McCain Proposes Gas Tax Holiday
At a speech at Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Mellon University, Senator John McCain laid out his economic agenda for the nation. “If I am elected president I intend to act quickly and decisively,” McCain said to a crowd of about 300. “We need reforms that promote growth and opportunity. We need rules that assure fairness and punish wrongdoing in the market. We need tax policies that respect the wage-earners and job creators who make this economy run, and help them to succeed in a global economy. In all of this, it will not be enough to simply dust off the economic policies of four, eight, or twenty-eight years ago. We have our own work to do. We have our own challenges to meet.”
McCain laid out a series of proposals his campaign insists is consistent with his philosophy of a conservative and limited government, including increasing the personal exemption for dependents from $3,500 to $7,000, halting all government discretionary spending (minus military and veterans programs) for a year while programs are reviewed, a “simpler, a flatter, and a fair” tax code including a complete phase out of the Alternative Minimum Tax, and an end of government subsidization of prescription drug benefits for the affluent.
But making the most waves is his proposed gas tax holiday. With the Energy Department predicting fuel costs to reach an average of $3.60/gallon this summer, today Senator McCain proposed eliminating all gas taxes from Memorial Day through Labor Day, saving Americans more than 18 cents a gallon.
done
In the past, McCain has said that economics is not his forte - a comment that has been picked up by his Democratic opponents. Today the campaign put out a new ad, the first general election ad, called “Ignite,” which will promote his economic agenda in Pennsylvania and Ohio. Watch it here:
Read McCain’s proposals, as sent by the campaign, and selected copy from today’s speech after the jump
GAS PRICES: John McCain Believes We Should Institute A Summer Gas Tax Holiday. Hard-working American families are suffering from higher gasoline prices. John McCain calls on Congress to suspend the 18.4 cent federal gas tax and 24.4 cent diesel tax from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
“I propose that the federal government suspend all taxes on gasoline now paid by the American people — from Memorial Day to Labor Day of this year. The effect will be an immediate economic stimulus — taking a few dollars off the price of a tank of gas every time a family, a farmer, or trucker stops to fill up. Over the same period, our government should suspend the purchase of oil for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which has also contributed to the rising price of oil. This measure, combined with the summer-long “gas-tax holiday,” will bring a timely reduction in the price of gasoline. And because the cost of gas affects the price of food, packaging, and just about everything else, these immediate steps will help to spread relief across the American economy.”
STUDENT LOANS: John McCain Is Proposing A Student Loan Continuity Plan. Students face the possibility that the credit crunch will disrupt loans for the fall semester. John McCain calls on the federal government and the 50 governors to anticipate problems and expand the lender-of-last resort capabilities for each state’s guarantee agency.
“By summer’s end, moreover, millions of college students will be counting on their student loans to come through — and we need to make sure that happens. These young Americans, including perhaps some of you at CMU, are among the many citizens whose ability to obtain a loan might be seriously hurt by faraway problems not of their own making. So, today, I propose that the Department of Education work with the governors to make sure that each state’s guarantee agency has the means and manpower to meet its obligation as a lender-of-last-resort for student loans. In the years ahead, these young Americans will be needed to sustain America’s primacy in the global marketplace. And they should not be denied an education because the recklessness of others has made credit too hard to obtain.”
MIDDLE CLASS TAX CUTS: John McCain Will Double The Personal Exemption For Dependents. John McCain believes the tax code should be less of a burden on those, whether they are mothers and fathers or single parents, who are trying to raise a family. He proposes to raise the personal exemption for each dependent from $3,500 to $7,000.
“I will also send to the Congress a middle-class tax cut — a complete phase-out of the Alternative Minimum Tax to save more than 25 million middle-class families more than 2,000 dollars every year. Our tax laws and those who enforce them should treat all citizens with respect, whether they are married or single. But mothers and fathers bear special responsibilities, and the tax code must recognize this. Inflation has eroded the value of the exemption for dependents. I will send to Congress a reform to increase the exemption — with the goal of doubling it from 3,500 dollars to 7,000 dollars for every dependent, in every family in America.”
A SIMPLER TAX CODE: John McCain Will Propose An Alternative New And Simpler Tax System — And Give America A Real Choice. When this reform is enacted, all who wish to stay under the current system could still do so, but everyone else could choose a vastly less complicated system with two tax rates and a generous standard deduction. Americans do not resent paying their rightful share of taxes — what they do resent is being subjected to thousands of pages of needless and often irrational rules and demands from the IRS.
“What we need is a simpler, a flatter, and a fair tax code. As president, I will propose an alternative tax system. When this reform is enacted, all who wish to file under the current system could still do so. And everyone else could choose a vastly less complicated system with two tax rates and a generous standard deduction. Americans do not resent paying their rightful share of taxes — what they do resent is being subjected to thousands of pages of needless and often irrational rules and demands from the IRS. We know from experience that no serious reform of the current tax code will come out of Congress, that’s another straight talk - so now it is time to turn the decision over to the people. We are going to create a new and simpler tax system — and give the American people a choice.”
GOVERNMENT SPENDING: John McCain Proposes A One-Year Spending Pause To Evaluate Programs. He believes that outside of essential military and veterans programs there should be a one-year discretionary spending pause that should be used for a top-to-bottom review of the effectiveness of federal programs.
“As president, I will also order a prompt and thorough review of the budgets of every federal program, department, and agency. While that top to bottom review is underway, we will institute a one-year pause in discretionary spending increases with the necessary exemption of military spending and veterans benefits. “Discretionary spending” is a term people throw around a lot in Washington, while actual discretion is seldom exercised. Instead, every program comes with a built-in assumption that it should go on forever, and its budget increase forever. My administration will change that way of thinking. I’ll hold the agencies of the federal government accountable for the money they spend.”
MEDICARE GROWTH: John McCain Believes That We Should Not Subsidize The Prescription Drugs Of America’s Most Affluent Individuals. He will propose reforms to reduce the large subsidies in the Medicare drug program.
“When we added the prescription drug benefit to Medicare, a new and costly entitlement, we included many people who are more than capable of purchasing their own medicine without assistance from taxpayers who struggle to purchase their own. People like Bill Gates and Warren Buffet don’t need their prescriptions underwritten by taxpayers. Those who can afford to buy their own prescription drugs should be expected to do so. This reform alone will save billions of dollars that could be returned to taxpayers or put to better use.”
How about a 360 day holiday John
The other 5 days we will pay the tax LOL
I wish McCain would propose something more meaningful, like limiting the profits of gas companies.
Is this the kind of leadership we are to expect from him?
I agree Michael, also the Gov. should never make more of a profit than the company supplying the product. If they are make 8 cents per gallon then the tax should be no higher than 8 cents per gallon, 60 cents per gallon for doing absolutly nothing is absurd.
As a native of small town in PA, i’ve been deeply offended by Obama’s comment. I gave him the benefit of doubt for a long time. Not anymore. Rev. Wright, Michelle Obama and now his own words.
I love my country and i want the best for my country. Obama and i are on the opposite ends of that issue.
IT is a great idea to give a gas tax holiday, reducing gas 18 cents a gallon, thru Labor Day, shows the people you care. Except, after Labor Day, gas prices go back up 18 cents a gallon 60 days before the election, which will make people upset and back fire on McCain.
Make the gas holiday from July 4 thur Thanksgiving.
Since McCain continues to support shipping more jobs to other countries, exactly who is going to be left to pay these taxes? Once we’re all involved in flipping hamburgers, selling insurance, mowing lawns and selling Amway products, there’’s no going to be a heck of a lot of middle-class taxpayers left.
900 Billion dollars for doing nothing, Why are we even paying taxes, when the gov. can make that kind of money on just gas.
Tax the companys that are paying our salarys, then tax our salaries, then charge tax on everything we buy with money that has already been taxed, then more taxes every year on things we have already paid taxes on like our homes, why dont you tax the air we breathe
So sick of it.
Comment by Michael in Atlanta
April 15th, 2008 at 12:35 pm I wish McCain would propose something more meaningful, like limiting the profits of gas companies.
Is this the kind of leadership we are to expect from him?
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Limiting profits of companies Michael? And watch them disappear.
Comment by jd
April 15th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
I agree Michael, also the Gov. should never make more of a profit than the company supplying the product. If they are make 8 cents per gallon then the tax should be no higher than 8 cents per gallon, 60 cents per gallon for doing absolutly nothing is absurd.
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I’ll applaud THAT!! And if the Federal gov’t can get on board with that logic, so also should the state and local gov’ts!! And, if they start freakin’ out about road maintenance, they can skim those funds off of some other, useless, pork barrel fund with which they use to keep special interest lobbyists in their pockets.
Comment by jd
April 15th, 2008 at 1:03 pm 900 Billion dollars for doing nothing, Why are we even paying taxes, when the gov. can make that kind of money on just gas.
Tax the companys that are paying our salarys, then tax our salaries, then charge tax on everything we buy with money that has already been taxed, then more taxes every year on things we have already paid taxes on like our homes, why dont you tax the air we breathe
So sick of it.
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Vote Obama..he hasn’t met a tax he didn’t like.
UNFORTUNATLY JOHN MCCAIN DOESN’T HAVE A PRAYER. THE DEMS ARE GETTING READY TO ROLL OUT THEIR SECRET WEAPON—HIGH DEFINITION TV
JOHN McCAIN IS OLD— VERY, VERY OLD
Supply and demand a simple issue even a dem can understand but there appears few on the far left can imagine. If out put is desired by many then there will be a bidding war driving up the price per barrel. So, the dems do not desire to expand exploration to increase “our” controllable out-put then this entire crisis should be thrown at the feet of the enviromentalists….but nooooo, you will not see one dem suggest that these green peacenicks types had any influence on the dems to block oil production in Alaska….it was the fault of Bush pure and simple…yea right!
All of the voters should give the middle finger to all that blocked the alaska exploration whether dem or repub. This needs to come out big time to show that if you limit oil exploration in areas where we control then you are asking for the problems we are having right now. I totally agree with McCain ..get rid of this insane oil tax/gas tax but also agree with others ….do it permanently!!!!! This will put the dems in the hot seat big time and will show where they want to go….raise taxes not decrease them. They have said it all along so why not press to test??
Maybe someone should suggest that if there is any bitterness it is paying such taxes…today should be said to be the “bitterness day”…tax day. I am sure those middle class types pointed out by Obama were bitter from the taxes they paid today….I wonder how bitter they will be when they see the dem tax bill if they take over the white house!!! I think someone needs to outline the total tax bill raise for all americans or all classes which will occur with a dem gov’t…with the expired cuts and future programs they have proposed…..you want to see real “bitterness” let everyone see what is in the making by Obama.
I was watching John McCain give a speech at the Academy awhile back. He was talking about the Civil War and in particular Gettysburg and Picketts charge. He was tearing up alot and getting quite emotional it was apparent he was having a tough time RELIVING that day
JOHN McCAIN IS OLD–VERY, VERY OLD
I think if they eliminate tax on nessesary every day items such as fuel, they could make up the difference on unnessesary Items, such as 10 million dollar yahts, private jets, 10 million dollar homes ect ect, then no one could complain, If it isn’t nessesary and you still want it, then you have no reason to complain, if you can afford those items then you can afford the tax.
http://www.tnr.com/environmentenergy/story.html?id=bf08a566-7c44-446a-aa34-7889b0f24b5a
Woe Is He - good read at The New Republic
It sounds like there are a lot of socialist views represented on this blog…..Government limiting the profits of corporations and CEOs. God, I love it. I think people realize that limiting pork barrel spending and decreasing corporate taxes are not going to get us to where we need to be. The reality is that we have to raise taxes while at the same time limiting government whereas those taxes go towards paying off our national debt as opposed to paying for new government programs. Folks, we are in trouble regardless of who we elect as president. If you think times are bad now, just wait. There are no easy answers to our problems and our politicians are telling us what we want to hear to get elected….ALL OF THEM. Our country has to make some hard decisions and take swift action to turn things around. Are problems are cultural and related to a “GET ALL I CAN WHILE I CAN” mentallity that is tearing the very fiber of this country apart. Nobody cares about the wellfare of the entire country….everybody cares about themselve.
McCain:
OK, everybody. Fill up your tank this summer, go on a road trip, and bring your CREDIT CARD! You’re gonna need it to pay for those $10 bowls of BEANS and RICE you’ll be eating. And all that increased consumption will keep our magical PRINTING PRESSES running so we can conquer the world! And hopefully, this will keep all you SHEEP pacified, so we neocons and neolibs don’t get lynched.
Psst… can we get somebody from DHS to remove this chart from the Internet? We don’t won’t anybody to figure out that gas prices are so high because the Federal Reserve is causing inflation by devaluing the dollar. http://i9.tinypic.com/80zdc1h.gif
a temporary fix is just that; you have to take out the problem by the roots, otherwise it just keeps growing back…
Why are food and gas prices going up so fast?
Easy.
Al Gore and wackjob environmentalists.
They file lawsuits everytime an energy company makes a move.
They hate oil, natural gas, coal, nuclear.
They think biofuels instead of food is a great idea.
Next time you hear anyone say something about “Going Green”
remember thats dollars flying out of your wallet.
When Al Gore lost in 2000 to Bush he invented global warming to save face.
Al Gore has 100 million dollars. Al Gore is the American Axis of Evil.
Al Gore is the worlds biggest hypocrite. Environmentalists are the ENEMY.
Barack Hussien Obama
Wright
Rezko
Farrakhan
William Ayers
Black Phanther
Malcolm X
Barack Hussien Obama
Wright
Rezko
Farrakhan
William Ayers
Black Phanther
Malcolm X
Barack Hussien Obama
Wright
Rezko
Farrakhan
William Ayers
Black Phanther
Malcolm X
http://www.hillaryclintonforum.net/discussion/
If you exterminate white people, who’s going to pay for your welfare check??!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IN5StQAr7n0&feature=related
If you exterminate white people, who’s going to pay for your welfare check??!
If you exterminate white people, who’s going to pay for your welfare check??!
If you exterminate white people, who’s going to pay for your welfare check??!
If you exterminate white people, who’s going to pay for your welfare check??!
If you exterminate white people, who’s going to pay for your welfare check??!
If you exterminate white people, who’s going to pay for your welfare check??!
If you exterminate white people, who’s going to pay for your welfare check??!
If you exterminate white people, who’s going to pay for your welfare check??!
If you exterminate white people, who’s going to pay for your welfare check??!
If you exterminate white people, who’s going to pay for your welfare check??!
If you exterminate white people, who’s going to pay for your welfare check??!
If you exterminate white people, who’s going to pay for your welfare check??!
Al Gore and the environmentalists are the reason food and fuel prices are rising fast.
They hate OIL, NATURAL GAS, COAL, NUCLEAR.
They think biofuels instead of food.
Al Gore is the american AXIS OF EVIL.
ENVIRONMENTALISTS ARE THE ENEMY.
Environmentalists file lawsuits every time any energy company makes a move.
GOING GREEN IS ORGANIZED CRIME. GOING GREEN IS STEALING YOUR MONEY.
Al Gore is a fool. Al Gore is a criminal liar. Al Gore is wrecking the world for his own pride.
CNN has no morals
It’s not really clear that the profits by the gas companies are particularly out of line. Yes they are large, but the Return On Investment (ROI) is only 9%, which is pretty fair.
JD,
Sounds like you were a Huckabee fan but somehow I doubt it.
I WANT TO FIX HILLARY CLINTON FOR STAYING WITH BILL WHEN SHE SHOULD HAVE DIVORCED HIM OVER:
1. HIS ANTIMASTURBATION
2. HIS CHEATING ADULTERY
ALSO IM AGAINST HER NOT LISTENING TO ME ABOUT VOTING AGAINST THE ANTI POKER BILL (PHONE CALLS, LETTERS) AND RECEIVING FUNDING FROM HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANIES WHEN THEY ARE ALREADY OVERCHARGING AND AGE DISCRIMINATING. I ALSO BELIEVE LIKE JOE LIEBERMAN THAT BILL CLINTON SHOULD HAVE BEEN IMPEACHED AFTER ILLEGALLY CHEATING ON HIS WIFE.
BY the time McCain passthe bteak on the gas tax gas will be up 50cent so we will still be in a hole.
As far as a vacation that gas tax break does nothing. McCain is out of touch.
DB
acually I did like the huckster, but really didnt get much of a chance to hear more of what he was really about.
yeeeech … what a thread
Pelosi and crowd made this idea impossible.
She is subsidizing the Ethanol gas (corn based if you recall) be eliminating the Gas Tax for some period of time.
So not only is your corn based commodities (like milk) going up, so is Wheat based stuff since farmers are converting their land to corn versus wheat, and Ethanol is less efficient than gas so you get lower miles per gallon, and you also do not have a revenue stream (Fed Gas Tax) to fund McCain’s proposal.
The real answer is we need to get the US Dollar to go UP. It is being hammered down by the financial woes in the US and the Global big money is pouring into commodities including OIL which is forcing gas prices up and up. You got to fix the DOLLAR before gas prices will come back down. You also have to free up oil expolration in the US and get clean COAL.
All of the “green” windmills will not solve the issue!
All of the “green” political hype is just that, hype.
The green technologies the policticians are talking about will not be cost effective and will not provide the results (supply) that the politicians will spew forth at you.
Here is a quick test.
Why won’t Al Gore tell us how much he paid to convert his personal residence into a lean, mean “green” machine?
Answer, he spent a fortune that will NEVER pay for itself.
Another test.
How much is Nanacy Pelosi (US tax payers) paying to get the White House exterior lights replaced?
And how much in electric costs do the CURRENT White House bulbs consume annually?
Answer $700000 to replace the bulbs.
$15000 CURRENT annhual electric usage.
PAYOUT period 49 YEARS at best ($700000 divided by $15000 if you can’t do the math).
jr
Not to mention that the ethanol is going to be the downfall of agriculture. I have a family in Minnesota who will lose their farm, especially if the tax cuts (wake up, they aren’t just for the wealthy-I don’t know too many wealthy farmers) are off. The rising price of corn (somewhat like the dot com bubble) has inflated the value of their property. Now they owe taxes on a farm that doesn’t produce the money our government says it should.
Michael in Atlanta writes…
I wish McCain would propose something more meaningful, like limiting the profits of gas companies.
Is this the kind of leadership we are to expect from him?<<<<
Sweet Christ, Michael. I swear to God if you smelled flowers you would look around to find the coffin they go with. But of course you will vote for Obama and watch the gas tax increase instead of decrease.
Scott,
I guess you look forward to gas prices that are 4.00+ per gallon.
We need to drill our own oil. Now I know that will be a lot of frowns but think about this. We have everyone worried about our environment but they are happy to take oil from else where in the world. Do they think they are doing something good by not drilling here in the US? They are also drilling is south America and that is in the same continent. Believe me what happens over seas will sooner or later effect us. We need to drill our own oil from our soil and in the meantime start implementing other ways of conserving energy. Making solar energy more affordable. Using wind power. To hell with the people that don’t like what the large windmills look like. That is what Obama’s elitist friends say about the windmills. It obstructs their views. We have a lot of options but we are not using them.
I’m too broke from the cost of living and all the other taxes to buy gas anyway.
With George Bush’s encouragement, the oil companies are going drive the price of gas so high that the case for taking Iraq’s oil will seem like a good idea. Why else would the prices be going up? There is no shortage. The oil companies are not hurting for a profit.
If Bill Clinton were president, and the prices of gas was a dollar a gallon more from last year, you Bush supporters would be outraged.
We need a president who do what is in the interest of our country and not one that is only interested in promoting his political interest.
A simpler tax system is fine, but the holiday on gas taxes is nuts. Why encourage more use of petroleum? What he should be encouraging is the use of alternative sources like wind energy:
http://digits.hrblock.com/ssDigits/digits.php?rType=1&sPath=1665&sNode=1665&uId=279
“Using wind power. To hell with the people that don’t like what the large windmills look like. That is what Obama’s elitist friends say about the windmills. It obstructs their views.”
Oh yes.
Let me tell you how windmills play out.
Guess who will end up looking at them?
I guarantee that the politicans will make sure they will not end up “in their back yard”.
NEVER will you see them off the shore of Martha’s Vinyard or Nantucket. Nor will you see them in Napa Valley (just ask Ted Kennedy)
Where will they surface?
We will see them pop up in Pennsylvania right where the duck hunters can see them. And guess what, the ducks will be scared away from the constant wind mill motion. You will also see them in Appalachia where the folks who really care about THEIR land live. You will also see them on the land in Iowa where the farmers are converting their wheat land to corn so that they can satisfy a nnon-existant Ethanol demand that is artifically propped up by Federal subsidies (just ask Nancy Pelosi).
The liberal politicans will enact “landscape conservation” laws that protect their ivy class, elitist “views” from being ruined by the wind mills.
Don’t believe this?
You are naive.
“Why else would the prices be going up?”
Simple answer if you read the news:
The US Dollar is being hammered. As the Dollar goes down, big money flows to commodity based products INCLUDING oil. More demand for oil as a commodity and the price goes up.
You have to fix the DOLLAR currency value before gas prices come down!’
Comment by Michael in Atlanta
April 15th, 2008 at 4:50 pm With George Bush’s encouragement, the oil companies are going drive the price of gas so high that the case for taking Iraq’s oil will seem like a good idea. Why else would the prices be going up? There is no shortage. The oil companies are not hurting for a profit.
If Bill Clinton were president, and the prices of gas was a dollar a gallon more from last year, you Bush supporters would be outraged.
We need a president who do what is in the interest of our country and not one that is only interested in promoting his political interest.
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Michael, if you call over $100 a barrel stealing Iraq’s oil, you’re insane.
Next time you think of something….just let it go.
UNFORTUNATLY JOHN MCCAIN DOESN’T HAVE A PRAYER. THE DEMS ARE GETTING READY TO ROLL OUT THEIR SECRET WEAPON—HIGH DEFINITION TV
JOHN McCAIN IS OLD— VERY, VERY OLD
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And age brings wisdom, just imagine how much smarter than you he is or any other canidate running……
On tax no consistency, only since he start running for president he changed his tune.He grandstanded against the Bush capital-gains and dividend tax cuts and even co-sponsored an amendment with Tom Daschle to scuttle the reduction in the highest income-tax rates. Why? “I just thought it was too tilted to the wealthy and I still do. Furthermore he asserts that buying oil for strategic reserve attributed to increase of gas price, this is a false statement since only 3/10% of all domestic consumption is affected by this, and doesn’t have any measurable effect on price.
Michael in Atlanta writes…
With George Bush’s encouragement, the oil companies are going drive the price of gas so high that the case for taking Iraq’s oil will seem like a good idea. Why else would the prices be going up? There is no shortage. The oil companies are not hurting for a profit.<<<<
(sigh). Shortage no, however OPEC has been reducing production for years and will continue to do so to maintain a high price. Furthermore the United States consumes 20 million barrels of oil a day and that consumption rate is rising. The price is not high because of Bush, it’s rising because OPEC reduces production and supply goes down and Americans consume oil like pigs and demand goes up. This is basic stuff dude.
Where is all the oil the Dems said we went to Iraq to get, the Lord knows we need? Have we even brought back any oil from Iraq?
Sounds great to me. John McCain is right the Democratic Socialist party is planning the biggest tax increase since WW2. They have never seen a tax increase they don’t like and they believe in nothing but entitlements. Something like 50+% of the budget is already entitlements and thier supporting more with socialized state run health care. You don’t want to see the actual cost on the
plan the Democratic Socialist party will bring. California Democratic Socialist party will claim the gas tax is for the roads which is never spent on the roads. Its our money give us more and let us take care of ourselfs.
Comment by ari
April 15th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
On tax no consistency, only since he start running for president he changed his tune.He grandstanded against the Bush capital-gains and dividend tax cuts and even co-sponsored an amendment with Tom Daschle to scuttle the reduction in the highest income-tax rates. Why? “I just thought it was too tilted to the wealthy and I still do. Furthermore he asserts that buying oil for strategic reserve attributed to increase of gas price, this is a false statement since only 3/10% of all domestic consumption is affected by this, and doesn’t have any measurable effect on price.
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I can only stay long enough to call you a complete goober on this topic.
McCain is a moderate, not a full blown conservative. We’ve known that from day 1, and many of us have said from day1 that McCain is our second or third cjhoice.
It is typical garbage left wing tactics to try to reshape the opponent, then attack that shape.
McCain voted against tax cuts ONCE, very vocally linking his decision to the fact that Congress refused to make corresponding spending cuts. Pretty straight up. It hacked off a lot of Republicans, but demonstrated a bit of principal.
His stance in the campaign has been cut taxes AND cut spending.
No waffling, except in the minds of Democrat strategists.
Michael in Atlanta writes…
With George Bush’s encouragement, the oil companies are going drive the price of gas so high that the case for taking Iraq’s oil will seem like a good idea. Why else would the prices be going up? There is no shortage. The oil companies are not hurting for a profit.<<<<
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Why do you Libs INSIST on the idiotic fallacy that our government and/or US oil companies somehow control the price of a barrel of oil?
Must be Olbermann mind control waves. Makes you dopey.
That was fun, now, back to work.
See ya
You really want to stimulate the economy? Review the Fair Tax proposal currently pending in the House (HR-25). This will unleash the economic might of the United States making us once again the economic leader of the world.
Regarding the gax tax suspension, please enact it. But if you really want energy independance and security for this country, please abolish the burdensome regulations that prohibit the construction of new refineries and prohibit exploration. Let the energy companies dig clean coal in Wyoming and converti into fuel to power this country. Let them drill off the gulf coast, the east coast and the west coast as well as in ANWAR. We need to make a choice; save the whale/seal/owl/tree/etc. and become a third world country, or not. Incentivise industry to develop clean energy sources, continue to “think green”, but not at the expense of the country as a whole. I think it is absolutely shameful, and a national security nightmare, that we not only import all this oil, but that we also have to import refined gasoline. Let exploration and drilling occur in places where oil exists.
Lastly, SECURE THE BORDERS. I know that some will think of me as a racist, anti-immigrant hate-monger for saying this, but please secure the borders. No nation in the world has such open borders and allows (encourages?) the blantant disregard for its laws. SECURE THE BORDERS, then initiate immigration reform so that people can easily immigrate here, but in an orderly and lawful manner. At the same time, terminate any and all social services, ability to purchase property, educational opportunities, etc. to all illegal aliens. Please do not use any public money to provide for their care. They got here on their own and, with no reason to stay, they can leave on their own. Please NO AMNESTY in any form. Making them pay a fine to become legal is a rude, inconsiderate slap in the face to all those who are here legally and to those who are still waiting to come here legally. Let the illegal aliens them go home and get in the back of the line.
Michael in Atlanta,
I’m wondering why no republican wants to say this out loud. The dems don’t seem to understand. Gas companies take a large risk buying the fuel. Then they get a single digit percentage return (lower than most companies get on their products.) Because the price is SO high, they make a lot of money. They took the risk. This is economics 101.
[...] “I propose that the federal government suspend all taxes on gasoline now paid by the American people — from Memorial Day to Labor Day of this year. The effect will be an immediate economic stimulus — taking a few dollars off the price of a tank of gas every time a family, a farmer, or trucker stops to fill up. Over the same period, our government should suspend the purchase of oil for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which has also contributed to the rising price of oil. This measure, combined with the summer-long “gas-tax holiday,” will bring a timely reduction in the price of gasoline. And because the cost of gas affects the price of food, packaging, and just about everything else, these immediate steps will help to spread relief across the American economy.” (story here) [...]
Michael in Atlanta writes…
With George Bush’s encouragement, the oil companies are going drive the price of gas so high that the case for taking Iraq’s oil will seem like a good idea. Why else would the prices be going up? There is no shortage. The oil companies are not hurting for a profit.<<<<
(sigh). Shortage no, however OPEC has been reducing production for years and will continue to do so to maintain a high price. Furthermore the United States consumes 20 million barrels of oil a day and that consumption rate is rising. The price is not high because of Bush, it’s rising because OPEC reduces production and supply goes down and Americans consume oil like pigs and demand goes up. This is basic stuff dude.
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“DUH…It’s Big Oil creating rising prices.” Once and for all, for the MORONS, it’s NOT big oil that controls the price at the pump. The price for oil is based on daily market prices by speculators who BUY the oil. The reason we have high per barrel prices for the oil is DEMAND, not just by the US, but by expanding demands of third world countries like India and China. Now we COULD increase SUPPLY of oil by drilling in the US and the gulf, (we have enough for 1000 years by last count), and rising”, but the “Mother Earth Democratic Party Sierra Club” morons block drilling. In fact these morons think drilling in the GULF by other countries is OK, like Cuba just off our shore, but WE can’t drill. Then these morons spread the myth of global warming to force oil companies to create “boutique blends” of gas in different areas of the country, and limiting refining capabilities by not allowing new refineries to be built, driving prices higher. Then the factor in the “US, state and federal taxes” added to the pump price and you find the “Big Bad Oil Companies” making a few cents a gallon. Nothing compared to the TAX per gallon by GOVERNMENT
Lowering taxes on gasoline is a bad idea - in fact what the US needs is HIGHER taxes on gasoline to encourage a shift toward non-oil energy use.
Lower taxes only encourages more consumption - leading to higher prices, and generally speaking more money in the hands of the people that fund terrorism. Regardless of the US’s policies on oil exploration, the US will never be self reliant on oil - so why encourage more use of it (unless you are in the big oil lobby). What about innovating to drive a shift away from oil with US companies leading the charge??
“Cindy McCain is eating humble pie after being caught lifting recipes from the Food Network and posting them as her own on her husband’s campaign Web site,” the New York Post writes. “The ingredients of at least three McCain ‘family’ recipes — ‘ahi tuna salad,’ ‘passion fruit mousse’ and ‘farfalle pasta with turkey, sausage, peas and mushrooms’ — were plagiarized, word for word, from Food Network chefs listed on the culinary company’s Web site.” The Huffington Post broke the story.
Comment by Jeff X
April 16th, 2008 at 5:30 am Michael in Atlanta writes…
Jeff well put..unfortunately Michael on deals with the emotional and the reactionary, don’t confuse him with logic.
Typical conservatives,
They can’t handle somebody disagreeing with them. They try to blow off any thoughts they disagree with as reactionary and/or emotional.
Conservatives can’t see the fact that gas prices that are a dollar a gallon more than they were last year and that is directly attributed to the inflated profits the oil companies are reporting.
The people posting here really don’t understand basic economics. Supply of gas (ie refinery capacity) is stretched thin during the summer. Dropping the tax will increase demand (supply and demand curves anyone?). How do you think the market will correct for that? Hmm, well, the price of gas will go up. So now instead of the money going towards maintaining our interstate highway system, , it will just increase the amount that the oils companies take home. Brilliant!!
Substance Abuse
A widely forwarded e-mail claims that Obama’s bills are more substantive and numerous than Clinton’s. Don’t believe it.
Obama’s Oil Spill
Obama says he doesn’t take money from oil companies. We say that’s a little too slick.
Barack Hussien Obama
Wright
Rezko
Farrakhan
William Ayers
Black Phanther
Malcolm X
They are the same kind or type of people.
It is up to you now to decide what is best for our country.
“Birds of the same feathers flock together.”
“Tell me your friends are, and I tell you who you are.”
What a scary thought ahead for our country…
Think people… think…
The federal gas tax holiday for boating season is a token and will not make a difference. If you coud get the state to do the same thing, then it will make a difference.
I like the idea of raising the dependent exemption to $7000. That is very significant. I like that McCain will continue to support our efforts in Iraq as we need to maintain a strong presents in that region. If people were smart, they would be buying up Iraqi Dinars from Chase bank. If they do what the Kuwaiti Dinar did since the Gulf War in 1992, there will be alot of millionaires made. I think 25,000 Iraqi New Uncirculated Dinars cost about $23. The Kuwaiti Dinar, which was worth about nothing in 1992 is now worth about $3.70US per one Dinar. Start buying Dinars, and I bet you will vote for McCain.
[...] won’t be able to bring gas prices down overnight, unlike some politicians who are proposing a federal gas tax holiday. “This is one of John McCain’s latest schemes,” Obama said, saying it would save [...]
[...] joins what’s become a heated back and forth between John McCain, who supports the tax holiday, and her Democratic rival Barack Obama, who opposes it and calls it “one of John [...]
[...] by Bonney Kapp Barack Obama continued to rail against John McCain’s proposed gas tax holiday, which just yesterday he called a “scheme.” Today in Wilson, NC, he brought in Hillary [...]