McCain: Gas tax holiday not 'panacea'

Posted: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 6:03 PM by Domenico Montanaro

From NBC/NJ’s Adam Aigner-Treworgy
ALLENTOWN, Pa. -- After admitting that his gas tax holiday was not a “panacea,” saying that it will not address America’s reliance on foreign oil and calling it a “a nice little break for Americans,” McCain once again hit Obama for not supporting his proposal.

“I noticed again that Sen. Obama refuses to endorse a tax-- gas tax holiday for Americans despite the fact that he voted for it several times when the price of gasoline was about a dollar and a half per gallon,” McCain said. “All we need to do is cut out hundreds of millions and billions of dollars of pork barrel projects that have been funded by the pork barrel bills, the transportation and highway bills that have gone through the Congress of the United States.”

After pushing his message of the day, McCain also responded to the recent ads released referencing his comments on a lengthy American presence in Iraq, quickly blaming Obama for misrepresenting his statements.

“It’s a little distressing to me when Sen. Obama says that he wants to run a very great campaign that is above politics and above the mundane aspects of political campaigns and then keeps turning around and saying and totally falsifying my statement, which is clear in saying that after we win we may have a presence in Iraq the way we do in south Korea,” McCain said.

Although admittedly Obama has misstated the intent of McCain’s statement, he is not responsible for the television ads recently released by the DNC and MoveOn.org, which released an ad today.

McCain also commented on today’s economic news: “Perhaps there was some small growth as far as statistics are concerned. I don’t think that that helps Americans any. American families are hurting, 250,000 Americans just recently and suddenly lost their jobs. [Today’s news] does not in anyway change my opinion that American families are hurting, they are having difficulties staying in their homes.”

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Comments

Gasbag mccain is about as much an idiot as the ignorant cowboy. Pandering old fool fraud. Mcain = bush.

Steve A Jonesboro IN (Sent Wednesday, April 30, 2008 6:09 PM)

We had better not have a continued presence in Iraq. Terrorism 101: sell yourself as the oppressed and fight the big bully. Want to increase the threat of terrorism against the United States? Stay in Iraq and be the biggest, boldest bully there is.

McCain is out of touch with the world as much if not more than he is with the American Public. God save us all if he wins.

Democrat (Sent Wednesday, April 30, 2008 6:14 PM)

In 2000, gasoline prices were climbing quickly, reaching $2 a gallon in the Chicago area - a remarkable price back then. Illinois legislators scrambled to offer some election-year relief to angry motorists.

Republican presidential candidate Sen. John
Obama voted three times for a tax holiday.

The version that ended up becoming law required a six-month suspension of the state's share of the sales tax on gasoline, a 5 percent tax paid directly by consumers rather than gas stations. It also required gas stations to post signs on their pumps saying that the Illinois General Assembly had lowered taxes and the price should reflect that cut.

The impact of the tax holiday was never clear.

A government study could not determine how much of the savings was actually passed along to motorists. Many lawmakers said their constituents didn't seem to have benefited. They also worried the tax break was pushing the state budget out of balance.

At the end of Illinois' tax holiday, there was a failed push to eliminate the sales tax permanently. Obama was among those voting against eliminating the tax.

Obama's presidential campaign says the lessons of that Illinois tax holiday influenced his decision to oppose a national tax holiday. The lack of clear results then make him dubious about suspending the national tax now.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080430/D90CDUV02.html

jan erik (Sent Wednesday, April 30, 2008 6:15 PM)

I think Clinton needs to be investigated for "voter manipulation." A gas tax holiday? That would be TERRIBLE!!!!! Must I offer a quick reference to economics 101?

Hmmm...
1) Gas tax is cut out, so prices fall.
2) Prices fall, so demand goes up.
3) Demand goes up, so prices increase.

Therefore, by the end of the summer, we're right back where we started, except for two HUGE hits to the hard-working American people:
1) None of the increase in gas price is tax money that goes to maintaining and building America's infrastructure. Therefore, our old, run-down roads and bridges take an even bigger hit.
2) Once the gas tax is reinstated at the end of the summer, it will be TACKED ON to the already-back-where-we-started price. Therefore, gas prices will soar over current levels.

Think, people: A gas tax holiday = 1) A significant loss in funding for our crumbling infrastructure and 2) paying MUCH more at the pump than currently projected by the end of the summer.

Obama understands this. Economists understand this. Even Clinton and McCain understand this. But, Clinton and McCain are just pandering.

Jaime, Boynton Beach, FL (Sent Wednesday, April 30, 2008 6:15 PM)

The great John McCain who had the uncommon good sense to have himself introduced on his Health Care Tour by a lobbyist for the insurance industry. The man's political savy is stunning!!!

goodwin, arizona (Sent Wednesday, April 30, 2008 6:15 PM)

McCain-Clinton gas tax holiday! This brilliant idea came from the two "experienced" politicians. Man, they must think we're stupid. IN & NC please prove them wrong!

Panderers beware! (Sent Wednesday, April 30, 2008 6:16 PM)

Let's talk about Rev. Wright giving marriage counseling to Bill and Hillary after Monica.

Let's talk about how it was one of Hillary's supporters who got Wright to speak at the National Press Conference.

Some is thick as thieves and it's not Obama and Wright anymore.

Andress (Sent Wednesday, April 30, 2008 6:18 PM)

Glad he is finally calling Obama out on his double-speak about a clean campaign. It is why I am no longer supporting Obama at all and would even prefer Hillary. Obama talks a nice talk, but he just isn't walking it.

David, Gresham (Sent Wednesday, April 30, 2008 6:19 PM)

“a nice little break for Americans,” McCain said.

'Little' is the operative word here. Less than crumbs.

Senator McCain,

I don't know why you can't keep your facts straight. Nevermind, yes I do.

Anyway, it was 800,000 jobs lost, not 250,000!

Lastly gas at 1.50 per gallon is a far sight from almost 4.00 a gallon. Senator Obama is the only one of you three candidates that is willing to tell it like it is, and NOT PANDER!!

donna (Sent Wednesday, April 30, 2008 6:20 PM)

McCain, this whole idea of a Gas Tax Holiday is playing politics. You are simply saying something that people want to hear but don't understand what it means. It is not as simple as a snap of the fingers and you know it. The unforeseen ramifications of a Gas Tax Holiday, the ones the general public does not know, is exactly why Obama is not playing politics by offering pretty flowers that are really just weeds.

JPB, SLC, UT (Sent Wednesday, April 30, 2008 6:22 PM)

Do the Hillary supporters see a pattern here?

She & McCain are pandering the same short-sighted, ill-conceived gas tax holiday.

She is to the RIGHT of McCain on Iran (bomb bomb bomb vs nuke'em. Heck, she's probably to the right of Bush).

She thinks she and McCain are the only ones qualified to be commander in chief.

She swears like a sailor, he swears like a sailor (oh yeah, he WAS a sailor).

She has a VERY scary personality disorder; he has scary dementia.

So, here's the deal -- if she somehow steals this nomination from Obama, why wouldn't I just vote for McCain? At least he was a REAL war hero, a better Democrat than she is, has more experience, and at least seems to have SOME ethics.

sara, mesa, az (Sent Wednesday, April 30, 2008 6:27 PM)

Obama supported suspending the state tax in Illinois, a move that does not change national gas prices. Removing the tax nationally allows the oil companies to fill the void by raising the price uniformly thus allowing them to blame the increase on supply and demand issues.

What McCain and Clinton want to do is let the oil companies raise the price of gas and oil once more this summer but hide it. After the election, (when the tax comes back)the price of gas will be 36 cents higher but if you vote for Clinton or McCain you won't be able to say a word for another four years while they spin you away from their deception.

And if you honestly think that Congress or the Senate will do anything about this before the November election I have a bridge, albeit very broken because we cannot fund fixing it, that I can sell you.

Democrat (Sent Wednesday, April 30, 2008 6:30 PM)

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