Obama Proposes $1,000 Energy Rebates

Democrat Calls For Windfall Profits Tax On Oil Industry To Finance Consumer Rebates

(CBS/AP)  Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Friday called for a $1,000 "emergency" rebate to consumers to offset soaring energy costs amid fresh signs of a struggling economy with the nation's unemployment rate climbing to a four-year high.

Obama told a town-hall meeting the rebate would be financed with a windfall profits tax on the oil industry.

"This rebate will be enough to offset the increased cost of gas for a working family over the next four months," Obama said in the crucial swing state of Florida.

Obama had earlier said the rebates should be part of a larger tax relief package. But now he says the slumping economy demands they be put in place immediately.

Obama's remarks coincide with news that the unemployment rate climbed to a four-year high of 5.7 percent in July as employers cut 51,000 jobs, dashing the hopes of an influx of young people looking for summer work. Payroll cuts weren't as deep as the 72,000 predicted by economists, however. And, job losses for both May and June were smaller than previously reported.

July's reductions marked the seventh straight month where employers eliminated jobs. The economy has lost a total of 463,000 jobs so far this year.

"We can either choose a new direction for our economy, or we can keep doing what we've been doing," Obama said.

During his speech, Obama was interrupted by three men who stood up with a banner asking, "What about the black community, Obama?" Many in the crowd began chanting, "Yes, we can," the Obama campaign mantra to counter the criticism.

Obama told the three that they would have a chance to ask questions after he had his opportunity to speak. A town-hall organizer later took the banner from the three.

During a question and answer session, Obama called on one of the hecklers, reports CBS News' Michelle Levi.

The man mentioned a slew of controversial issues, such as the government's response to Hurricane Katrina and the subprime mortgage crisis and asked, "In the face of all these attacks that are clearly being made on the African community, why is it that you have not had the ability to not one time speak to the interests and even speak on the behalf of the oppressed and exploited African community or Black community in this country?"

"I think you are misinformed about when you say, 'not one time,'" Obama responded. "Every issue you've spoken about, I actually did speak out about."

The Illinois senator then went on to address the man's concerns, mentioning that he was a civil rights lawyer and saying, "I may not have spoken out the way you would have wanted me to speak out, which is fine."

[demwatcher]

What a complete and TOTAL idiot Obama is. That he thinks the oil companies will NOT pass on the new taxes to consumers is asinine and shows a complete lack of understanding of how business operates.

He is just trying to bribe voters with something that we will end up paying for ourselves.

Mr. Obama, take you idiocy and go home. Thinking Americans can see right through you.

[wellhell3]

So now Tinkerbelle is going to be paying my summer electric bill, the tooth fairy my health insurance, mother nature is going to provide fuel for my car, Irene the goddess of peace is going to take care of the Middle East, Robin Hood''s going to put money in my bank so I can pay more taxes, Superman will take care of crime.............and.....

The wicked witch will be living in the White House! :)

[liberty_1776]

Obama:

"Hey, let''s get a rope and lynch the oil companies!"

What a silly monkey. He should take Economics 101 at his local community college.

And just wait until Obama unveils his Slavery Reparations bill! Black folks rejoice! We finally gonna get our 40 acres and a mule!

[standlee5]

Let me get this straight. The rockbama wants to tax big oil and give everyone in America $1000. That doesn''t even seem legal. Isn''t big oil funding a good portion of every pension and retirement account in America?

[wardoglrs]

Obama is a fool he thinks that spending your tax dollar is not going to hurt you. Bail this Bail that just print print print and all is good BUT the more you print the more you pay. Free Health care works the same way. If your to stupid then its your own fault to see the danger.

[bec67]

I thought buying votes was illegal?

[olderthnadam]

Drill all you want. With the increasing demand for oil from countries like China the price will still go up. Ten years from now when that oil begins to reach the market the price will be $8.00 a gallon and a 10% increase in domestic production won''t benefit anyone but big oil and overseas oil producers. All it would take is one terrorist attack on one major oil field anywhere in the world to send gas prices thru the roof. The only way to achieve energy independence is to stop using oil to fuel our lives. Stop using oil to heat our homes when there are cheaper and more efficient ways to do it. Stop using oil to fuel our vehicles when we already have electric prototypes which will outrun a Farrari and go 200 miles on a charge. Start using biodiesel to fuel our trucks and trains. Municiple bus lines all over the country are already being fueled by biodiesel. What''s so hard to understand about the concept of energy independence? It would protect us from being held hostage by outside oil producing countries, it would divert hundreds of billions of dollars currently going out of this country back into the economy of this country, it would provide millions of jobs producing the new technologies, and it would reduce not only greenhouse gases but pollution in general. Or would you prefer to see people having to wear masks to breath the air like they do in Bejing. I don''t see a down side to energy independence but there is a downside to kicking the can down the road another 10 years.

[american1000]

Well it seem that ONE MONTH AGO, it was John McCain who played the race card against Obama!
It was John McCain who put Obama''s face on a dollar bill in one of the attack ads John McCain, himself made called: SEAL

You can find the attack ad John McCain made ONE MONTH AGO, where it was McCain who put Obama''s face on a dollar bill. The ad is on YOUTUBE, it is called: SEAL

(Just go to YOUTUBE, and type in the two words SEAL McCAIN)

[american1000]

Well it seem that ONE MONTH AGO, it was John McCain who played the race card against Obama!
It was John McCain who put Obama''s face on a dollar bill in one of the attack ads John McCain, himself made, called: SEAL

You can find the attack ad John McCain made ONE MONTH AGO, where it was McCain who put Obama''s face on a dollar bill. The ad is on YOUTUBE, it is called: SEAL

(Just go to YOUTUBE, and type in the two words SEAL McCAIN)

[wardoglrs]

In May, news agencies and voters were stunned when Steven Ybarra, a prominent member of the DNC and California Superdelegate promised his vote to the candidate who would commit $20 million to him for use in Hispanic Outreach programs. Following a rash of negative news stories, both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton denounced the demands of Ybarra and pledged that neither would meet his demands.

Just two months after the story broke; the Obama campaign has apparently rescinded their pledge and met the demands of Ybarra. On Tuesday, Barack Obama and Howard Dean announced that they would commit $20 million to be used for Hispanic Outreach Programs and Voter Registration Drives. The money committed to the project will be used by the DNC%u2019s Hispanic Caucus and will be controlled by the Hispanic

[mr2258]

It looks like Obama is trying to buy votes with our money.$1,000 per vote.

[hitler_obama]

I preached in my day that NOW is the time for CHANGE. NOW is the time to BELIEVE in our cause. Yes WE can through my election! Now Barack Obama is preaching the same message 70 years later! I am proud to have the audacity to have hope without truth in voting for him!
.............Your loving and kind friend A. Hitler!

Its the Wright way to have Damnation by abomination. Sorry Obamanation!
=_ _=
(O O)?
._^_,
..O..Our initials together spell HO? The HO boys!

[wellhell3]

Obscamma doesn''t give a ***** about the price of OIL! It doesn''t affect him AT ALL! All in the freak he wants to do is get elected...and doesn''t care if you have to support the freaking sheiks in the Middle East for the rest of your LIFE!

[wellhell3]

OBAMA SAID DRILL IN THE AREAS WE HAVE ALREADY APPROVED OF, AND SO DID PELOSI, AND THAT AMOUNTS TO MANY SQUARE MILES OF OCEAN THE OIL DRILLING COMPANYS HAVE NOT CHOSEN TO USE. HE IS NOT BUSH, IF HE HAS BEEN CONVINCED HE IS WRONG, HE WILL CHANGE HIS MIND.IT WILL NOT BE,MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY AS WITH BUSH. I LIKE SOMEONE WHO CAN MAKE CHANGES IF PROVEN WRONG. IT MEANS HE IS LISTENING,AND THE END OF BICKERING. "PRAY"FOR SUCH A CONGRESS.


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Posted by SEw-gal at 09:03 PM : Aug 01, 2008

And that shows you haven''t even checked out Obscamma''s scams! The oil companies already have 4,700 drilled wells operating on those available acres!

What do you want them to drill? MUD?

Obscamma is just pandering to greenie weenies because he can''t afford to lose their votes! Other than that the man has no LOGIC at all!

[rosieod4prez]

"IF HE HAS BEEN CONVINCED HE IS WRONG, HE WILL CHANGE HIS MIND. -sewgay

Well it seems he''s been convincin himself he''s wrong an awful lot lately.





He chnges his mind every time he has to stand in front of a different crowd.

Funny thing is McCain get upset if he is miss-quoted.

Obama gets mad if he''s quote accurately.

[sew-gal]

OBAMA SAID DRILL IN THE AREAS WE HAVE ALREADY APPROVED OF, AND SO DID PELOSI, AND THAT AMOUNTS TO MANY SQUARE MILES OF OCEAN THE OIL DRILLING COMPANYS HAVE NOT CHOSEN TO USE. HE IS NOT BUSH, IF HE HAS BEEN CONVINCED HE IS WRONG, HE WILL CHANGE HIS MIND.IT WILL NOT BE,MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY AS WITH BUSH. I LIKE SOMEONE WHO CAN MAKE CHANGES IF PROVEN WRONG. IT MEANS HE IS LISTENING,AND THE END OF BICKERING. "PRAY"FOR SUCH A CONGRESS.

[obama8years]

Obama actions is going to destroy our economy. Anybody lived during the Carter years. Doesnt Obama remind you of Carter. They both even have support for Hamas. Obamas Church had a bullentin about Hamas. It was in the LA times.

[obama8years]

Be careful starting a business, because in an Obama Nation your not allowed to make a certain amount of Money. If you do you are penalized. Does this sound Marxist. What about Apple Obama, I heard they make more margins than the Oil Companys.

[obama8years]

"We could but it would have little impact on the global price. I have heard its 5-7 years before it hits the market in any meaningful quantities due to the lagtime associated with mining it.




We have been hearing this same lame excuse for 4 decades now.


DRILL NOW, OR GET THE HELL OUT OF OFFICE.

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You are so Right.......how many more decades before we start to drill.

[wellhell3]

WellHell3 needs TO do some facts checking....HE HAS NO FACTS,THOSE WHO DO, WILL KNOW BETTER.


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Posted by SEw-gal at

Evidently YOU haven''t done any checking or you would know better!!!!