McCain Says Gas Prices Won't Drop Soon

GOP Candidate Says Record Fuel Costs Probably Will Not Lower Before The Election

(AP)  Record high prices for gasoline probably won't drop before the November election, Republican John McCain said Wednesday.

"I don't think it's going much lower, and it could go higher," McCain said on NBC's "Today Show." "I don't think so, not when you've got a finite supply, basically, and a cartel controlling it."

Although the GOP presidential candidate didn't address the question of raising taxes on oil companies, he said the companies "absolutely" should return some profits to consumers. "And they should be embarking on research and development that will pay off in reducing our dependence on foreign oil," he said.

"The point is, oil companies have got to be more participatory in alternate energy, in sharing their profits in a variety of ways, and there is very strong and justifiable emotion about their profits," McCain said.

The issue of oil company profits came up this week in the Senate, where Republicans stopped the Democrats from imposing a tax on windfall profits and taking away billions of dollars in tax breaks in response to the $4-a-gallon price of gas.

In the past McCain has indicated he would consider such a tax proposal, saying he didn't want to see companies making "obscene profits" that distort the market.

McCain used the opportunity to bring up his proposal for a gas tax holiday that would suspend the federal tax of 18.4 cents per gallon, a proposal that Democratic rival Barack Obama dismisses as a gimmick. Critics say that cutting the price would only increase demand, which would lead to higher prices again.

"Look what's happened to Americans who are on a fixed income, particularly low-income Americans — that's why I wanted to give them a little break," McCain said. "They drive the furthest. They drive the automobiles that use the most gasoline. I wanted to give them a little break for the summer."

In the interview, McCain said President Bush's strategy to increase the number of troops in Iraq last year is working. McCain has been an ardent supporter of the Iraq war, but he criticized the early handling of the war, saying Mr. Bush did not send enough troops initially. In fact, he challenged the characterization that the strategy of increasing troop levels was Mr. Bush's: "May I correct that statement? I advocated the surge policy before President Bush."

McCain was asked if, since he argues the strategy is working, he has a better estimate for when U.S. troops could leave Iraq.

"No, but that's not too important," McCain said. "What's important is casualties in Iraq.

"Americans are in South Korea. Americans are in Japan. American troops are in Germany. That's all fine. American casualties, and the ability to withdraw. We will be able to withdraw. ... But the key to it is we don't want any more Americans in harm's way."

Obama wants to begin withdrawing troops from Iraq, which McCain opposes.

[greatdrivew]

What I find most interesting about this article is McCain''s desire for oil companies to be "more participatory" in renewable energy.

This reeks of oil company lobbyists once again angling for a controlling interest in the future of America''s energy supply.

Maybe if the oil companies are lucky, then maybe two or three of them, all based in Texas of course, can control all of America''s renewable energy!?

But where oh where would the oil companies get the money to build all the required energy infrastructure?

Gee, I wonder if our tax dollars are the unspoken next-step in McCain''s plan to make oil companies "more participatory?"

I won''t be a bit surprised to hear McCain wants to subsidize oil companies, in no-bid contracts, to build and maintain our new infrastructure.

In other words, use our money to put oil companies right back in the position we''re fighting to remove them from now.

McCain the GOP and the neo-cons cannot be trusted - PERIOD!!

[trishab4]

Are Israeli Agents planning to kill Obama?

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3554776,00.html

[trishab4]

Are Israeli Agents planning to kill Obama?

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3554776,00.html

[trishab4]

Are Israeli Agents planning to kill Obama?

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3554776,00.html

[trishab4]

Are Israeli Agents planning to kill Obama?

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3554776,00.html

[trishab4]

Are Israeli Agents planning to kill Obama?

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3554776,00.html

[dinkydog1]

you know, it just boggles my mind how many bloggers both past and present keep blaming President Bush, Vice President Cheney and Former Secretary of State Colin Powell of lying and sending our men & women to war on a "pack of lies".Rubbish!There has never been any proof whatsoever that anyone lied to anyone.
Posted by jackbrandon7

...................

Are you a flamer or do you really believe this stuff?

[rufisgufis]

SENATOR McCAIN SAID TODAY: %u201CI AM GOING TO CAMPAIGN IN ALL THIRTEEN COLONIES. MY CAMPAIGN WILL EMPLOY ALL THE LATEST TECHNOLOGIES: THE TELEGRAPH, THE CARRIER PIGEON AS WELL AS THE PONY EXPRESS.

[rufisgufis]

They deserve it if they can afford it...but shut up your complaints about the American people using too much gas when you are driving around like HYPOCRITES yourselves.

Posted by easeltine at 06:50 PM : Jun 11, 2008
____________________

I have lived in Brentwood for years, a mostly conservative neighborhood, as you might know. I worked hard for everything I have. I bought a Hummer six months ago and I love it. No point in you being jealous; I worked hard for everything I have. You too can drive a big car if you obtain an education and work hard as I did. And I don''t complain; I''m no hypocrite; I don''t mind the price of gas. Our governor owns ten (10) Hummers.

Posted by rufisgufis at 07:29 PM : Jun 11, 2008

[rufisgufis]

They deserve it if they can afford it...but shut up your complaints about the American people using too much gas when you are driving around like HYPOCRITES yourselves.

Posted by easeltine at 06:50 PM : Jun 11, 2008
____________________

I have lived in Brentwood for years, a mostly conservative neighborhood, as you might know. I worked hard for everything I have. I bought a Hummer six months ago and I love it. No point in you being jealous; I worked hard for everything I have. You too can drive a big hard if you obtain an education and work hard as I did. And I don''t complain; I''m no hypocrite. Our governor owns ten (10) Hummers.

[luvusa]

McCain is a loser. Just look at the egregious way he left his first wife and children behind...Posted by enoughya

And let me guess, you voted for Clinton...HYPOCRIT!

[luvusa]

Thank a Republican they had complete control of congress... Posted by antoniof123

Gas prices weren''t high under the Repub controlled congress. It''s the democrats in congress and their inability to do anything good for this country. They care more about special interest groups than you my friend.

[enoughya]

McCain is a loser. Just look at the egregious way he left his first wife and children behind. He has proven over and over again he cannot be trusted, abusing power continuously, the most salient being his key role in the Keating 5. His change is comprised of: he was against torture before he was for torture, against spying on Americans and now he is for spying on Americans, and giving telecoms retroactive immunity for breaking FISA laws to spy on Americans, and he was against Bush''s tax cuts for the rich, and now he is for making them permanent, and the list goes on and on. He is both as dumb and as corrupt as Bush, and may even be worse, if that were possible, in an effective Bush 3rd term. So much for straight talk; McCain is bad news and his touted "experience" is more Washington corruption to the detriment of average Americans.

[dobbershome]

1st honest words I''ve ever heard from a politians mouth. He should have just said that gas prices will never drop so get used to it.

[mike-avelli]

True, Lincoln was unknown, but he would not have made it to the House of Representatives if what little was known about him had been as controvertial as Obama''''s background.

We can naot afford an unknown in this day and age.

fiinally, a voice of reason! if the country was aware of the type of people Lincoln associated with, he would never have been elected. think about, it he hung out w/ people with crazy ideas like the abolition of slavery........

[jack3213]

The thing about competition for the long haul is that every word is taken as literal, there is reading between the lines, and there is assumptions made and rumours spread based on things people want to hear, not what is meant. YOU have to careful what you hear and what you read- If you are the type that takes things at ''face value'' than you will have real problems. McCain is correct, but you have to understand the depth of his mind, and the experiance behind it. Obama is NOT experianced, so it is as if he keeps touching the hot stove and finding it hot, when he should have learned more- for this is the BIG LEAGUE- He will LOSE in a very big, big way. A Democratic Congress in the last two years guarantees that.

[barbaraf4]

"McCain Says Gas Prices Won''t Drop Soon"
"GOP Candidate Says Record Fuel Costs Probably Will Not Lower Before The Election"
~~~~~~
This article was presented by Exxon Mobil, the folks that have experienced another record-breaking quarter with zillions of dollars in profits. I''d say they probably know when and if the record prices will come down.

[likeitis5050]

God you nut cases really believe the garbage you spew forth.

Posted by antoniof123

try spewing forth your own knowledge and not what you''ve overheard from a couple of guys talking about it over stand-around-time on some city job. Actually investigate some of these ''facts'' from both sides and you will find it''s never as simple as ''god you nut cases....''. If challenged, could you even come up with one independent thought on an issue? Thought not. This isn''t about nut cases, repukes, democons, r any other label ignorant people attach because they lack the vocabulary to really express themselves. This is about issues that the working people really have little time to invest time in learning how politicians actually think and work because...well, they''re working to pay the taxes for those who think America is a huge bank that feeds any one who really doesn''t feel like pulling their weight...for what ever reason...illegal...too many kids...any excuse to get them off the labor list. Really think about the issues before you just cut loose with some old, worn out rhetoric you''ve seen on some other discussion board. Thanks.

[antoniof123]

McCain Says Gas Prices Won''t Drop Soon:

Thank a Republican they had complete control of congress and the only thing they did was get us into a war of lies that has devalued the US dollar increased gas prices and they still try to blame Clinton.

God you nut cases really believe the garbage you spew forth.

[likeitis5050]

Why should the oil companies pursue development and research when Democrats are standing firm on no drilling...period? They are making profits because they aren''t putting it back into building refineries, developing more drilling sites, etc. The answer isn''t to attack their profits, or cut taxes (state taxes pack a bigger punch than federal taxes btw)...it''s to start drilling here and drilling here now! Democrats know they have blown so much sunshine up Gore''s azz that giving an inch will make them look like the puzzies they are...live with it. The Republicans don''t know whether to scratch their watches or wind their butts...so it''s all even!!! We need to be off the foreign oil t.i.t ASAP!!! Drill!