(CNN) -- Sens. Hillary Clinton and John McCain are pushing for a gas-tax holiday, but Sen. Barack Obama says the plan is a quick fix that would do more harm than good.


Sen. Hillary Clinton campaigns this week in Wilmington, North Carolina. Gov. Mike Easley has endorsed her.

McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, was the first to propose a temporary suspension of the federal gas tax.

His plan would lift the 18.4 cents per gallon tax during peak summer travel months. It also would suspend the 24.4 cent diesel tax.

Clinton, who rejected a similar idea in 2000, said her plan is different from McCain's. She said the Republican's proposal would cost the government up to $10 billion -- money that is used to improve roads.

The senator from New York said she'd make up for the lost revenue with a "windfall profits tax" on oil companies, meaning their profits over a certain amount would be subject to a 50 percent tax.

...



http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/04/29/campaign.wrap/

This makes Obama look a hell of a lot better IMO.

The stupid is spreading!

Great idea. Just in case the peak driving months don't have enough people driving around all summer burning gas, now they will have even more incentive. All this will do is cause consumers to burn more gas in the summer. They will burn the same amount of gas in off months.

And by the way....why only tax oil companies when profits are over a certain amount? Why can't we pick on Walmart or GE or Microsoft or McDonald's or...?

I wonder how we'll deal with the lost tax revenue, cut spending? Tax something else?

Nah, let's just borrow from the Chinese!

I was just thinking about this proposal to tax oil companies for being too profitable and I think I know exactly what I would do if I were an oil company.

Just shut the refineries down once you get past X dollars. Then see how high gas prices go.

This is one of the stupidest ideas I have heard yet.

Just shut the refineries down once you get past X dollars. Then see how high gas prices go.
The Atlas Shrugged approach, eh?

She's just running a really really bad campaign.

And by the way....why only tax oil companies when profits are over a certain amount? Why can't we pick on Walmart or GE or Microsoft or McDonald's or...?

How about we just do away with the primacy of the shareholders and fix all those problems where they start?

It is a good idea. Any time the government wants to cut taxes they have my support. A big pat on the back to Hildabeast.
Except for the stupid windfall tax increase, that is downright retarded. At least cut the diesel tax if nothing else. That will help everybody.

Oh yeah. It's great for everyone.

Especially those folks with highway maintenance jobs, who will become unemployed so you can have cheaper gas and crappier/more dangerous roads.

:)

If you ask me they need to lay off some of those highway workers. In California they are like a running joke. 10 guys stand around and watch one guy fill a hole. Guys getting paid to hold up shovels. They even joke that the new uniform shirts will have the shirt pockets sewn on upside down so they can put the end of the shovel handle in there to hold em up.
Seriously, our roads are shit right now, are you telling me they will get worse if we halt gasoline taxes? I find that hard to imagine.

If you ask me they need to lay off some of those highway workers. In California they are like a running joke. 10 guys stand around and watch one guy fill a hole. Guys getting paid to hold up shovels. They even joke that the new uniform shirts will have the shirt pockets sewn on upside down so they can put the end of the shovel handle in there to hold em up.
Seriously, our roads are shit right now, are you telling me they will get worse if we halt gasoline taxes? I find that hard to imagine.

Where do you think the money to build/maintain/repair our roads comes from?

Of course it comes from taxes, but the government isnt efficient enough to know what money goes where and comes from where to say the gas tax is for roads only, at least not in this state. It is supposed to be that way, but reality and what is supposed to be are very far apart in california government.

Where do you think the money to build/maintain/repair our roads comes from?
i wondering where it's going.

Of course it comes from taxes, but the government isnt efficient enough to know what money goes where and comes from where to say the gas tax is for roads only, at least not in this state. It is supposed to be that way, but reality and what is supposed to be are very far apart in california government.


The federal Highway Trust Fund (http://www.nemw.org/HWtrustfund.htm) uses gas taxes from across the nation to ensure a dependable source of financing for the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways.

The HTF gives money to each state to repair/maintain/build its highways. If your state isn't spending its federal monies properly, maybe you should complain to your state government.

I certainly have no complaints. The roads in my state are outstanding. :thumbs:

well you dont live in liberal la la land where they give money away to endless streams of bums who come here for the free money.

well you dont live in liberal la la land where they give money away to endless streams of bums who come here for the free money.

I was a resident of California for 34 years - longer than you've been alive. I never saw anyone "giving money away to endless streams of bums," and I'm fairly certain that nobody goes to California "for the free money."

Regardless, California's portion of gas tax monies is among the largest in the nation, and the condition of your state's roads has more to do with California's (mis)use of those federal gas tax monies than it does with high gas prices or "giving money away."

Or are you suggesting that only states with poor roads should get a gas tax holiday? If so, your roads will only get worse because the gas tax pays for road repair. Cancel the gas tax, cancel road repairs (and the people who do those repairs).

Great solution! :thumbs:

I guess al the illegals are streaming over here for the pristine roads :rolleyes:

I guess al the illegals are streaming over here for the pristine roads :rolleyes:
Chicago's roads are far more pristine than yours! It's really quite amazing how little the city takes from us in taxes and how good a job they do at everything. The roads are smooth and pothole-free, as far as the eye can see.

That was, in case anyone missed it, sarcasm.

I guess al the illegals are streaming over here for the pristine roads :rolleyes:

Could you give us the addresses/locations of the free money giveaway? I've got family and friends in CA who would love some free money!

go to any welfare office.

go to any welfare office.

Cool! So you just show up and they hand you a fistful of cash, no questions asked? No wonder California's roads are such a mess.

:rolleyes: