GRAND HAVEN, Mich., July 18, 2008

McCain Eyes Longer Gas Tax Holiday

Says Proposal To Suspend Tax For The Summer May Need To Be Extended

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(AP)  John McCain said Thursday that his proposal to suspend the gas tax for three months this summer may need to be extended longer if high gas prices continue to take a toll on the economy.

"I think we ought to seriously look at whether we need to have it be longer or not depending on what the economy (does)," McCain said, standing beside the Grand River.

"I think we have to consider all options but the fact is we need a gas tax holiday. We need it, we need it, we need it very badly. The Americans that are hurt the most are low income Americans that are driving the oldest automobiles," he said.

McCain suggested the longer gas tax holiday the day before his visit Friday to a General Motors plant in Michigan, and a town hall meeting with auto workers. The auto industry was already reeling from its own problems when it was rocked again by gas costing $4 a gallon and more, and the state of Michigan's fortunes are tied to the auto industry.

The economy is the main worry of voters, and McCain has been telling crowds he can put the country on a firmer financial footing through low taxes and an emphasis on developing new energy technologies.

As the price of gas soared in the spring, McCain proposed a three-month holiday from the federal gas tax, 18.4 cents a gallon. Barack Obama has derided the idea as a political gimmick that would provide consumers little real relief, ignore the country's energy problems by perpetuating U.S. dependence on foreign oil and take money from road and bridge repairs.

© MMVIII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Add a Comment See all 96 Comments
by mgeg1 July 18, 2008 9:24 AM PDT
John McCain, stop pandering! I know you are too smart to believe the gas tax holiday will be beneficial. The fact that you claim to be weak on economic matters, yet still will not listen to the professional economists is beyond me. It makes you look like an idiot, or someone simply pandering for the votes of people who don''t know any better. That''s exploitation of the ignorant, and as a voting citizen of the United States I am wholly offended.
Reply to this comment
by antoniof123 July 18, 2008 9:53 AM PDT
McCain Eyes Longer Gas Tax Holiday
Says Proposal To Suspend Tax For The Summer May Need To Be Extended

You are an idiot do you get it even the economist are saying this will not help. Why do you neo cons always want to stay the course.

I guess it is time for the middle of the road to truly siwng the vote.
Reply to this comment
by pleaseread July 18, 2008 9:59 AM PDT
Ummm...seems to me that summer is almost over. To little to late.
Reply to this comment
by whitemale08 July 18, 2008 10:10 AM PDT
McCain has 3 painfull choices but doesn''t have the GUTS because he''s a Republican.

1. Shut Down the Federal Reserve System and go back to a Gold and Silver Standard.

2. Raise taxes on the rich to shore up the "dollar"

3. Raise interest rates.

But because Republicans don''t have the guts to make the hard decisions then none of them should be President.

Just stay the course until the economy is unrecovereable.

McCain is freightening to me because he admmits he doesn''t know anything about the economy but insists on running for President.

http://bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aoyCaK0Tc63A&refer=home
Reply to this comment
by generey July 18, 2008 10:21 AM PDT
I guess this will be for NEXT summer huh?
Reply to this comment
by starleo146 July 18, 2008 10:29 AM PDT
Over at Time.com, Justin Fox reviewed McCain''''s whopper and announced, "This was more a case of McCain misspeaking or misunderstanding than having a secret plan to dismantle Social Security as we know it."

The Los Angeles Times claimed that McCain "seemed to call Social Security a ''''disgrace'''' " [emphasis added].

Dan Balz, taking part in a washingtonpost.com online chat session with readers, offered up his own cleansing interpretation: "I would suspect that the point [McCain] was trying to make in calling the system a disgrace is the fact that with fewer workers paying the cost of Social Security for more and more retirees, the system is out of balance."

McCain''''s Social Security words were unambiguous; he was absolutely clear. But the press, after belatedly acknowledging them, quickly and charitably concocted an escape hatch for the candidate -- he misspoke! Or, this is what he probably meant to say.

Frankly, that''''s just nuts.
Reply to this comment
by starleo146 July 18, 2008 10:30 AM PDT
Online at USA TODAY, the newspaper''''s blog posted an item under the headline, "Did McCain call Social Security a disgrace?" suggesting there was a deep mystery involved. The post basically provided a link to McCain''''s televised remarks and left the rest to the readers: "Judge for yourself -- did he misspeak?" Reporters at USA Today, apparently, were not able to make that call themselves.

Blogging at ABC News, Jake Tapper also opted for the gee-I''''m-stumped headline approach: "What About Social Security Was McCain Calling a ''''Disgrace?'''' " Tapper replayed the McCain comments and included a round-up of reactions from liberal bloggers who jumped on the story and wondered why the candidate''''s remark wasn''''t being replayed in a cable television loop. Tapper himself made no attempt to analyze or interpret the McCain comments, to put them in context, or to suggest they were newsworthy or controversial; he simply contacted the campaign and re-printed its weak spin.
Reply to this comment
by starleo146 July 18, 2008 10:31 AM PDT
Another "wow" moment came when reading the July 12-13 Wall Street Journal article that reviewed McCain''''s week (from hell) on the campaign trail. And specifically, the piece detailed the missteps that occurred during Q&A sessions with voters. Yet the Journal made no mention of the fact that McCain told a voter that America''''s Social Security system was an "absolute disgrace."

That was not news, according to Rupert Murdoch''''s newspaper, where common sense is clearly in short supply.

When some news organizations, shamed into action by the blogs, finally did get around to addressing the news story they completely (and willfully?) missed, reporters were careful to tiptoe around McCain''''s unambiguous comment and generally act confused about what the candidate meant.
Reply to this comment
by starleo146 July 18, 2008 10:32 AM PDT
That was also my reaction to reading the July 11 New York Times dispatch that quite belatedly addressed the McCain controversy. The Times story was startling because it presented McCain''''s astounding Social Security remark right alongside a completely benign comment Obama made last week about American children needing to learn a second language. The Times presented the two quotes as being equal, as being examples of the kind of "controversies" that can arise when candidates veer off scripted remarks.

But the only reason the Obama remarks became a so-called "controversy" was when right-wing groups purposely misinterpreted the remarks to mean Obama was demanding that Americans be forced to learn Spanish.
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by likeitis5050 July 18, 2008 10:34 AM PDT
Someone needs to discreetly inform this guy that summer is, for all intents and purposes, JUST ABOUT OVER!!!! School districts fire up in less than 2 weeks in many places...and of course then we have the approaching election...and serious competition for credit in any drop in gas prices will kick in. More posturing and game playing....on both sides.
Reply to this comment
by jumkey July 18, 2008 10:34 AM PDT
What a lying Republican scum, as usual.

The "tax" is an EXCISE tax paid when the gas is refined - it isn''t a tax on the SALE of gasoline.

When you see those little signs at the pump saying "You''re paying 18 cents per gallon" what they are really saying is "we''re passing our tax burden on to you".

Suspending this tax is SUSPENDING A TAX ON THE OIL COMPANIES.

Why in the world we should give tax breaks to an industry that is making greater profits than any industry has in the history of the world while our gas prices have doubled is beyond be. But I guess you have to be a brain-dead Republican to get the logic of happily letting your government and corporations steal from you.
Reply to this comment
by starleo146 July 18, 2008 10:35 AM PDT
Days later when the POST finally caught up with the "disgrace" comment, the piece included a second round of "disgrace" spin from McCain himself, who -- asked at last to edify his remark -- claimed he was referring to the fact that young people "are paying so much that they are paying into a system that they won''''t receive benefits from on its present track that [it''''s] on, that''''s the point." McCain added that the Social Security trustees "have clearly stated it''''s going to go bankrupt."

That''''s what he meant by "disgrace."

The Post however, failed to inform readers that McCain''''s claim that Social Security is "going to go bankrupt" and that young people won''''t receive any Social Security benefits is, without question, false.

So to recap: At the Post, the paper failed to catch the "disgrace" comment when it was first made. The paper then published an entire piece about Social Security as a campaign issue and never included the "disgrace" comment. And when the Post belatedly addressed the "disgrace" remark, it allowed McCain to air unfettered lies about Social Security.
Reply to this comment
by starleo146 July 18, 2008 10:36 AM PDT
Honestly, what''''s the point of having an army of reporters follow McCain around the country if they cannot detect news when it happens, or are too timid to relay it when it does?

The Washington Post was also among the newspapers that sent a reporter to cover McCain''''s Denver event and then ignored the "disgrace" story.

But how''''s this for embarrassing? The day after McCain''''s "disgrace" comment, the Post

published a lengthy, A1 piece detailing the Social Security positions of Obama and McCain, but the newspaper did not include McCain''''s shocking remarks. The Post did include a snippet of the Republican''''s remarks from Denver the day before, but in an article about the candidates'''' view of Social Security, not the fact that McCain thinks the whole system is a "disgrace."
Reply to this comment
by starleo146 July 18, 2008 10:37 AM PDT
What was so revealing was that not a single member of the campaign press caravan that heard McCain''''s shocking swipe at Social Security immediately thought it was newsworthy.

Here''''s just a partial list of print news outlets that had reporters covering McCain''''s Denver event but that did not mention the "disgrace" comment -- that did not consider it to be newsworthy in real time:

* The Washington Times

* Los Angeles Times

* The Baltimore Sun

* The Miami Herald

* St. Louis Post-Dispatch

* New York Post

* Associated Press
Reply to this comment
by starleo146 July 18, 2008 10:38 AM PDT
Bloggers noted it over and over last week: John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, thinks that Social Security, widely regarded as the most effective government-run program in the history of the United States, is a "disgrace."

What was so revealing was that not a single member of the campaign press caravan that heard McCain''''s shocking swipe at Social Security immediately thought it was newsworthy.

Here''''s just a partial list of print news outlets that had reporters covering McCain''''s Denver event but that did not mention the "disgrace" comment -- that did not consider it to be newsworthy in real time:
Reply to this comment
by starleo146 July 18, 2008 10:39 AM PDT
As Josh Marshall put it at Talking Points Memo: "In other words, there''''s no question that John McCain thinks that the problem with Social Security is the way it was designed at the very beginning, the way it was always designed to work."

Does McCain think Medicare is a "disgrace" too? Our postal system, national parks, highways? What other landmark government-funded initiatives does McCain dismiss as a "disgrace"?

The campaign spin of his July 7 remarks was that McCain was referring to the fact that it''''s a "disgrace" that Congress has not been able to solve future funding issues for Social Security. That represented an interesting and plausible take. But it matched virtually none of what McCain said in Denver. Or what he said on CNN that week: "[Younger people] pay their taxes and right now their taxes are going to pay the retirement of present-day retirees. That''''s why it''''s broken, that''''s why we can fix it."
Reply to this comment
by starleo146 July 18, 2008 10:40 AM PDT
It seems the only reasons the Jackson story got so much attention was that it was easy to cover (i.e., it required no real reporting), it included a juicy off-color quote, it did not involve any sort of public policy issue, and Matt Drudge said it was important.

Note that the exact opposite requirements were needed to address the McCain story: Some actual reporting had to be undertaken, the topic at hand was Social Security, no blue language was involved, and the Drudge Report completely ignored the "disgrace" episode.

It''''s hard to downplay just how shocking McCain''''s Social Security comments were. In fact, they were likely unprecedented for a modern American presidential campaign. It wasn''''t just the stock GOP misinformation McCain spread in Denver about how Social Security was going bankrupt soon. (It''''s not.) It was the proclamation by McCain that our pay-as-you-go Social Security itself was an "absolute disgrace." Period.
Reply to this comment
by starleo146 July 18, 2008 10:41 AM PDT
I could see how it would''''ve been a big deal if the person behind the hot mic had been a prominent Clinton supporter, for instance, and how the same type of crude language might have reflected a larger, possibly still-lingering rift between the two Democratic camps. Thus, the comments coming from that person would have had real political meaning.

But Jackson is a civil rights leader who often speaks for African-Americans -- who, according to the polls, are among Obama''''s most stalwart, unwavering supporters. I just didn''''t understand how Jackson''''s comments could be interpreted as representing a larger, widespread problem for the Obama campaign (i.e., actual news). Jackson, obviously speaking only for himself, said something nasty under his breath about the Democratic candidate whom he supports. That''''s blockbuster news that has to be mentioned on TV 900 times in the span of just a few days?
Reply to this comment
by starleo146 July 18, 2008 10:42 AM PDT
On television, the disparity was even more striking. Again, as of Sunday morning there had been nearly 900 mentions of "Jesse Jackson" over the previous five days on the cable and networks news channels, according to a search of TVeyes.com.

On those same news outlets there had been less than 24 references to McCain''''s "disgrace" comment. And not a single network newscast reported on the Social Security story. For reporters and pundits, "nuts" reigned over the "disgrace." Even days after the Jackson story faded, I was still left scratching my head trying to figure out exactly what significance, if any, the episode represented. Yes, it was embarrassing for Jackson. Yes, Jackson is famous. Yes, it''''s mildly amusing to hear what famous people like Jackson really think when they assume they cannot be overheard. But that doesn''''t explain why Jackson grabbed approximately 900 television mentions last week, or why reporters spent an inordinate amount of time "analyzing" the repercussions from the "nuts" swipe.
Reply to this comment
by starleo146 July 18, 2008 10:43 AM PDT
As of Sunday morning, only 17 major metropolitan newspapers in America had reported on McCain''''s "disgraceful" remark, in a total of 20 articles and columns, according to search of Nexis.

By contrast, more than 50 major U.S. dailies published a total of 126 articles and columns about the Jackson story. Several influential newspapers went back to the story ad nauseam. Combined, the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times and Los Angeles Times published 39 different articles and columns that referenced the Jackson-Obama controversy.

By contrast, the combined number of stories and columns those three newspapers published that made reference to the McCain "disgrace" controversy? One.
Reply to this comment
by shoebox119 July 18, 2008 10:44 AM PDT
This proposal coming from a man who openly admitted he knows little of how an economy works should come at no one''s surprise.

Goodnight, Grandpa McCain...
Reply to this comment
by starleo146 July 18, 2008 10:44 AM PDT
Last week, after being hyped by Matt Drudge and Fox News, the Beltway press unanimously decided that Rev. Jesse Jackson''''s whispered comments, picked up on a live television set mic, in which he expressed anger with Sen. Barack Obama and used some crude language to convey his sentiments (i.e. he wanted to cut off Obama''''s "nuts"), represented a hugely important event. It was the most-covered campaign story of the week.

By contrast, McCain said at a campaign appearance in Denver on July 7 that the Social Security system as structured in America, in which younger people pay taxes to support the benefits of retirees, is an "absolute disgrace" -- but his proclamation was mostly passed over as being irrelevant. The disconnect between the coverage was astounding.
Reply to this comment
by missingamerica July 18, 2008 10:45 AM PDT
lollll....what do you want to be some investment group told McCain:

"Further analysis has determined that gasoline taxes will have to be eliminated for at least X months before roadwork is so far behind that the public is blinded by their anger enough to think that privatizing the road system is a good idea.

We realize this is an inconvenience and places you at more risk of being linked to us, Senator, so here is another $5 million - appropriately bundled and camouflaged - for your campaign."
Reply to this comment
by starleo146 July 18, 2008 10:46 AM PDT
Yet the Beltway press corps has become so borderline dysfunctional that even the simplest tasks, such as selecting which stories to cover -- such as using common sense -- now escape most of the major players at the mainstream news organizations.

Two events in recent days reaffirmed that sad conclusion, when entire news organizations opted to throw all sorts of time and attention at what was essentially a pointless campaign-related sideshow, while simultaneously displaying blanket indifference to what should have been the campaign story of the week, if not the month or possibly the entire summer.
Reply to this comment
by starleo146 July 18, 2008 10:47 AM PDT
Journalism, by nature, is not difficult. It really isn''''t. Most of the key attributes for solid reporting and editing come naturally to most people; fairness, hard work, and -- most important -- common sense.

News judgment, for instance, consists mostly of editors and producers using common sense to determine, based on the limited resources at hand, which breaking events and stories should be covered, and which ones can be set aside as less important.

During the slow summer months of a presidential campaign, that judgment and that common sense is usually even easier to put into practice because, traditionally, so little happens on the campaign trail with the candidates that what ought to be covered becomes self-evident.
Reply to this comment
by starleo146 July 18, 2008 10:48 AM PDT
Media Coverage of Obama and McCain: "Nuts" or a "Disgrace"?

By Eric Boehlert, Media Matters for America. Posted July 17, 2008.

The Beltway press has become dysfunctional, failing to see news when it happens and hyping non-stories that require no real reporting.
Reply to this comment
by DCropp July 18, 2008 10:48 AM PDT
McCain says lower taxes benefits the economy, then eliminate ALL taxes. That will really boost the economy.

Of course, it will mean the end of our Democracy, but heck Bush is doing that anyway. Glad to know McCain agrees with Bush.
Reply to this comment
by hasher47 July 18, 2008 10:52 AM PDT
The "Gas Tax Holiday", a smoke and mirrors gimmick that doesn''t really solve the gas price problem, creates another problem by taking money away from much needed maintenance of roads and bridges, but gives willing Americans a psychological boost.

If that''s the kind of problem solving you want running this country the vote for this guy.
Reply to this comment
by whitemale08 July 18, 2008 10:54 AM PDT
Do you think America can afford another 4 years of George Bush economics?

I doubt if our will survive another month or so.

The signs of trickle-down voodoo economics are evident in the devastation surrounding us in this economy.

So really the question is: Could John McCain resurrected the failed economy?

We are passed the question: Will the economy survive? Bush answered that with his idiotic policies and the answer was "no" it didn''t survive Bush and the Republicans already.

You are looking at a failed economy. You''re looking at it RIGHT NOW !!! not tommorrow when Obama comes into power but RIGHT NOW !!! the economy as failed ALREADY, TODAY, RIGHT NOW AT THIS MOMENT IT''S FAILED !!!
Reply to this comment
by starleo146 July 18, 2008 10:56 AM PDT
starleo14672, I dont care if he eats live human children, he is the republican nominee and gets my vote without thinking.

Posted by GOP_forever at 10:38 AM : J

Yep, I understand the GOP logic, Party over country. Party over people. You are true to form, vote GOP don''t think, do as Bush and MCBush logic, say anything ,don''t think, and you can mess up a country even more than it already is,if that is possible.
Reply to this comment
by hasher47 July 18, 2008 10:57 AM PDT
whitemale08,
Don''t know if I can agree will you.
There are some people making boad loads of bucks.
It''s mainly the lower and lower, middle class that are really feeling the pince. But hey, their''re only 65% of Americans
Reply to this comment
by missingamerica July 18, 2008 10:57 AM PDT
By contrast, McCain said [...] that the Social Security system [...] in which younger people pay taxes to support the benefits of retirees, is an "absolute disgrace" --

Posted by starleo14672

That is a crock, SL...the system has always worked that way.

The Republicans are simply trying to use THEIR vice - greed ("Why should I have to pay for that old woman''s food?") - to create a split in America that fragments the nation along age lines.

But their end game is to sucker the younger people into putting their money into stocks where it can be accessed and drained away by the heavy hitters who will never have to worry about their own retirements.

Did you notice how quick Treasury Secretary Paulson (Republican) was and is to bail out the big banks and financial houses that might affect the wheels on the Street?

Did you see him do anything help those people who are losing their homes - homes that many thought they could eventually use to help pay for their own retirements?

Nope.

Do you see those who want take Social Security money and put it into the market doing anything about the number of corporations who are eliminating retirement pensions and health care programs they promised their retirees through 30 years of hard work?

Nope.

The GOP does NOT care about the youth of this nation any more than they care about the aged of this nation - they just want your money badly enough to lie and lie and lie.
Reply to this comment
by dowell100 July 18, 2008 10:58 AM PDT

I don''t know if the gas tax holiday idea will work or not, but I am glad McCain is suggesting something specific.

With Obama it is all empty-headed talk about "change" but no specifics. All talk with Obama, no plan for specific action.
Reply to this comment
by hasher47 July 18, 2008 10:59 AM PDT
he is the republican nominee and gets my vote without thinking.
Posted by GOP_forever at 10:38 AM : J
-----------------------------------------
"WITHOUT THINKING"
Boy, that says it all!!!

Thinkers, Vote Obama ''08!!!

Reply to this comment
by hasher47 July 18, 2008 11:01 AM PDT
I don''''t know if the gas tax holiday idea will work or not, ..
Posted by dowell100 at 10:58 AM : Jul 18, 2008
------------------------
Try reading up on it.
You Repugs DO READ don''t you.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reply to this comment
by hasher47 July 18, 2008 11:02 AM PDT
The "Gas Tax Holiday", a smoke and mirrors gimmick that doesn''''t really solve the gas price problem, creates another problem by taking money away from much needed maintenance of roads and bridges, but gives willing Americans a psychological boost.

If that''''s the kind of problem solving you want running this country the vote for this guy.
Reply to this comment
by nolle61 July 18, 2008 11:04 AM PDT
At least McCain is doing something and not just giving feel good speeches like your buddy Hussein Obama.

Another photo op / "rally" coming up in Iraq for Hussein Obama.

Why are all three networks sending their top people to ride along. Are they part of his campaign?

You better believe they are!

McCain 2008 (Our lives depend on it!)
Reply to this comment
by whitemale08 July 18, 2008 11:06 AM PDT
It''''s mainly the lower and lower, middle class that are really feeling the pince. But hey, their''''re only 65% of Americans


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by Hasher47 at 10:57 AM : Jul 18-

you''re right, the vulture hedge funds are picking over the scraps.
Reply to this comment
by starleo146 July 18, 2008 11:06 AM PDT
he GOP does NOT care about the youth of this nation any more than they care about the aged of this nation - they just want your money badly enough to lie and lie and lie.

Posted by ibsteve2u at 10:57 AM : Jul 18, 2008

Your post was right on and the propaganda this administration followed by McBush is just that propaganda. Please young people just look what would happened to your money you invested in social security in todays market. You would not have one dime to live on. The republicans seem to forget this social security money is not there''s it is our money and if they keep there cotton picking hands off it we would be just fine when the time comes for us to retire
Reply to this comment
by hasher47 July 18, 2008 11:06 AM PDT
Here Dowell100,
"It''s typical of how Washington works -- let''s find some short-term, quick fix, even though we''re not really doing anything," he said. Watch an analysis of how the candidates'' plans differ ;

Instead, Obama would use a windfall profits tax on oil companies to help low-income families pay their energy bills. He also insists he would put forth more effort than others to limit oil companies'' influence in Washington.

Analysts and Obama said the proposal to suspend the tax temporarily would do little to stimulate the economy or lower gas prices and could leave roads in disrepair.

"It''s a quick fix for people who believe cheap gas is their birthright," said Tom Kloza, chief oil analyst at the research firm Oil Price Information Service. "It''s not a prudent thing to do."

Reply to this comment
by nanc12 July 18, 2008 11:06 AM PDT
Proposing this in front of the autoworkers. No pandering there, lol!

And what is he proposing to replace those funds with? A windfall profits tax on the oil companies. Nope. No ideas for that. He doesn''t realize the gas tax money is what pays for road & bridge repair?

He knows it wouldn''t help anything, and he knows it will never get passed. So he doesn''t NEED to come up with any ideas on where the missing money will come from, but he can SAY he''s got plans to help us. Maybe he should just lay down and rest for a while.
Reply to this comment
by homespunlady July 18, 2008 11:09 AM PDT
The only "disgrace" concerning Social Security is that McCain is GETTING AND KEEPING one of the SS HIGHEST RATES while telling the REST of America that THEY DON''T DESERVE to RECEIVE it for WORKING at REAL JOBS rather than RAKING IN THAT LOBBYIST CASH for "favors".

I thought being Cindy''s Gigolo should have been enough cash - DONATE your SS income BACK to the REAL POOR JOHN if you have such a LOW opinion of it!

That MEASLY 27K is HUGE for so many of us REAL WORK "mental recession" poor that will NEVER see that much from SS.
Reply to this comment
by dowell100 July 18, 2008 11:12 AM PDT
Posted by Hasher47
Try reading up on it.
You Repugs DO READ don''''t you.

---------


All the Obama-O-Manics "read up on stuff" but take no action.

I read in the NYT today that Obama has 300 foreign policy advisors! Only a do-nothing jerk would have that many "experts" to plow though before making a decision. Lots of reading there.

I''ll take the gas tax cut for a while, thanks. It''s better than the cheap talk the confused Obama offers.

Reply to this comment
by missingamerica July 18, 2008 11:12 AM PDT
lolll...ya know what amuses me the most about Republicans?

They CONSTANTLY yammer on about "individual responsibility" and how awful "entitlement programs" like Medicare/Medicaid are and how "Social Security should be privatized".

OK, then...so untold hundreds of thousands of Americans have gone to work and worked HARD for 20, 30, and even more years to EARN pensions and retirement health care packages that were promised to them.

And what happened?

The corporations, CEOs, boards of directors, and stockholders who make up the backbone of the Republican Party simply said "Sorry, we are not fulfilling those promises.".

What kind of schizophrenia is that? Only people who are not wealthy have to keep promises, live up to contractual obligations, and obey the law?

lollll...it amazes me to even think of it - but that is the essence of Republican philosophy.
Reply to this comment
by hasher47 July 18, 2008 11:16 AM PDT
dowell100, If you read up on this, you would also realize that there is a slim of zero chance of it passing in Congress anyway. Why, it is a c rapping idea.

I''ll take Obama''s idea and action come Jan 20th anyday!
Reply to this comment
by starleo146 July 18, 2008 11:17 AM PDT
homespunlady at 11:09 AM : Jul 18, 2008
+ report abuse

Great post homespunlady
Reply to this comment
by homespunlady July 18, 2008 11:19 AM PDT
dowell 100

Go for it. The shortsighted gas tax "holiday" if it''s anything like the BUSH "TEMPORARY TAX CUT" for the RICHEST 1 percent will then translate into MORE PROFITS for the OIL companies as they RAISE the price. Hey who''s stopping them EXCEPT consumers NOT buying that necessity.

Then spend MORE on CAR REPAIRS and MEDICAL BILLS as the ROADS and BRIDGES fall apart.

Then McCain can BACK PRIVATIZATION to the FOREIGN ROAD TROLLS and YOU can PAY THEIR TOLLS to drive on the roads OUR TAXES BUILT.

Yep, immediate GREED wins with DUMB people every time even if it KILLS them LATER.
Reply to this comment
by dowell100 July 18, 2008 11:26 AM PDT
Posted by Hasher47
"It''''s a quick fix for people who believe cheap gas is their birthright," said Tom Kloza, chief oil analyst at the research firm Oil Price Information Service. "It''''s not a prudent thing to do."
--------------------------------------------


It is the prudent thing to do, if you are not an Obama-O-Maniac.

About 95% of us out here do believe cheap gas is our birthright and we want a government who can supply it to us.

To stay strong, America needs short term gas price reductions, and in the long term more drilling, more nuclear plants, more wind power, more coal production, and more hybrid cars and trucks.

I''m sure Omaba has 1,000 advisors reading up on these things, but we need some action.

Reply to this comment
by missingamerica July 18, 2008 11:29 AM PDT
To stay strong, America needs short term gas price reductions...

Posted by dowell100 at 11:26 AM : Jul 18, 2008

OK - so we''ll raise the income taxes on everybody making more than $250,000 gross annually to make up for the lost gasoline taxes.

Don''t want the nation''s roads and bridges to go the hell, you know.

(Republicans - and oil boyz in particular - remind me of that commercial on TV where two inspectors find a leak in the dam, and one of ''em sticks his bubblegum in the crack and then checks it off as "fixed".)
Reply to this comment
by homespunlady July 18, 2008 11:31 AM PDT
Noticed the press is IGNORING the T.Boone Pickins Plan for the BIGGEST WIND FARM and REALLOCATING our energy resources.

The man MADE HIS FORTUNE in oil AND GAS.

Hello, doesn''t that TELL you something.

The MEDIA PUPPETEERS and McSame would rather keep advocating DOING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER - (drill and stick with OIL and outdated nuke technology) which is the definition of insanity rather than STOP beating OUR HEADS against the OIL EXTORTION WALL and work on VIABLE EXISTING ANSWERS!
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