FLIP-FLOPS: Clinton (Bill) and Gov Easley are on record opposing "gas tax holiday" gimmick.

[jefferson_dem]

MCCASKILL: EASLEY, BILL WERE AGAINST GAS TAX CUT
From NBC/NJ’s Athena Jones

In yet another example of the Obama campaign pushing back hard on the gas tax holiday issue, Obama supporter Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) hosted a conference call to highlight past opposition to such a holiday from Clinton supporters, including North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley and her own husband.

McCaskill, who is campaigning in North Carolina today, quoted Easley who two years ago called a cut in the gas tax a "subsidy for oil companies" and added that less than two weeks ago he said, “people need to be told the truth about it,” because such a holiday would not necessarily result in savings.

The campaign sent out an audio link to the governor's more recent comments. She also said the former president Clinton also agreed with Obama at one point in time about how short-sighted a gas tax holiday would be and said it was noteworthy that the Clinton campaign had not been able to produce experts who backed her proposal, arguing that when promoting an economic policy it was important to have at least someone who knows about economics agree with you, unless you never planned for your proposal to pass and were simply trying to get votes.

Kitchen-table issues like high gas prices have increasingly been the focus for both candidates as they try to win over voters who are struggling economically.

Obama has hit his rivals consistently over the past several days for supporting the tax holiday and his campaign sent out a memo on the matter during the conference call, a bid to drive home its argument that the senator is not "out of touch" with voters for refusing to back a plan that would save them little, is not supported by experts and was unlikely to pass before summer.

The Missouri senator said the race on the ground in the Tar Heel state felt "very good" even as polls showed Clinton edging up, narrowing Obama's lead. McCaskill said such narrowing was to be expected, comparing it to Obama having closed the gap in Pennsylvania to 10 points from 20. She said the Clinton campaign had put a lot of effort into campaigning in the state and that Bill Clinton had "camped out" there.

<SNIP>

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/05/03/977494.aspx

[JanErikFl]

1. The Facts Behind Obama's Gas Tax Attacks

Considering that Sen. Obama voted to suspend the gas tax three times when gas cost less than $2 a gallon and has an energy lobbyist chairing his Indiana campaign, it's hard to take his latest criticisms very seriously. Senator Obama wants Americans to pay the gas tax but Senator Clinton thinks the big oil companies should pay it this summer. - Clinton spokesperson Phil Singer

Today, Sen. Obama said: Now Senator Clinton is spending a lot of money on an ad attacking me for not supporting her and John McCain’s idea of a gas tax holiday for the summer...In fact, it is my understanding today, Senator Clinton had to send a surrogate to speak out on behalf of this plan and all she could find- get this, a lobbyist from Shell oil to explain how this was going to be good for consumers. It’s a Shell-game, literally.

Facts:

- Sen. Obama voted three times for a gas tax holiday in 2000 when gas prices were less than $2 a gallon.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080430/ap_on_el_pr/obama_gas_tax_fact_check

- Kip Tew, the top advisor to Obama's Indiana campaign is an energy lobbyist. Tew said recently, "I'm not running away from the fact that I'm a lobbyist. I have a healthy client list, and I'm proud of it."

http://facts.hillaryhub.com/

[jefferson_dem]

2. Hillaryhub? LOL. Obama has already addressed this.

The gas tax holiday didn't work because buddies of Hillarys Shell Oil lobbyist just raise prices to offset any saving for consumers.

Obama learns from his mistakes. Hillary should learn to do the same and speak honestly and promote genuine solutions to our challenges rather than ponying up election eve panderings designed to fool voters.

[Muttocracy]

3. Last night Obama said it was tried in Illinois and IT DID NOT WORK.

I'd rather support the candidate who learns than the one who panders non-stop.

[K Gardner]

5. Yes.. those facts are in the article cited. Poster conveniently left the facts out.

[Muttocracy]

6. Just an innocent student from Male, Norway.

:eyes:

[K Gardner]

4. Easy to tell you're from HILLARYHUB. You cherry picked the article and left out

the conclusion, didn't you? The consumers in Illinois did NOT benefit. There is a different between state and NATIONAL tax. Obama ultimately voted AGAINST the tax holiday in Illinois. Well, I could go on but facts bother HillaryHub, don't they?

"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.

In addition, the Illinois tax was paid directly by consumers and increased as gas prices increased. Obama's campaign points out the national tax is a flat 18.4 cents (24.4 cents a gallon for diesel) and, therefore, isn't climbing as gas prices climb. It's also paid by producers, raising more questions about whether they'd pass the full savings along to customers."

[John Q. Citizen]

7. Obama speaks from experience. He's right and Clinton is too inexperienced to know that she's wrong.

from the article you linked to.

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.

In addition, the Illinois tax was paid directly by consumers and increased as gas prices increased. Obama's campaign points out the national tax is a flat 18.4 cents (24.4 cents a gallon for diesel) and, therefore, isn't climbing as gas prices climb. It's also paid by producers, raising more questions about whether they'd pass the full savings along to customers.

I would rather listen to the voice of experience than the voice of pandering. I don't think I can listen to that pandering voice for the next 4 or 8 years. Fortunately, I'm quite confident I won't have to. Last I saw, Obama picked up 3 super delegates today to Clinton's 1, a trend that has been consistent for a few months now. Obama also won the contest today in Guam, stopping Clintons streak at 1.

[rainbow4321]

8. Heh, heh..