Senate reality check on gas tax plans
Posted: Monday, May 05, 2008 4:56 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under:
Congress, 2008, Economy
From NBC's Ken Strickland
Clinton's and McCain's separate proposals for suspending the gas tax this summer will very likely run out of gas shortly after hitting the Senate floor later this month. Because it takes 60 votes to pass any controversial bill in the Senate, McCain and Clinton will easily fall short. Democrats would loath to support virtually any proposal from the presumptive Republican nominee, and support for Clinton's measure is lukewarm among her own Democratic colleagues.
When Democratic leaders unveil their energy/gas price legislation later this week, Clinton's provision is NOT expected to be part of it. Why? Since Obama is against the Clinton plan, leadership doesn't want play favorites. Instead, Clinton will likely get a chance to offer her proposal as an amendment. Equally notable is the divide among Senate Democrats -- and the leadership itself -- over whether suspending the tax makes economic sense. A perfect example is Sen. Patty Murray, a Senate leader and Clinton supporter, but who opposes the gas-tax holiday.
As for McCain's plan, GOP leaders didn't include it in their energy bill when they introduced it last week, saying instead it focuses is on oil production. But even if all 49 GOP senators faithfully lined up behind McCain to support it, they'd need more than a handful of wayward Democrats to reach what would likely be the 60 vote threshold for passage.
Then there's the windfall profit tax idea, which Clinton and Obama both support. Well, it's is running on fumes, too. The last time a similar measure came up in November 2005, it couldn't even draw in 40 Democratic votes. While gas prices have increased dramatically since then, you'd be hard pressed to find 20 Republicans who'd vote with Clinton and Obama on almost anything.
