Clinton Goes on Gas-Price Offensive, Aims at Obama
GRAHAM, N.C. — Hillary Rodham Clinton on Monday criticized Barack Obama for opposing the concept of suspending the gas tax during the peak summer driving months, a plan both she and Republican John McCain have endorsed.
The idea to suspend the 18.4 cent federal gas tax and 24.4 cent diesel tax from Memorial Day to Labor Day was first proposed by McCain, the likely Republican presidential nominee, as a way to ease the economic burden for consumers during the summer.
Obama does not support the “gas tax holiday” and has said the average motorist would not benefit significantly from such a suspension; by some estimates, the federal government would lose about $10 billion in revenue.
“My opponent, Senator Obama, opposes giving consumers a break,” Clinton said, campaigning in North Carolina. “I understand the American people need some relief.”
Clinton said she would make up the difference in revenue by imposing a “windfall profits tax” on oil companies.
“If we suspended it and made up the lost revenues, that’s the best of both worlds,” she said.
Clinton commented at a firehouse in Graham, where she was urging North Carolinians to take advantage of the state’s early voting, which opened more than a week ago ahead of the May 6 primary.
She and Obama have been pushing their supporters to go to the polls early here and Indiana, which also votes May 6. Obama is favored in North Carolina while the two are competing closely in Indiana.
Besides her push for early voting, Clinton was to spend part of the day raising money. She and daughter Chelsea were to appear at a closed-door fundraiser in Greensboro, with two more fundraisers scheduled later in Charlotte.
Obama also planned campaign appearances in the state, with events in Wilmington, Wilson and Chapel Hill.
Let’s think about this first off the gas tax holiday wouldn’t happen until 2009 if she becomes President,second the gas tax pays for the Infrastructure of our country i.e. roads, bridges, third when she ran for the senate she promised New Yorkers that she would bring jobs to the state.The state lost about 500,000 jobs as president she has said that she would create 5 million jobs for the U.S.
This typical washington politics say anything to get elected.
At least McCain and Clinton are trying to help the American people, it is a start! Obama could not care less!
We’re bleeding to death and they give us a band aid. Go after the Fed and get them to stop cutting the interest rate. Face it, every quarter percent is costing us 4 dollars a barrel when the value of the dollar drops. Cheap money is not the answer to this major problem. I disappointed that neither of these candidates seems to understand the real problem.
yeah let’s tax the oil companies so they have to charge us even more. Yes, it’s a big amount but they make a 10% margin. so clinton wants to “take” their profit. Great, they will just close up their oil business and start an investment management fund with all their assets. That’ll show ‘em Hillary! what an idiot. She will say or do anything to be elected. Sadly, in the past, there have been enough stupid and desperate people to believe her BS. Really, can someone please tell me as a Senator of NY what she has done for our state? Please Hillary tell me how you have helped my state of NY besides your ability to get a bunch of soccer moms to vote for you? The rust in Central NY is getting much thicker since you’ve been “helping us”.
I agree with the comment on the taxes we wont save jack. His platform on polution capping and his return of the air quality to the 90s promise wont be made if he, fakely, entices us with fake $ breaks. We nickle and dime gas as a country it will only serve to destroy our environment and make oil ceos richer… Why dont those conservative republicans be conservative…
I THINK THAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO LOOK AT OBAMA FOR THE THINGS HE BELIVE IN AND THE GOOD HE WANTS TO DO FOR THIS COUNTRY. INSTEAD OF TRYING TO MAKE OBAM THE BAD PERSON JUST BECAUSE OF HIS PASTOR IS SAYING. WHAT IF YOUR PASTOR SAID SOMETHING CONTOVERSIAL AND YOU WERE IN THE AUDIENCE AND IT WAS CAUGHT ON TAPE AND AIRED FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE. WHAT WOULD YOU ALL DO. I THINK THIS MAN HAS DEFENDED HISELF AGAINST THESE THINGS CREDIBLY AND THE NEWS STILL TRY TO DRAG HIM THROUGH THE MUD. THAT’S NOT RIGHT. THE REALITY IS THAT THERE IS RACISM IN THIS WORLD AND THE MAIN ONES THAT ARE PUBLICLY AYING BAD THINGS ABOUT HIM ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM.
Just be prepaired that gas and diesel,they will limit you on
how much you can put in your gas tank.
Don’t be fooled by clinton and mccain on their fuel tax proposals
Leave the gas taxes alone and go after the Oil Companies and Wall Street speculators that drive prices up every time a Camel farts.
Let’s think about the math for a second. My gas tank is 14 gallons. I only have to fill up once a month or so, but my wife fills up twice a week so I’ll use her as a more typical example. A reduction in price of ~18.4 cents results in $2.576 savings per tank of gas, so just over $5 per week. There are roughly 4 weeks in a month and 5 months in the proposed “holiday”, so let’s go with 21 weeks for good measure. This means an average American who fills up twice a week will save a little over a hundred dollars over five months. Wow, what a savings, people. That’s a whole DVD a month!!! (Yes, I know, some people fill up more than that, but some people fill up less than that, so an average is probably pretty close.)
By contrast, there are what, 300 million Americans, and last I saw ~57% of Americans drive. So 171 million drivers at $100 means the transportation department will lose roughly $17 BILLION in revenue that could be used to help support our automotive infrastructure (bridges, anyone?). Seems to me Obama’s got the math right on this one, and may even be using more conservative calculations than I am.