Gas taxes and head games
By Steve Benen Friday Apr 18, 2008 12:15pmJohn McCain, on Tuesday:
“I propose that the federal government suspend all taxes on gasoline now paid by the American people — from Memorial Day to Labor Day of this year. The effect will be an immediate economic stimulus.... [B]ecause the cost of gas affects the price of food, packaging, and just about everything else, these immediate steps will help to spread relief across the American economy.”
John McCain, on Thursday:
“I think psychologically, a lot of our problems today are psychological — confidence, trust, uncertainty about our economic future, ability to keep our own home. [A gas-tax holiday] might give ‘em a little psychological boost. Let’s have some straight talk: it’s not a huge amount of money.... A little psychological boost. That’s what I think [a gas-tax holiday] would help.”
So, which is it, a seasonal tax cut that will serve as “an immediate economic stimulus,” or a gimmick to alleviate our “psychological” problems?
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That's right, John Be as stupid as my biblethumping aunt who keeps telling me when Jesus comes back, he'll make all the oil we need...
What a tired gasbag. As if cutting the gas tax won't encourage folks to drive more and conserve less. Thanks Mr. freakin' "global warming."
I've no doubt that most of mccain problems ARE psychological. And that the rest are ethical.
So, the $60 it takes to fill my gas tank is merely "psychological". I'm glad Mc100yearwar cleared up our nation's failing economy.
If anyone believes gas prices will fall if we get rid of the gas tax, call me, I have a lovely bridge I need to sell...
John McCain = awful.
So americans are have psychological problems? How elitist! I'm outraged! Where's the press coverage?
Orangutan. @ 6:
and indefensible.
This will cause more problems than it'll cure remember those pics of mud roads and rickity bridges?? what does the gas tax do-helps pay for infrastructure what a tool
alleviate our “psychological” problems?
legalize pot you fascist and we will all feel better
More nickels and dimes for the people while the looting of the treasury continues. Will have even less of an impact then the token 'rebates' we'll all be receiving soon...
Face it, it's simply our small share of the blood money, so we can't say then never gave some to us.
Crumbs for the common folk. Thanks so much Johnny.
mr. benen,
sorry for going slightly o.t., but we've really gotta hurry up and get this dem nomination wrapped up so we can all get after diapers mccain.
i just wanted to point out that if hillary clinton gets the nomination, americans may as well write in "the exhumed corpse of hubert humphrey" on their ballots.
both will get about the same amount accomplished on behalf of ordinary americans.
Is the media going to ask McCain how he proposes to make up the shortfall in road repair when he suspends the gas tax? Or will they just give this senile fool another pass?
"Psychological boost", aka "pandering with tax money".
How about we suspend all profits to the oil companies during those months?
If your a fat rich bastard it's “psychological” if your a normal working class American it's as real as it gets. Big F.U. to you Mr Straight Talk nothing man.
McCain's plan is stupid.
The only thing that will slow down the speculation-driven price-gauging is releasing oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. A few Senators are pushing for that, Collins and Clinton among them. However, since Cheney controls the reserve, I think we are all screwed.
Doug @ 14:
He'll respond with the "Hit a Pothole, Get a Free Cookie" program. It won't actually fix anything, but it might make you feel happy for a moment. Yum, cookies!
Bugs wrote:
Yup, and not only that... if folks DO drive more and conserve less; thus turning his "solution" into part of the problem, what do you think those Saudi fuckheads will do?
Hint: If people drive more, gas prices go __.
Watch as the oil companies 'absorb' the difference and we see little (less than the 18.4 cents per gallon tax) to no change in pricing. It'll just eliminate the middleman and deliver that tax revenue directly to the oil companies, increasing there already 'windfall' profits.
Great Idea there Mr. McCain. Didn't they teach you that crime requires subtlety?
If anyone does the math on this, they will see that it won't do a damn bit of good.
The words Psychological and John McCain will probably be mentioned thousands of time between now and the November Election.
As Doug mentioned above, America's Roads are in terrible shape. Last year when i was there for my visit I was surprised that the roads here in Thailand and even many in Laos are far better. So America has been brought down to the level of an Emerging Country.
George bush should and his group should be held accountable for the shoddy, inept job they have done with America. America, as a Corporation, is bankrupt, both morally and financially.
And now McCain is showing us that while he acted bravely for his country in time of war, he is just a stupid as George bush. And just as dangerous to the future.
Why are these people always so fixated on what the public perceives, and never what *is*? This attitude runs through all of the neocons' thinking.
Perception is NOT reality. REALITY is reality-- and it will intrude upon your happy fantasies every time.
Everything Reslugs say or do is a total gimmick or straight out LIE to hurt the American people.
What,, the roads are not already in bad enough shape for you? This is another thing Bush has in his bag of tricks. He cuts funds to domestic program like the roads , public parks and resources so his can say they need improvements and we can't afford it, so again it will be contracted not only to private corporations but "FOREIGN COUNTRIES" , and we will be paying a "toll" to drive on our roads, and lose the ability to see and visit our own parks. Lots of public land was donated by people so the American citizens go have a place to "always" visit and enjoy. It was also donated so the wildlife could be protected and now Bush has opened in up to loggers and other private corporations and sold to foreign countries at the expense of our nation. Just how in the h... is dumb enough to believe that if private corporations and foeign countries can take our public land and make a profit and killing on it use that we can't handle managing it because we do not need a profit , just to break even..
We see what corporations do with their control and "self" policing of their actions by the cost of products they sell to the American citizens like "gas" , "food" , electric and other products and lets not forget this housing disaster which has forced many thousands of Americans to lose their homes.
Corporations are responsible for our recession , with their outsourcing of our jobs and manufacturing plants , going into partners with foreign countries for cheaper wages (while laying out U.S. employees ), their tax exemptions by going off shore , no pollution standards overseas and no quality control on the products they sell back to Americans with their partners in crime overseas.
China has been a good example of the lack of control and concern to what happens to the American citizens for a greater profit.
Here's a solution to the "problem":
Stop pretending it's a problem. Our economy is nice and low just where Bush wanted it. Wait for the "terrorist attack" then comes the Iran invasion then comes martial law. Don't be fooled.
4 Dr. Biitter Hussein Matt Says: So, the $60 it takes to fill my gas tank is merely “psychological”. I’m glad Mc100yearwar cleared up our nation’s failing economy.
Gee, with the savings on the gas tax you won't have enough to even buy an extra gallon of gas.
g @ 7:
I guess you're assuming we have an impartial press.
Yeah, people losing their houses is just "psychological" isn't it St. McCain
What the fuck does he think running a country entails? You can't just tinker a little with that and mess a bit with this just to make a few new friends or just because you're afraid to look the truth in its eyes and do what need to be done long term.
But he's right about one thing, America is in a psychological crisis. After the current fascists somehow managed to make most Americans and their aunts believe they were all big swinging dicks, macho cowboys the truth is about to emerge for most. They are not big swinging dick, macho cowboys, just regular Joes that allowed themselves to get totally duped by the fascists.
What mcGain is trying to do is to play on this. His entire presidency infact depends on whether most Americans will go through the messy procedure of altering their entire belief system and view of who they are, which they all know they really need to. Or cling to their current world views for another 4-8 years, as the easy way out in the short term.
That is why mcGain is offering these easy way out short term presents, the way he does.
What does he really care about Americas future. He can ego-trip as a president for 4-8 year create whatever mess he wants, because he will most likely also be dead in another couple of years after that...
I'd like to hear an economist speak to the cost-effectiveness of the gas tax suspension. Me thinks that prices are set by supply/demand, and elimination of the gas tax would increase demand. So, the result would be less than an 18 cent reduction per gallon, a result that would be less than the cost.
Now, compare that to Bush's $600 rebate per tax payer. It's clear that they're counting on the multiplier effect to create a larger economic effect than the money being spent on the rebates. At times, stimuluses such as this makes sense, but this time I see excessive debt being the problem, and further federal borrowing to ease the symptoms of excessive borrowing only digs the hole deeper, I think. As we can see, the weakened dollar is largely responsible for the huge gas increases. Other countries have seen increases due to the actual cost increases, but not the additional impact of currency devaluation caused by fiscal irresponsibility. When Bush took office, the 1 euro cost $.96, now 1 euro costs north of $1.50. No wonder that there is a push to switch from dollars to euros for oil purchases. No one wants to hold the currency of a country with banana republic fiscal policies.
So, McCain's economic sense seems wanting. On Middle Eastern issues, he can't seem to differentiate between Shiite and Sunni, leaving details like these to his neocon handlers, the same crowd that got us into Iraq. And the gasoline prices have shot up ever since the Iraq war, caused in part by Middle East instability, and in part due to currency devaluation caused by excessive borrowing to finance, among other things, the war in Iraq.
So McCain wants a tax suspension to deal with the symptoms caused by the policies he has endorsed. Maybe the real answer is to deal with the underlying root causes, namely borrow and spend economics, and the war in Iraq.
The problem is we have to outsource people like Bush , McCain , Cheney , Rumsfeld , Rove , Rush , Rice , Powell , Attorney general , Reid , Pelosi and others that like to vote for the war in Iraq (Iran, Syria), given the war contractors more of our tax funds for their folly in Iraq , Illegally paying mercenary armies like Blackwater and on top of that they receive better armor and equipment and 10 times the salary as our soldiers .
What he's saying is Americans are dumb, they think the government controls the economy and if we give em a tax break they will think the government has done something and confidence will go back up......
Lets cut money to fix those roads bridges that are falling apart.
McCain is an idiot.
Americas problems are purely psychological.....brainwashed Republicans.
NEWS UPDATE:
McCain has just finished his plans for repairing the nation's roads. Everyone marry a rich woman and have her hire a bunch of Mexicans to fix the roads for cheap. McCain decided to shelve his suggestion that we develop a car engine that runs on the tears of children until he is in office.
If I have psychological problems, I would like to see a doctor about that.
Why don't we suspend the Iraq war for three months and save 30 billion dollars?
I love the presidential nominee of the republican free marketeers wanting to get involved in gas pricing.
News from the Near Future...
McCain's solution to gun violence: free bullets!
I proposed we nationalize the oil industry because those f#ckers have been raping the American people.
Don’t forget that McFiscallyIrresponsible has already confessed that he doesn’t know much about the economy. This should be no surprise to anyone. Also note that this is only a simple suggestion. He doesn’t have the power, as a lowly Senator, to implement such a gas holiday on his own. It’s pure and simple empty rhetoric. All talk, no can do.
Imagine how much negative press this would have gotten if Obama or the Hill had said it.
Psychological ? These clowns never cease to amaze me ! How out of touch and how far from the real world of the average American can he possibly be ? That's the trouble with most of the rich , especially rich politicians , many born into power and wealth like King George , the truly elitist class who have never even had a taste of the life most all of us contend with every day , who have no contact or association with anyone lower or middle class , they truly don't have a friggin clue and don't give a damn regardless . Until people wise up ( fat chance ) and start voting for the benefit of the country instead of voting for the sleaze balls with the familiar name and for the pork they can bring home locally , the same assholes will keep getting re elected and this is what we get and will continue to get . I don't know about you but my life is getting more and more difficult , every year gets worse and now it feels like I am in a slow tail spin and totally gone out of control ! Have not had a raise since 1991 , because they busted the union we now have zero clout and zero representation and to the owners and the ones who "have" , greed is now considered a virtue and the attitude is " F those dime a dozen monkeys "! It's mainly due to these soulless self serving political whores , the average everyday American citizen , the vast majority of us who have worked hard , played by the rules and formed the backbone of and built this country have been sold out , abandoned , and crapped on . The last thing we need now is another corporate , lobbyist and special interest whore President . Angry and Bitter ? Damn right I am .
this is classic play now ~ pay later American thinking...and a great way to get the sheep to follow.
The significant problems we have cannot be solved at the same level of thinking with which we created them.
- Albert Einstein
John McCain.....“I propose that the federal government suspend all taxes on gasoline now paid by the American people — from Memorial Day to Labor Day of this year. The effect will be an immediate economic stimulus…. [B]ecause the cost of gas affects the price of food, packaging, and just about everything else, these immediate steps will help to spread relief across the American economy.”
You know what McCain? I propose that your proposition will do little by Memorial Day because by that time gas prices will be over $4 per gallon and many of us will have had to make the decision to either eat or get to work. I propose ending this idiotic war which is draining off 12 billion dollars per month and placing those funds into an energy trust so that our country can immediately begin an alternative Mahattan project, because we are in peak oil. We may have to cut back being necessat just to survive, but other countries like China and India will continue using the worlds precious resources.
Our government Senator McCain is worthless when it comes to foing the peoples business and the hand writing was on the wall back in the 70's during our first oil crisis. we could have all the oil in the world, but without any new refineries having been built in the last 35 years, what good will it do you?
Yes, the great minds in D.C. and all of those billion dollar think tanks never realized that populations would grow as well as energy demands. Yet it made perfect sense to our elected officials to look the other way, while oil companies made ever increasing profits, with little on their part in finding alternatives, knowing that one day the welss would literally run dry.
Now Senator McCain, your band aid for the problem will do little other than win you a handful of votes from those still ignorant enough to believe in the Republican way of doing things. The Dem's are no better. If we don't demand the best that our country is known for, we will surely and up being just another banana republic and from the looks of it, we're well on our way.
wow. pure genius. lower the prices on a commodity which is having a supply problem. That will work. *snark*
Not only does McBane not know anything about economics as he said, but he seems unable to have anyone explain it to him either. This is the worst idea I've heard in a long long time.
A few days ago I kept reading that Obama's campaing would be done because voters don't like to be psychoanalized (here's one) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/15/AR200804...
I'm sure McSame's little bit of 'straight talk' will receive as much criticism in the media now...
...right?...
...any criticism from the MSM?...
I’d like to hear an economist speak to the cost-effectiveness of the gas tax suspension. Me thinks that prices are set by supply/demand, and elimination of the gas tax would increase demand. So, the result would be less than an 18 cent reduction per gallon, a result that would be less than the cost.
Now, compare that to Bush’s $600 rebate per tax payer. It’s clear that they’re counting on the multiplier effect to create a larger economic effect than the money being spent on the rebates. At times, stimuluses such as this makes sense, but this time I see excessive debt being the problem, and further federal borrowing to ease the symptoms of excessive borrowing only digs the hole deeper, I think. As we can see, the weakened dollar is largely responsible for the huge gas increases. Other countries have seen increases due to the actual cost increases, but not the additional impact of currency devaluation caused by fiscal irresponsibility. When Bush took office, the 1 euro cost $.96, now 1 euro costs north of $1.50. No wonder that there is a push to switch from dollars to euros for oil purchases. No one wants to hold the currency of a country with banana republic fiscal policies.
So, McCain’s economic sense seems wanting. On Middle Eastern issues, he can’t seem to differentiate between Shiite and Sunni, leaving details like these to his neocon handlers, the same crowd that got us into Iraq. And the gasoline prices have shot up ever since the Iraq war, caused in part by Middle East instability, and in part due to currency devaluation caused by excessive borrowing to finance, among other things, the war in Iraq.
So McCain wants a tax suspension to deal with the symptoms caused by the policies he has endorsed. Maybe the real answer is to deal with the underlying root causes, namely borrow and spend economics, and the war in Iraq.
Nobuddy......that's an easy one. Deficit spending will get you knowhere other than bankrupt and I hate telling you this, but the US was officially delcared bankrupt back in 1933. If you don't believe that statement, you can llok it up in the congressional record. In 1933, we went from the Constituitional US to the Corporate US. Check this out......
The Bankruptcy of The United States
United States Congressional Record, March 17, 1993 Vol. 33, page H-1303
THIS IS IMPORTANT!!!!
Speaker-Rep. James Traficant, Jr. (Ohio) addressing the House:
"Mr. Speaker, we are here now in chapter 11.. Members of Congress are
official trustees presiding over the greatest reorganization of any Bankrupt
entity in world history, the U.S. Government. We are setting forth
hopefully, a blueprint for our future. There are some who say it is a
coroner's report that will lead to our demise.
It is an established fact that the United States Federal Government has
been dissolved by the Emergency Banking Act, March 9, 1933, 48 Stat. 1,
Public Law 89-719; declared by President Roosevelt, being bankrupt and
insolvent. H.J.R. 192, 73rd Congress m session June 5, 1933 - Joint
Resolution To Suspend The Gold Standard and Abrogate The Gold Clause
dissolved the Sovereign Authority of the United States and the official
capacities of all United States Governmental Offices, Officers, and
Departments and is further evidence that the United States Federal
Government exists today in name only.
The receivers of the United States Bankruptcy are the International
Bankers, via the United Nations, the World Bank and the International
Monetary Fund. All United States Offices, Officials, and Departments are now
operating within a de facto status in name only under Emergency War Powers.
With the Constitutional Republican form of Government now dissolved, the
receivers of the Bankruptcy have adopted a new form of government for the
United States. This new form of government is known as a Democracy, being an
established Socialist/Communist order under a new governor for America. This
act was instituted and established by transferring and/or placing the Office
of the Secretary of Treasury to that of the Governor of the International
Monetary Fund. Public Law 94-564, page 8, Section H.R. 13955 reads in part:
"The U.S. Secretary of Treasury receives no compensation for representing
the United States."
Here's David Brooks explaining how 'ordinary people' don't like to be psychoanlyzed...
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89771212
Now David, what's your take on McSame's comments?
This idiot is a laugh a minute. If he didn't have potential to hold the future of America in his hands, he would be a funny, funny old fart.
As it is...he's a threat to us all.
Shovit it, McCain
What an excellent idea! FREE MONEY!!
I think it is very magnanimous for a Presidential candidate to suggest a mandate that would force the states to give up those excess taxes they keep talking about. Thank goodness the state governments are so flush with money that they can afford to eliminate fuel taxes as a source of revenue.
I know here in California, the Governator has been simply unable to sleep nights due to fact that there is simply too much money in the treasury, and he's been very critical of the legislature for being such tightwads. Schools are just buying up books, computers, and science supplies they don't need, just to use the funds, and around here they are "fixing" up roads and bridges that are not even broken.
I understand that McCain's next big policy suggestion is going to be that we simply print more money. (Of course, that's official policy already, I think.)
Bugs @ 2:
Exactly! And talk about another gift to Big Oil!!! It's an idiotic proposal. Let's deal with this like adults and take responsibility for being such energy hogs!
mccain wants to give every american the golden shower !!!!!!!!enjoy!!!!!
Ever get the feeling we as a society are a vast insane asylum, as in “doing and saying the same (dysfunctional) thing over and over and expecting different results”?
Considering that the oil companies aren't really being taken to task on what is very clearly price gouging (when gas goes up one day when the price of oil per barrel rises and then still goes up when the price falls the next unless you're functionally retarded, it's pretty obvious what's going on), I'm guessing that what will happen is that the oil companies will see that repeal as a good way to hike the price a little bit more. So instead, all this will do is give them more profit instead of that money going to the government for the people which is where it should go. We all know McCain won't want to go after them if they did that, so they'll probably do it.
Reminds me of Bush's 'tax-cuts' for the wealthy. Republicans like to say it will stimulate the economy. The problem is if you make those tax cuts permanent, it can never be used again to stimulate the economy since they will already be there. Pro-economic tax cuts should be a tool that is used and brought out occasionally to rev up the economy. This can't be done if they become permanent.
So if this actually went through the same people would be out driving anyway that are out driving today.
People who don't know how to watch their money and find something else to do rather then happy motoring or the Mad Max crowd out cruising for a bruising. Of course the soccer van demographic is pretty much a lost cause.
Why are the polls even close? This guy is so pathetic this is the best pandering move he can come up with? Let's look at some of the ways this is stupid: encourages people to drive more giving us more green house gases, contribute even more to a deficit that is out of control and still going in the wrong direction, take away money that goes to support a crumbling road infrastructure. Great idea grandpa.
MikeD @ 60:
The fact this guy is the Republican Nominee pretty much sums up the story.
Welcome to the Stranger in a Strange Land Club Mike.
Aren't the taxes on gasoline used to keep up the infrastructure of our highways? We can't afford to let the highways continue to deteriorate. The bridge in Minneapolis is a prime example. This vacation from gas tax sounds like Bush's tax rebate. What good is it? Typical repug thinking.
I guess he thinks if he starts his remarks with "let's have some straight talk," that somehow should make the statement free of any criticism because he says what he really thinks. I wish one of those "liberal" reporters will tell him, "let's have some straight talk, sir, you're a fucking idiot if you think that will solve any problems." But no, they want the access. They want the barbecue and doughnuts.
This county has little hope.
liberAL @ 62:
No they are used to keep the front end alignment and tire and wheel guys happy.
JeffS @ 63:
It's a strange concoction-brew of the late 20's, 50's and 80's.
jesus christ ,it aint like were going to run out of coffey! thiers lots of gas to go around!
Why are you people complaining? He already told us he knows nothing about economics. He just felt the need to prove it.
Core Republican support lies in the suburbs and Bible-belt rural areas, where people rely on TV sound bites for their world and national and local view.
and the illushion goes on that thier can actually be a woman or a black man as president! the corporations wont allow it! but its a nice thought!
TimeTaxcuts heals all wounds. The republican mantratyree @ 69:
Karl Rove is a busy man right now. Obviously Obama is his main target of choice this year.
So what happens when the "holiday" ends and prices jump 40-50 cents? How will people feel psycholgically then?
total price of gas: $3.49
- federal tax: $0.19
= $3.30
WOW! Wottabargain!
Seriously, raise the gas tax, give revenue to commercialization initiatives of clean energy. Reap the benefits in the future.
A little story problem...
If the gas tax is $.19 (I dunno if it is or not but let's just say) and gas at my neighborhood pump is $3.75 for the cheap stuff and my tank is 20 gallons, when I fill my tank, how much extra gas would I be able to buy next week?
One whole gallon.
Woo hoo! I'm goin' to Vegas!
Right, we've already been sold the mindset of $4/gallon gas. Take out the taxes, it STILL goes to $4/gallon. The only difference is the money goes to big oil, not to repairing roads, bridges, etc. Then, Labor Day rolls around and we add the taxes back onto $4/gallon gas and we have $4.30/gallon gas.
Brilliant! Typical myopic neocon.
Magnadan @ 72:
They'll do the same thing they've always done. Rather then protest it they will absorb it. They have to get to work and to do that they need to drive.
Diabolical game here the cons have going.
oh, and sue the Oil companies for gouging.
We clearly think alike jafari... :)
let's get united!
I won't be surprised to see oil (42 gal per barrel) hit $150.
Clinton. (Oil Per Barrel) 1998 11.61
Bush. (Oil Per Barrel) 2008 117.00 (April 18)
McCain's "Straight talk" can be either "I'm going to pull a fast one on you" or "I admit, I am pulling a fast one on you". Cool, that.
MikeD @ 60:
Millions of voters hear the two words "cut taxes" and they get an orgasm. He knows what he's doing. The electorate is too stupid to realize that this will mean nothing in the long-term. It will probably drive prices up.
It seems like I am repeating myself in each post. He will get at least 45% of the vote regardless of what he says or does. The media is on his side, and the Democrats always manage to fuck up an election. I think our only hope at this point is an incredible effort by grassroots groups, like MoveOn and others, to expose him as much as possible. It has to be relentless. Hillary respects him too much and is very similar to him anyway, and Obama is way too politically correct to attack the guy directly.
It's a two-fer .. great for talking outta both sides of his mouth ..
JeffS @ 83:
Careful, Elitist! ;)
L.A. Confidential @ 81:
Technically we should be paying at least $5 a gallon unleaded regular. And that would be cheap when you figure the cost of a barrel of oil, shipping, and the added on costs of refinement into gas.
You eliminate the gas tax which leads to eliminating road repair which results in pot holes and collapsed bridges and finally nowhere to drive on.
We have weened ourselves away from oil.
oh bull crap none of em cares about any of us!
Why don't the repugnantcants just admit that they don't have any ideas or solutions that will work or benefit the nation.
86 L.A. Confidential Says: L.A. Confidential @ 81:
Clinton. (Oil Per Barrel) 1998 11.61
Bush. (Oil Per Barrel) 2008 117.00 (April 18)
Technically we should be paying at least $5 a gallon unleaded regular. And that would be cheap when you figure the cost of a barrel of oil, shipping, and the added on costs of refinement into gas.
You havn't added in the cost of the invasion and occupation.
What would the effect on the price of gas and the economy be if we pulled out of Iraq? - fiscally and psychologically?
This is not a statement but rather a speculative question.
I wonder how the average citizen would decide between ending our invasion of Iraq and cheaper gas for a few months...
Strategy: Put the oil companies on the defensive. Peak oil and climate change are scientifically true, but people still don't believe it. They do believe that the oil company profits are rising, so make the oil companies responsible, then, sign the friggin Kyoto Protocol already, and enter the 21st Century.
Ron @ 90:
That to yes. Basically Bush Oil Co is doing us a huge favor with $3.50 to the expected $4.00 a gal gas.
Another illusion at the rate things are going thats going to crack up big time in everyones face at some point.
Oil hits $115 per barrel on Friday, gas spiking over $4.00 in California this week, and unemployment rising to the third highest in the nation losing 84,000 more jobs and counting 1.2 million Californians on the unemployment rolls.
Ask yourself this, do you really want four more years of Bush? Well admit it or not, that's what mcpain has promised.
Get ready for $8 per gallon gas, $200 per barrel oil, a 12.5 percent unemployment rate, 100 years in Iraq and war with Iran and a bankrupt country. That is what you will have if you vote Republican in Novembers Presidential election.
#94
What we will have is another U.S.S.R.
All aboard the curved-talk weinermobile.
GOOD LORD!!! THIS MAN IS FUCKIN DELUSIONAL!!
95 ronhohn Says: #94
What we will have is another U.S.S.R.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-2LQGigK-0
He's LYING. Worse, he believes his own Lies.
Well, ...since the federal gas tax (18 cents or so) is supposed to pay for the interstate highway systems...should we assume that road work will stop???
...dont we have bridges that are falling down?...
I got a better idea...
The American people shall withold our taxes...
and congress wont get paid...(yeah right)...
until the killing stops,
impeachment begins,
and the investigations commence.
(and our rights are restored)
fuck you McCain and your (baby carrot) on a stick.
...why dont you do something about the purchasing power of the (overprinted) federal reserve dollar?
Transparent vote-whoring. Nothing of substance to see here.
Great idea, McBush. Now you just have to pick which parts of the Interstate system you're going to abandon, since you're not willing to pay for their upkeep. What's the matter, are your corporate masters in Big Oil finally starting to see a drop in consumption, and requiring that you cut the tax to give them some extra gouging room on the pump price?
Andrew @ 49:
Since Traficant's speech, Bill Clinton balanced the budget, and the talk was of never ending surpluses that would retire the debt, and make Social Security solvent. We were all set. It was Bush and Greenspan who hold ownership for the shift in policy that ended the surpluses and reinstated deficits. Massive borrowing by consumers, businesses and government has led to the present day situation, which is excessive debt. Massive governmental corruption through corporate lobbyists has poured gasoline on the fire.
As far as 1933 is concerned, the actions of Roosevelt seemed to have worked. Generations after generations have passed with good economic times. The exception seems to be the stagflation era of the 1970s and early 1980s where inflationary pressures kicked in due to financing a war by borrowing, and high gas prices. Reagan ran huge deficits, but the economy eventually grew faster than the debt as a percentage of the economy.
The present day situation has been caused by the deficits, a change in the mortgage industry through the securitization of loans whereby the originator of the mortgage isn't the ultimate holder of the note, and insufficient regulation of the major players in the markets, like Bear Sterns. Regulation is always indicated if the consequences is otherwise to be tax payer bailout. In the case of the mortgage, since the originator of the loan wasn't the ultimate holder, a lot of borrowers were set up with unsuitable loans. Some credit card interest rates are at levels that prior generations deemed usury.
Americans themselves hold much of the blame. In the 2004 presidential election, they chose to focus on Vietnam and Kerry instead of fiscal responsibility and Iraq. We see now in 2008 that they're being asked to focus on "elitism" rather than the economy and fiscal responsibility, the war (among other things, a drain on the economy) and health care. You know, a wise old sage said once "fool me once, shame on -- shame on you. Fool me -- you can't get fooled again." Fools get fooled again and again. I got my doubts about 2008.
So now the candidate who "doesn't know too much about the economy" can suddenly diagnose the American public as having psychological problems??
Did he just get his certification......as a psychologist, not as a person who apparently needs one!?!
How about the soldiers/marines returning from Iraq and Afghanistan - maybe John could have office hours when he's near a US base? Then he could diagnose and treat those who have suffered terrible mental/emotionalproblems from doing 3 tours in a rotten war zone....
I think after six more months of this crap I will need a psychologist...!
it seems like an OK idea anyway. at least no bad can come from it. thats hard to come by from republicans.
A man is putting a foreclosure sign on my front lawn, as I type. Perhaps I should see my psychologist for my psychological problems. PS: I have eight hungry children.
I'm not BITTER, I have psychological problems.
jafari @ 73:
Absolutely spot on! The problem isn't that gas costs too much; the problem is the profits aren't going to solving our problems of the inevitable shortages of petroleum energy! We need clean, sustainable alternatives!
Or, I'm bitter because of I have psychological problems. Hmmm... must... see... doctor!!
10 marko Says: alleviate our “psychological” problems?
legalize pot you fascist and we will all feel better
======================
Just de-criminalize. The last thing you want is Washington 'interfering' and 'regulating' there. The system in place already works. Interesting fact: pot is a $28 billion industry in the USA; more than all the corn grown.
Give them cake (but only till Labour Day).
It's both! It's an economic stimulus because of its psychological effect on Americans, who judge the strength of the economy and their personal economic well-being by the big shiny numbers on the sign at the gas station.
Numbers go down, all is well, let's run up the credit cards. Of course it's stupid, but look what we've been doing for the last eight years!
I recommend we take action and make a pre-emptive impeachment of mcsame, before he and his karl rovian GOP dogs steal another election.
Then we impeach bush and cheney and throw them all in Gitmo, and keep them there safe and sound until the war crimes tribunals start in The Haugue.
So is the elitist McCain suggesting that the recession is all in people's heads? We should be putting a more positive spin on poverty?
Ditto, FreeDUMB--Where's the media outrage over this ridiculous oversimplification?
This is all in our heads? What dolts we must be!
Please Hillary...it's pretty much mathematically out of reach. Let it go, so we can focus on this clown. Seriously.
i hate these ticky-tacky the meaning of is, is, kind of posts.
OK Hillery, You want to be the fixer. Fix this.
McCain has no clue what will happen if the gas tax is dropped for a short time. I can tell you right now that no retail store will change its shelf prices. Not a single one. I know, because I know what a HUGE F'ING hassle it is to change price tags. Labels cost money and a store wide shift would take days/weeks for big chains (longer for big single owner stores). The one place that's easy to change prices is the gas pumps. People will see a few pennies drop at their local pump and the retail giants will make a huge profit with no effort involved. Single owner stores will see a bit of profit, but not that much considering they don't get resupplied as often as the big box stores. Some owners will think ahead and overstock what they know will sell after the tax goes back into effect. We'll see big imports and the same piddling spending on the part of consumers. The GDP/GNP will see a tiny blip and then it'll see a bigger dive.
Bush proved that deficits don't matter.
I guess we just fool ourselves in to thinking everyhting will be OK and it will be OK. Now that's a winning slogan.
C'mon John, .18 per gallon U.S. funds? Bush's boys will eat that up in what, one month of gas price hikes (summer blend as we all know!)? And the tax holiday is over, our highways continue crumbling, and Exxon-Mobil will report on a Friday at about 6:30 P.M. that they have set yet another new record for quarterly profits (how many in a row now?). C'mon America, can't we just pretend that everything is okay until December?
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