Letters to the Editor
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You must be joking...
George, please...
There is a huge difference between a state tax and a federal tax in this case. It would be difficult for an oil company to raise the price in one state only, to make up the difference in a state gas tax. When you're talking about a federal gas tax, it's very easy for the oil companies to fudge.
The reason it's a bad idea is because prices are so volatile right now. In the last two weeks alone, the average price is up 15 cents, and it's threatening to go up another 30-40 cents before it's finished climbing. How will anyone KNOW that the oil companies are passing on the tax savings.
I would agree that, to some (very few) families, $30 is a significant savings. But Obama's points are twofold; one, there are no guarantees that we'll actually save that much, and two, the loss in tax revenue would have to be made up somewhere else, or a whole bunch of road projects will have to stop, and that could cost thousands of jobs. And if we avoided the second one, then we once again have to borrow money to cover that loss. And for what? $30? Don't be silly...
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@Wonhyo Why not rasie the gas tax?
It depends on what level you want the price to land at. It is apparent that the gas companies are making big profits -- but public "demand limiting behaviour" sets the retail margin over cost. Raise the gas tax and for at least several cents the price of gas would not rise by the same amount -- it would come out of the oil company margin, and OPECs. At some point though gas prices would start to go up, when margins were squeezed too far
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@Milt
I have to disagree with one point you make. $30 savings is not significant to any family over 90 days. If you need an extra 30 cents a day to drive, you essentially can't afford your car. When you compare the cost of a car payment, with insurance and routine maintenance, it's impossible that this sum could stand in the way of you driving or not driving. It's financially impossible. One bad traffice jam could then wipe out all of your savings for several days, if prices did by some mechanism actually drop.
The fact is that many people have cars that have such low gas mileage that routine gas fill-ups are getting so expensive that they are changing their lifestyles. This will remain so regardless of any type of tax holiday, federal or state. The bottom line is that these people want an excuse to continue their habits.
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His economic figures are shakey
And randomly tossed
He's a hack for the Clintons
They call him George Frost.
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@johncp
johncp: "...when I look at the electorate in the country, it's revealed that a small majority of democrats have voted for Hillary over Obama."
Not so good at math, are ya?
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Math
Why is it not a surprise that Hillary's shrillest supporters can't manage basic math? No wonder they've all flocked to the mothership of stupidity herself, McCain with a vagina.
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It's not about the gas tax (stupid)
This issue isn't about the gas tax, it's about Hillary Clinton finding her voice and attempting to paint a contrast between her as "doer" and Obama as "thinker."
I believe Hillary jumped on the McCain bus (with a windfall profit twist) to amplify the new her: the person who will fight the world to protect Americans, get tough with Iran, oil companies, anyone who gets in her way. This gas tax thing is an extension of her quest to display balls under her skirt.
The problem is that it might be better to not be a "doer" if you're doing the wrong thing, like voting to authorize the Iraq war and the Kyle Lieberman bill and puffing up against Iran and anyone else who gets in the way. If memory serves, we've just spent 7 years suffering someone attempting to show balls and look where we are.
Isn't it ironic that the one with the supposed resume of experience (Clinton) is the most reactionary and the one with the supposed weak resume (Obama) is the most considered.
As political pandering, reactionary might work but it won't work to run and change the country. I choose considered, I choose Obama.
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This article doesn't mention Clinton's claim that she'll smash OPEC
Hillary Clinton, May 5, Merrillville, IN: "We’re going to go right at OPEC. They can no longer be a cartel, a monopoly that get together once every couple of months in some conference room in some plush place in the world, they decide how much oil they’re going to produce and what price they’re going to put it at. That’s not a market. That’s a monopoly."
Looks like Hillary is planning to change 50+ years of history with a wave of her scepter.
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Totally shocked
I fully expected this piece to have been pulled overnight. And editor worth a damn would have done so.
Amazing, the low standards continue!
I look forward to having Indiana Republicans executing Operation Chaos hand Hillary an 8% win today in IN.
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Wrong or Right
You really think Congress and the President are going to pass immediately a bill repealing the gas tax? Wow, exactly what world do you live in? The President has to sign all bills remember? Congress has to attempt to pass those bills, so if that can't happen what is the use of even discussing that it will help consumers, which it will not. Please. Give me a break.
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A Bad, Bad, Bad Idea
This will give about $0.30 a day "relief" to people who drive. However, this is at the cost of delaying a lot of road repairs which mean construction workers will have less work and less money to spend.
Plus, the increased demand due to the lower price just drives up prices (oh good, because those oil companies sure are hurting).
This is terrible policy.
We should be RAISING taxes, slowly but inexorably, in order to let the marketplace ween people from their addiction to driving. Better for our countries security (no more oil war), environment (less automobile pollution), and mental health (less road rage).
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Appreciate the Other Side
I always love to see the other side of the argument, and I thank Salon for offering it.
Sadly, the argument is spurious, at best. Frost suggests that $30 to $50 bucks might be helpful to "at least some Americans." I hate to be cynical, but I think he is out of touch with how much things really cost these days. That amount of money, over a five month period? Six to Ten bucks a month?
As the article progresses, he suggest that while the relief might be minimal (a nickel a gallon), some relief is better then none. Yet here we are, in the midst of a very divisive Democratic Primary, one that will do much to either right, or continue, the wrongs our country has committed over the past eight years, and the whole thing might be decided by a few hours of wage at your local McDonald's? The whole debate is surreal and I will admit a tremendous loss of respect for Clinton for embracing the tax holiday. Her new shift to populism is distasteful, to say the least, and has convinced me that perhaps it really does matter who gets the Democratic nomination. These two are -not- equals.