The insane proposals by John McCain and Hillary Clinton to provide a “gas tax holiday” has shaken me out of media-induced stupor: there are real issues and real values at stake in this election. Jeremiah Wright, “snipergate,” and all the rest of that is just soporific to keep us from facing hard realities. Shame on me for forgetting.
You want to talk issues and facts? Here are issues and facts: on this issue of gas pricing, Barack Obama is the only Presidential candidate who is showing real leadership on energy. McCain and Clinton can talk a good game, but standing up to the pressure to pander is the first test of political courage. Cutting the gas tax would not only be a prelude to an even more ruinous carbon policy, but it also continues to play into the false notion that federal taxes are what keep working-class people down in this country.
On the New York Times comment page in response to the paper’s editorial opposing the McCain-Clinton proposal, David Keppel, Bloomington, Indiana writes:
At a rally in Bloomington, Indiana tonight, Barack Obama talked about the importance of telling the truth — and he used the gas tax as an example. We must learn to conserve. Technological innovation — in clean energy — is important, but social innovation is even more important. That’s why the election is not just what Senator Clinton calls “a hiring decision”; it is about inspring a nation to live differently.
Bravo, Barack. Finally, I’m wide awake again to the issues that matter, not the garbage that doesn’t.
“.. inspiring a nation to live differently…” ??? So, how long do you think it will take for Osama to get this country off of gas? His first 2 years? 3? Maybe 7 or 8 if he wins 2 terms? Right now we don’t need someone to teach us how to hug a tree. We need someone who will drill for domestic oil and build refineries. Replacing oil is at least 75 years away.
Tom Best is so incredibly wrong. Domestic drilling won’t help. At all.
Welcome back Gene.
Whoever is president will need to be pushed even further on energy than where they are now. Obama is in the best starting position, however. This gas tax holiday is a big test that McClinton has failed miserably.
Yes Baratunde I am agree with you. It won’t help any more. Secondly its true that Mcclinton has failed miserably.