest that money... so that we're not here talking about high gas prices next summer."

This is the only Democrat running for president who voted for Dick Cheney's energy bill, hardly credible there.

Herbie, you're dead wrong.

Government exists to protect the interests of the people. Corporations are not superior to the government or the people. Regulation of corporations is necessary, and has been necessary for as long as corporations exist. The interests of the people and the interests of the corporations due not always coincide. When the actions of corporations become detrimental to the interest of the people as a whole, goverment regulation is a perfectly legitimate, and necessary action.

"The true friend of property, the true conservative, is he who insists that property shall be the servant and not the master of the commonwealth; who insists that the creature of man's making shall be the servant and not the master of the man who made it. The citizens of the United States must effectively control the mighty commercial forces which they have themselves called into being."

Good for you, Senator Obama. Call it for what it is, a gimmick. If they wanted to do something for real, they could have the Oil Corporations initiate a give-back to the consumers, especially when you consider there 123 BILLION DOLLAR PROFITS FOR LAST YEAR, ALONE!!!!! The other candidates do not have the courage to propose such a measure, instead they offer gimmicks!!! Go, Senator Obama, stay on focus and take stands that show your leadership abilities!!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE. NOW.

I think Obama's missing the bigger picture on this. Maybe it will only save you $20 at the pump, but how else will it save you money? Think of how your grocery prices have increased because of fuel costs, how airline prices have increased due to fuel costs. Gas prices, airline tickets are high and people stop traveling for summer vacation, don't spend that extra money and the economy starts to slide further into a recession. When your economy relies on consumer spending to keep it afloat, you can't let consumers stop spending. It's not about the gas, it's about the economy!

Bull Moose,

You talk in very general terms about the necessity of regulation, but you don't really address this specific proposal, or any of my specific criticisms of it. If you are assuming that I am somehow against all regulation of corporate activity, you are mistaken. I am against those that appear arbitrary and not rationally related to their stated goal.