He is so out of touch. Saving people $70 may not seem like much to him but every bit helps. If a family has two cars that would be $140. Families that live paycheck to paycheck can do a lot with $140. We also need to look at summer vacations and tourist spots. Do we want to bail them out in bankruptcy court? What about all of those that depend on these business for summer employment. What do we tell the colleges kids that get laid off early becuase business is so slow. They aren't talking about this being forever, just through the summer months. If the people don't feel something is being done they won't travel. I understand about supply and demand, but do we not also need to stimulate the economy? Everyone agrees we need a long term plan, but we also need something done now. I see two of the three candidates willing to try something, and Hillary's plan would not affect anyone losing jobs. Listen to her details.

Hill the Bosnian General you have saved 109 million + 800 000 from Urube in Colombia and you think that American families deserve to save $70 and that is so fabulous and so nice, what an elitist attitude, an insult to our intelligence, what a disconnection, Washington politics at its best. May God save America from Hillary, McCain and FoxNews. God bless America and God bless Obama.OBAMA08.

It is worth noting that the primary in NC and IN and ultimately the election hinge on a bet by two of the candidates that low information voters will believe their preposterous assertions that a "gas tax holiday" will help them pay their fuel bills this summer.
Anyone with a high school level education in economics will tell you a gas tax holiday will actually have the effect of raising gasoline prices. The consumer will simply never see a dime and the oil companies will make even higher profits. Not to mention the fact that it might put as many as 300.000 people out of work when the country is reeling from job losses or drive our debt even higher.

It is simply impossible to even suggest that such a measure could be introduced much less pass through congress before the end of the summer given nobody but McCain and Clinton support it in congress.

We are witnessing an epic and historic clash of old and new politics, one rooted in pander and deception of the past and one with the promise of truth and transparency.

My vote is for Senator Obama

The truth is:
Obama voted twice in his state to reduce the gas tax. But why is he opposing it now?

The Wright flip shows he doesn't have good judgement. Remeber there is also Rezko on trial, who may cut a deal with the prosecutors soon. There is also bill Ayers. He hasn't answered that question yet. A simple backgroud check of Obama turns out so many things that an average American couldn't easily feel agreeable. Michelle cried out that this is distraction. But shouldn't Americans have the right to know all the aspects of a person who is going to the leader and in charge of pretecting the country?

The rational that a lot people are using to support Obama is "I like him, he seems so honest". Isn't this the same reason that people got Bush into the office?

Come on people, get real.

Clinton has real solutions and ideas to fix the energy crisis, and gas prices. All Obama has done has said oh that won't work that is political pandering. Well guess what where is your idea then?

You are always saying Cliton is negative, Clinton is like Karl Rove, well then stop attacking her ideas, and come up with some of your own.

Please someone on this thread respond and tell me what Obama's plan is on getting gas prices down besides the other steps that Senator Clinton has already outlined.

He is playing politics with people's money and that is not right.

I want to hear from him what he will do, instead of saying Clinton is trying to get votes. I don't care about that I care about having money in my pocket so I can afford to eat.

This makes me so mad, that he is going around all of these towns and saying Hillary's plan is calculated and political, but then has no plan of his own.

COME ON OBAMA, YOU ARE JUST WORDS AGAIN.
GO Hillary 08

The ONLY American politician who can impact gas prices RIGHT NOW is BUSH; and he will not; because Bush DOES CANNOT CARE about the plight of ordinary Americans!

No candidate for Presidency can impact gas tax now!
So McCain & Hilary is just pandering!
Hilary is just playing politics as usual'!

Bush can tap into the OIL RESERVE; since we do have an emergency.

And Bush can appeal to his oil buddies to ROLL BACK GAS PRICES as a PATRIOTIC DUTY!

The Special Interest Congress WILL NEVER pass a windfall tax.
And the BUSH WILL NEVER SIGN a windfall tax on oil executives!

Now is the time for the PRUDENT Presidential candidate to AGAIN remind Americans of the NEED FOR AN EFFECTIVE ENERGY POLICY!

$70.00???? Those who know math estimate the savings at .30 per day for most drivers. Of course if you try to set Clinton straight she would just say...."I'm so sorry, I was misinformed."

What about the families of the 300,000 construction workers Hillary would put out of work? The windfall tax has no chance of passing in Congress (of course neither does her gas tax holiday). Sounds like pandering ti me!

Where does she get $70??? According to her... who cares about "according to her studies". I have not heard that figure anywhere else. Hillary... your slimy tactics aren't going to work. I am so sick and tired of them

Which branch did Obama proudly and bravely serve his county in?

Ken said: "Which branch did Obama proudly and bravely serve his county in?"

In case you haven't heard, He unlike Clinton and McCain has been AGAINST THE WAR from the first.

On the other hand, Clinton has been riddled by sniper fire in Bosnia. INCOMING!!!

Of Course, now Clinton says "I'm sorry, I was misinformed."

My comment to Hillary and her supporters is that I really feel sorry for you all. If Hillary is honest and has the best solution for the America people, she can't really believe this latest plan regarding the gas tax holiday is good for the America people short term. I am not that smart, even I can see through this issue. I like Hillary, but this gas tax holiday is really out in left field. Please let us all see this for what is really is, self serving

This just shows how disrespectful and rude obama supporters are. Have ANY Clinton supporters ever been rude to Obama while he was speaking? NO because Clinton supporters are mature and rational, not immature zelots.

Hillary: How can you close me up? On what grounds?

Bill: I'm shocked, shocked to find that pandering is going on in here.

Reid: Your earmarks, Mrs Clinton.

Hillary: Oh. Thank you very much. Everybody vote for me (wink)!

Gorgon: Casablanca.....Good show!

She is a panderer. The gas tax holiday is a joke. It will save the average driver between $30 and $40 dollars over the course of the "holiday." If you are saving $70 over 10 weeks, you are driving an awful, awful lot. Consumers aren't going to see this "savings" directly anyway. It would take roughly $9 billion out of the federal highway fund (remember that bridge in Minnesota?). This would potentially create more debt, increase demand for oil, cost highway/transportation jobs, and do nothing to lower the cost of gas. Sounds brilliant to me. If I'm passing more debt on to my children and doing nothing to reduce our nation's dependence on foreign oil, how am I saving any money?

Oh wow...after being called an Obama Zombie let me go right out and vote for Hil....

Obviously the mature and reserved Hillary constituency does not need the vote of vile and rude zombies.

Eliminating the federal gas tax for the summer will cost 300K jobs? Deward...I think you have been smoking some "bowls". Cant you Obama fans ever make a factual statement?

Copy and paste this message.... TO ALL THE OBAMA SUPPORTERS: Since the media is refusing to reveal/report the Paul vs. Clinton fraud case in court right now, we need to create our own movement and flood every blog on CNN and every blogging website on the World Wide Web with information from the case regardless of what the topic is. For those that don't know - Google Paul vs Clinton and hold on to your shirt with what you read!! OBAMANACS UNITE!!! LET'S DO THIS!! WE CHALLENGE GEORGE STEPHANOPLOUS TO ASK HER THIS QUESTION! “TRANSPARANCY”

Look, it's not the 18 to 24 cent a gallon savings that the Obama campaign and corporate economists object to here, it's Clinton's call for a windfall tax on oil profits to pay for it. Boy, what a terrible idea... His arguments against the proposal are bizarre in that they each seem diametrically opposed to the other. No real savings, more gas consumption because price is lowered, and now he says the price will acttually go up and we'll see "sticker shock". Have we all hurled ourselves through Alice's looking glass? It makes no sense. Obama still claims that he doesn't take money from oil companies and other corp. interests, which has been widely debunked. (See factcheck.org and opensecrets.org for the details.) He also supported the Cheney energy bill in 2005, which was larded with subsidies for the oil companies. (Clinton opposed the bill.) Anyone who seriously researches this candidate will find that it's not the little people, by and large, who are behind his candidacy. And his record-breaking quarter billion dollars in contributions is not the result of "new politics", but rather the same old corrupt establishment using him as its pretty face. For more on how the election is being manipulated behind the scenes, see the article published at thecityedition.com. Here's a direct.

http://www.thecityedition.com/Pages/Archive/Winter08/2008Election.html

Im voting for Mcain if Obama is nominated.Thats a fact.

****************************************

Oh sorry I'll vote for Huillary then. Note

Many of us have a deep respect for Senator Clinton. However it is undeniable she has not only run a more negative campaign than Obama but is also promising more to each voter segment than Obama.
This in and of itself is not troubling. After all we all want very much the nominee to promise and deliver on programs which will help our nation.
The problem with Hillary is that her promises have now entered the territory of pandering. The difference between the promise and the pander is that the ladder is a "disingenious promise"
For example, Hillary knows the "gas tax" holiday doesn't make economic sense but also it will never become a reality under of her terms of windfall profits provisions and countless other qualifiers. And it certainly will not happen anytime soon.
Similarly Hillary has promised voting rights to Guam in an attempt to scare up a few more votes. Something she has had thirty years to fight for had she been sincere!
In sum, this is why people don't trust her because the longer her campaign goes on the more she seems to prove she's the "say anything, do anything" to get elected candidate rather than the one who will honestly deliver.

Oh I forgot, patriotism isn't his thing. He went to Harvard instead of the military. Nice touch to his PR guy, he sure looked good at his photo shoot playing basketball in a USMC t-shirt. But, of course, you sure wouldn't catch him pandering. Well, there was that time he decided to not be friends with his minister any longer when it finally dawned on him he was losing the white vote. And then there was that time in San Francisco when he was speaking honestly to his wealthy peers about the lower class folk in rural america. Oh, we probably shouldn't forget about the illegal immigrants he wants to give driver's licenses to, some found that to be pandering. But other than that, I'm sure he would never pander.

God help this nation if you less educated white people, are so misinformed that you continue to let the Clinton's and the real elites use you as race baiters, and dumies to further pad their pockets with your working class tax dollars.

I cannot believe after all these years you continue to let your values blind you from the greed of those real elitist pigs. The nerve of you all, to not except the fact that Barack Obama is a part of you too and if you paid attention to what's happening to him, then you could understand just how very racist this country really is and it will never change, if you continue to allow those white supremists to use you.

This new story about Magnequench is deeply troubling and implicates both the Clinton and Bush administrations in the drain of critical military technology and jobs to China.

What’s worse is that Hillary Clinton is dishonestly, or perhaps unwittingly, using the example of Magnequench in her campaign.

It was the Clinton administration that let the sale of this key American company to China occur. It also looks like high level Clinton supporters facilitated the sale. This was a company that was based in Indiana.

The video in this article is very disturbing.

www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=4757257&page=1

Obama is just disappointed he didn't propose the gas tax holiday first.

People from the midwest (Read: Hoosiers) travel during the summer. Many vacation at the ocean (Read: North Carolina and the Outer BAnks).

Not only do consumers benefit from the temporary rollback of this tax, but so do the thousands of workers and small businesses that rely on tourism.

I've got an idea: Write President Bush and get him on board. This might have an effect on his popularity ratings!

Go Hillary!!!!!! We love your fighting spirit!!

JH, what Hill is not saying is the fact that she is pushing like McCain to take money from somewhere (road and bridge safety funds) and use it to buy your vote. Could you imagine that somebody will tell you: I will give you money to buy gaz but I will take it from your fuding to be used to make your roads and bridges safe, what that person is telling you? I will make money available to you but your safety on the raod or on a bidge is not my problem. Hill and McCain are not thinking clearly, what they need is your vote. Period. The rest they do not care about you or your safety or the safety of your family. God save America from Hill and McCain. God bless America and God bless Obama. OBAMA08.

I still find it hilarious that Obama proposes NOTHING AT ALL , but has the gall to rip Clinton a new one because she actually TRIES to do something?

Lol. I have never in my life see a candidate who just rips apart someone elses plan , but himself has NO PLAN .

Obama says: Getting nothing is far better than getting a little.

Voters think that a little is better than nothing. They aint liberal elitists .

Saving $70 dollars over 12 weeks means that you're buying approximately 32 gallons of gas per week. If you assume that a car gets 20 miles to the gallon,this means that you're driving about 92 miles per day. Seems high.

The $0.30 figure seems more reasonable. If you drive on average 30 miles per day, you'll buy about 14 gallons per week and the tax holiday would save you $30 over 12 weeks (or about $0.36 per day).

Or course, either of these calculations assume that the price of gas actually drops by $0.18, which most people agree wouldn't happen.

Senator Clinton's statement looks to be incorrect.

"It's not just Obama, its virtually every economist in the country that says the gas tax holiday is dumb. She knows it too but she also knows pandering works with her uneducated, low information voter base."

Truer words were never more spoken. Amen Bob, DC. But I'll go even further, not just every economist in the country, every economist in the world knows this is a dumb idea!

Gasoline is averaging $3.86 per gallon way up here near the Canadian border in NY. The "politicians" are talking about suspending both federal and state gasoline taxes. That would be a savings of $$ per day in my case..not pennies per day. Those taxes are supposed to be for road repair. Have you watched the news lately? The roads nationwide are falling apart. Why pay the taxes for nothing ! I'll use that extra money that I'd be saving on gasoline and put it towards the $4.06 per gallon (right now) that it costs for Fuel Oil to heat my house ! As far as that $1200 rebate for married folks they're sending out now...that will be going to BIG OIL to fill my fuel tank. An empty 275 gallon tank at $4.06.9 per gallon =$1118.97. Enough heat for a month and a half ! So much for me stimulating the economy !

Hillary negatives attacks on Obama is not helping us either. If we continue on this path the GOP will seal the election in Nov.
Obama has promised us a new beginning, a change from the old style of politics, he has promised to tell us the truth and involve us in every process along the way and has demonstrated this, by getting over 1.4 million people contributing to his campaign and speaking the truth on all issues. The truth about the gas tax is a perfect example of a Leader telling his people the truth. Hillary and McCain are the “same old, same old” and will do anything to win. I cannot imagine the supporters of Hillary believing that you are going to save $70.00 over 5 months. Go and read, the hundreds of articles and statistics available on this. You will save 0.18 cents a day and within weeks the price of gas will increase and reduce the 0.18 cents to zero or negative by the end of the 5 months because of the basic law of demand and supply. In addition 13000 jobs will be lost in Indiana and NC and 300,000 overall. Increase damage to the environment and damage to our roads and bridges that rely on these taxes for repairs. So believe the pandering of Hillary and McCain and full your tank and drive, drive all summer. My only hope to you is that you do not fall off one of those bridges that may collapse because no money is left to repair the.

$70 to a widow on a Navy pension is a month's worth of gas if she scrimps and only makes necessary trips. But it's something.

So screw you, Obama.

For my Mom, thanks for remembering when a little means to a lot to the many, Senator Clinton.

I'd like her to explain the math behind the $70 (maybe she has). Like a lot of families, we have two cars. On average we'll fill up 2-3 times a month. So let's say 5 refillings @ 14 gallons @ $.18/gallon = $12.60 per month savings for a two-car family. Yup, I think I'll take that vacation I'd been postponing.

Come on, it's just an excuse for her to repeat an empty political refrain, "Obama's out of touch". It's ugly to watch. At a very visceral level, it's what turns respect for a strong, smart woman into loathing.

It's very simple. For those with money - this sounds like a ridiculous idea. However, all the truckers and low-income families can use the relief - $18 or $30 or whatever it amounts to. For them, it is about John McCain and Hillary Clinton attempting to find short-term ways to offer some relief. They are hurting. No logic about how this does not help much matters to them. They are hurting now.

Those of you (and I) against the long-term merits of the idea don't worry about .18 a gallon. I can afford that, and I can still pay for groceries.

OK- First, it's $70 per FAMILY. That's actually assuming two cars. It's really $35 per car. Second, Obama is absolutely not against a windfall profit tax, in he's proposing one himself. So any post that says otherwise is an out and out lie. Third, as Bob, DC pointed out, you would be hard-pressed to find a single economist that disagrees with Obama on this- but what do they know? And finally, Clinton didn't "beat" Obama to the punch on this. She actually stole the idea from McCain. That is, if they didn't just come up with it in a strategy meeting...
Maybe the problem with America is that we just hate hearing the truth. It's just so inconvenient- pass the Cheeze-Wiz

hey nana, last time i checked, the only person who has cried on the campaign trail is...drum roll...wait for it...hillary. she only wants to debate because she has run her campaign into debt and needs the free exposure. so go ahead with the "wimp" comments. the harsh reality is that the clinton's thought the nomination was "inevitable" and have run their campaign in the same conceited manner.

rst:

Your math is good. That $70 figure is generated from the same Clinton abacus that gives her the lead in the ethereal "popular vote".

I drive a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo. It has a 20-gallon tank. I fill up about once every 12 days, unless I make extra trips.

Using this example, and marking a savings of $0.184 per gallon, I save $3.68 every fill-up.

The holiday runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day - about 13 weeks, or 91 days. Let's say I fill up 8 times in 91 days.

My TOTAL savings is $3.68 * 8 = $29.44. Put another way, that's less than $10 a month during the holiday.

$70? I guess this is the same economic brilliance that produced Clinton's "middle class" tax cut - for everyone making less than $200,000 per year.

Then again, John McCain thinks that no American would take a job picking lettuce for $50 an hour. Yeah, that Obama sure is an elitist...

If Hillary want s to suspend the gas tax, quit talking about it, go to Washington, and introdue legislation. Put your money where your mouth is! I suspect she doesn't want to put it in writing so she can deny later that she supported the idea.

A lot of people are not looking at the bigger picture when it comes to a gas tax holiday. It is not just about average consumers. It is about all of the industry impacts in transportation. I did a bit of research and found the real data that Clinton's short and long term plans are based on. I will try to summarize the impacts here:

Clinton's Short Term and Long Term Plan: gas tax holiday for the summer, windfall tax on oils companies to make them share the burden and prevent new taxes on Americans, possible new regulation on pricing to prevent oil companies from passing these costs on to consumers

Impact: Annual reduction of $9 billion dollars in gas taxes currently paid to the US Highway Trust Fund. This is where our taxes go and under her plan they would not come out of consumer pockets but would be paid for by the oil industry to maintain highways (per economists with Taxpayers for Common Sense).

The impacts are much more complex than just expenses for gas. Any industry using transportation and energy (which is literally any business) can then be more competitive which stimulates the economy leading to lower prices on products and services and more jobs. Combine this with the short and long range plans for green jobs, restoration of our infrastructure, and increased security for our nation and you can see Clinton's plans are not only solid but help secure our futures in many ways. We should not be selecting a nominee based on any single issue - we need a nominee with a comprehensive plan that will bring smart change leading to our return to economic prosperity and peace.

Joe you are obviously out of touch with activities in the Senate. - "Hillary Rodham Clinton called for a vote Friday in the Democratic-controlled Congress on a summertime suspension of the federal gasoline tax, a plan that Barack Obama dismissed as a political stunt that would cost thousands of construction jobs."

Obama voted for a gas tax holiday as state senator in IL. I guess he only cares when it is good for his buddies.

james - I don't know what you do for a living, but I make $30,000 a year. I could damn sure use the relief.

The problem is that THE SAVINGS WILL NEVER GET TO US. Even assuming a world where Congress would pass such legislation, and Bush would sign it, you have the following issues.

(1) There's nothing stopping oil companies from just raising their prices to make up the shortfall from the temporary windfall profits tax.

(2) There's nothing stopping gas station owners from raising *their* prices to match the tax cut and increase their own profit margins - especially if they're paying more for gas from the refineries.

The funny thing is, both of those scenarios have been seen before - in Illinois. This is why Obama's against the gas tax now - he's lived through approving one, and saw that consumers didn't get the savings.

Hillary has a point if the Tax holiday is passed in time, if the Oil companies don't just pass the taxes they are now paying back to us as additional costs and additionally marked up for their adminstrative costs, if gas prices remain constant, if all the tax could be eliminated, if the Oil companies don't fight this in court, if the Oil companies don't see this as an opportunity to raise costs and then we get a double hit when we start paying it again in the fall. If consumers don't continue to use more gas because they feel we have gotten a break, this is not straight forward as you are lead to believe. It is politics not economics, lower demand is still the only effective price control, eliminating non essential driving will help us all that is what all politicians should be fighting for, but that is not popular.

self-syc - there are economists who agree with Clinton's plan and they work for non-partisan non-profits unlike the others who are Washington insiders favored by the oil companies and Obama.

BMR - you havent looked at the long-range plan that includes not just windfall profits tax on the oil companies to pay the $9 billion dollars in savings to Americans but also comprehensive legislation to prevent the oil companies from passing that cost on to consumers. Obama's plans in IL were flawed and Clinton's have been reviewed by non-profit economists and found sound.

DCVoter:

I think you did a good job of summarizing Clinton's plan in your second paragraph.

But people understand Clinton's plan just fine. The question is, why does every single economist (except the economic advisor who's on her campaign) think this is a bad idea?

Maybe it's because of the word "possible", which you used. Any freeze on oil company price hikes will have to be carefully negotiated and discussed. Meanwhile, she proposes to have this in place by Memorial Day.

The current provision for the short term is to use the temporary windfall profits tax. But, without those price freeze provisions, I'll be happy to wager whatever amount you like that the oil companies will simply raise their rates to cover for having to pay the highway fund tax.

She'll also need enough votes to override an almost-certain Bush veto. Good luck getting two-thirds of Congress to go for this.

Assuming that you get past the Speaker of the House, the Senate Majority Leader, the President's veto, and the oil companies - the prices are likely to jump anyway. Why? The holiday will encourage more people to drive during the summer. This will increase demand. This, in turn, will raise prices.

And finally - what happens on the day after Labor Day? The tax gets reinstated. Prices jump 18 cents in one day. Woe be to the politician who has to defend THAT price hike.

RST,

Thank you for posting sound reasons against this gas tax. One poster talked about her mom being a widow of a vet. Sure, it SOUNDS good to hear that she may save some money and no experts say $70. But you're not thinking of the bigger picture and what it will cost her, you, me...all of us in the long run.

I really wish more people would begin thinking about their future and the futures of their children instead of voting to the pandering politician. You are like puppets at their whim and it's sad.

Going into this election, I went in knowing I would not support any candidate without doing my homework and that homework has meant reading for endless nights, buying books, going back into their histories-that is why I support Senator Obama.

I don't want a pander, and I refuse to let the MSM help me decide. People in this country need to get themselves educated about policy, the candidates and the real issues. I don't care where you come from, what your economical status is-there are resources to help you better understand what's at risk here. If you don't have a computer, PLEASE go to your local library.

I ask you not to get caught up in the hype that has led to the failure we now have before us.I'm a busy working mom but I'm certainly willing to sacrifice tv shows and other distractions to take the time to learn about everything that will impact my life, the lives of my children and all those I may not know but will share the same fate as me.

Whether you are a Clinton supporter, a supporter for McCain or for Obama, please think outside of your own bubble and recognize the delicate balance on which this nation is standing.

Senator Obama has ideas and all you have to do is go to his website to see them. Here it is-barackobama.com.

See, the MSM isn't interested in telling you his ideas because policy does not create ratings. And his ideas may indeed hurt their profits. Go to his rallies and listen. They are usually free to the public.

We all need to stop fighting and look through the lens of what could be.

Peace

SEVENTY DOLLARS!!!! Holy cow... you've just promised me the moon Hillary... now I'll vote for you... sure, I'm so poor and ignorant that I think that $70.00 will be a savings and not listen to the experts telling me it'll be a savings of billions for your friendly corporate oil backers.

A think tank is not a non-partisan political group that assesses policy on behalf of the voters. That particular think tank is pro-big business. Of course they would oppose any plan that shifts the costs to them. Taxpayers for Common Sense economists agree with the short and long range plans proposed by Clinton. Allowing the MSM to fool you into not doing your own research is not the best way to make an educated assertion.

DCVoter:

Oh, I looked at the long-range plan. The problem is, BOTH candidates have a long-range plan, and they don't look all that different when compared head to head.

The problem is, we're talking about this short-term "plan". I contend it's not a plan at all, because (1) the alleged savings will be snapped up by the oil companies and gas owners, and (2) I can't find an independent expert who supports it.

Even Paul Krugman of the NYT, who basically spends every column he writes bashing Obama and/or praising Clinton, said that Clinton's plan was "pointless" and "disappointing", while also admitting that Obama's objections are economically correct.

Hillary Clinton's a smart lawyer. But when I want my car fixed, I don't go to a lawyer - I go to a mechanic. When the people who know economics better than anyone take a basically universal position, I tend to agree with them.

Talking about politics, some people are getting nasty,I think Hillary will be better off enjoying her money , than defending , the poor and the media class people.

I live in Illinois and I am tired of hearing Mr.Obama talk about hope and what he will do for the country,if you ask me he should have done the job he was paid to do here first.What does he mean a new kind of politics…what a joke…he won here by default,he challenged the signatures of anyone who supported his opponents until he had eliminated everyone else on the ballot but himself.He threw Alice Palmer, who backed him, under the bus to further his own career and if that isn’t the same old politics as always, I don’t know what is.He had 8 years here, in the state senate, to do something good and failed.Why the hell would I want to have him as my president,I don’t even want him as my senator. If he can’t do anything to help one state, what makes this fool think he can help the whole country.Nothing I learn about this man suprises me,after all he is just another example of what is wrong with politics in Illinois.Maybe his supporters should take a drive through Illinois, talk to the poor people here and see if they still think so highly of him after they talk to those he is supposed to have”helped”in this state.I think if he is elected there will be a major wakeup call for all those people who thought he would be the face of new and fresh politics in Washington.You will have new politics there allright……..Chicago Style…..as if Washington wasn’t bad enough already.

Eyuuurrrp!

Obama supporters simply don't get it.
Some relief is better than no relief in sight. Call it a stunt or call it a good will gesture, skinny on the promissory for more to come. What can be done NOW!

America is a car-must-have country. Gas prices will CRUSH the poor in America. You will watch the poor fall off the economic ladder like Gandalf into the pit. Widows on pensions, kids in school, the whole Dickensian bit.

You say you are for change and hope. What kind? $70 bucks is $70 bucks on a fixed income.

Make a change? Phffft! Get a heart.

"During her Bill O'Reilly interview and in a press release issued earlier this week, Clinton pledged to use the WTO as a way to pressure OPEC nations on the price of oil. But the WTO explicitly exempts energy and there are some who argue that if WTO did get involved in energy, it would only benefit the major oil companies. Bottom line, it's not clear Clinton is dealing in reality on this issue since there really isn't a legal process to use the WTO to attack OPEC, but it sure sounds good, right? O'Reilly never followed up with her on this issue, perhaps he didn't know about the energy exemption in the WTO. No doubt Clinton will have to answer for this the next time she's grilled on this inconsistency. Folks who really understand this issue expressed concern that Clinton so easily talked about this as a viable option when it is apparently not. "

I'l take any tax break I can get.

This is why I support Hillary... she faces things head on, doesn't shrink and doesn't back down. She's a strong leader and just what we need in these perilous times.

Go Hillary!!

Ok, who still needs it spelled out for them? If gas is 3.60 this week and you pay it, if they drop the tax, it will be 3.60 next week, because you will pay it. How is her gas tax holiday going to magically cause the oil companies to not go for every cent they can, she has no say on the pricing of gasoline. Nor can she get passed her tax the oil companies side of the plan, and even if she did, how will they make up for that loss? raise prices.
So let's recap, no savings, higher profits for oil companies, less money for highway projects and bridges, so fewer jobs. Did i miss anything? Oh yeah, it is a phenomenally stupid idea that not a single economist advocates. That sort of thinking hasn't stopped George Bush Jr. Why should it stop HRC.

Where does Clinton stand on restoring the Constitution? No word on your right to be charged with a crime. She does not mention it. It might make the right wing unhappy with her.
Habeas corpus. Where's the body? What did I do?
Maybe she wants to pretend she didnt go to Yale law, so she can fit in the bar and bowling alley. But she did go to Yale and she swore an oath to defend the Constitution, and she is not standing up for the Constitution. It says that we have to have the right to be charged with a crime unless there is an insurrection or an invasion.
Obama says at every chance, he will restore Habeas Corpus, your right to be charged with a crime, before Condi decides what kind of torture is right, for you.

Len:

I guess Clinton supporters like David Paterson and Mike Easley - who have spoken out against such a holiday - don't get it either.

The relief you're talking about will never get to the pump, man. That's exactly what Paterson and Easley have said. Of course, most politicians, and virtually every business analyst and economist, agrees with Paterson, Easley and Obama.

The politically easy position here is to support the holiday. The holiday is bad policy, though. So, a true leader doesn't support bad policy - even if it's good politics.

I think its more like anything the bias media can do to take the heat off Obama .18 sales tax break is not worth all the hub-bub

Those of you who are criticizing Hillary for paying for the Gas Tax Holiday by imposing a windfall profits tax on big oil - do know that part of Obama's long-term energy strategy is imposing a windfall profits tax on big oil, right? Not that it'll ever happen since he's in bed with them as proven by his "Yes" vote on Cheney's Oil Bill which gifted big oil with billions in taxpayer subsidies. What a phoney baloney he is!

Hoosier Sue, ask her and Bill when they are going to speak up for the Constitution. Bill was big on 'signing statements' also used by Bush jr. They are unconstitutional. Hoosier Sue, really, ask her if she is in your area, what she would do to restore the ten pillars of democracy that Bush has taken from you.
The answer is NOTHING. She never says one word.
She is craven fearful of FOX news and stays out of the way of anything that will stir up the swiftboaters.
No word on restoring Habeas corpus, yet.
Vote Obama and be a free citizen again.
right now, we are in the same situation as Germany under Hitler. Someone is going to be in charge.
Obama is willing to restore our rights. HRC is not.
It is very clear if you focus on this one issue.
America is built upon the rights of its citizens. HRC says not one word about habeas corpus.
Please consider this with your friends.
What is more important, 18 cents a gallon or our freedoms?
The only solution for high gas prices is to reduce demand by producing cars with low fuel requirements.

Go back and read Monica's comments (it makes sense!):

"What folks really need to take note of is the fact that when John McCain proposed this "Tax Holiday" not 3 weeks ago, gas was $3.50 a gallon. Now it is $3.60 a gallon. If in fact our Tax Holiday were passed when he proposed it 3 (THREE) weeks ago, our little .18 cent a gallon savings would already be deminished to .08 cents a gallon savings because the oil companies raised the price per barrel of oil.

Does it take a rocket scientist to see this??!! "

PLEASE STOP THE IGNORANCE! A GAS TAX HOLIDAY IS SHORT TERM AND SHORT SIGHTED. WE NEED LONG TERM SOLUTIONS.

OBAMA '08!!!

Chalk up another "profit over people" scheme from Clinton. Not unlike NAFTA and her health care plan, these schemes always have appealing face value for your average consumer or middle class worker but are always intended to be a much sweeter deal for corporations.

Bankruptcy bill - Hillary voted with the banks and against consumers. Remember January 2008.

Hillary voted to make it harder to file bankruptcy. Forgot how she voted until Obama pointed it out. And said "I'm glad that bill didn't pass..."

She's a disgusting liar.

If after all of her outright lies; after the crap that's gone on in her camp; after Bill's many gaffes (w/racist slants) Hillary supporters still want to hang in there with her - more power to them. I can't stand a liar and a thief is even worse. No human is perfect, but, Hillary is the epitome of a flawed candidate. Divisive. Manipulative. Sad.

" Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., held a small outdoor rally in Gastonia, N.C., and was greeted with a sign that read “A Gas Tax Holiday is Blatant Pandering.” Instead of ignoring the sign, Clinton read it out to the audience and defended her position."

This was no dirty trick by the Obama campaign. This was a plant from the Hillary campaign! Dollars to donuts that this was planned and Hillary was rehearsed, behind closed doors. what to say to the plant.

Obama continues to show how out of touch and condescending he is towards the working Americans. Even at $30/week, it can be one or two weeks worth of groceries, a few more trips looking for a job, etc. Americans deserve every break they can in this recession. It makes sense that a strong president like Clinton would look for both big and small, both short and long term fixes for Americans. Obama acts like a professor sitting in an ivory tower, ignores the pain of the people around, while he sits pondering what the long term fix is. No wonder it takes 20 years and the rest of America for him to recognize that he does not know his mentor very well! We can afford a president who is so naive and timid in his problem solving approaches.

Miles - I'm sure Hillary made more money than Obama. But, you're trying to call Obama out?!?!?! Typical.

The joke isn't the gas tax it's Obama's candidacy. He needs to stop tearing the party apart and withdraw. He has no chance in November. American won't elect a guy who supports racist anti-american hate mongers as Obama did for 20 years. He lacks courage and character. Game over. Obama is full of excuses that don't add up.

Hillary '08

Hilary has run a very dirty campaign, her Karl Rove-style attacks on Obama have really been a turn-off. She is splitting the democratic party, especially independents and younger voters like me.

As an independent, I will surely vote for McCain if Clinton is the democratic candidate. And I know a lot of independents who feel the same way. Clinton has no chance in November.

Bread and circuses. McCain and Clinton see no problem trying to buy votes. Obama does, and calls them on it. QED