Clinton Camp Defends Gas Plan: She Doesn't Need To Listen To Experts

[southern_belle]

Aides to Sen. Hillary Clinton defended on Thursday her support for a gas-tax holiday - a proposal that has been roundly criticized by economic and energy experts and derided among pundits as political pandering.

"Senator Clinton realizes there is a problem for consumers that requires both a short term and long term set of solutions," said Howard Wolfson, her chief spokesperson. "In the short term, she has laid out a plan to suspend the tax and have those resources or revenues paid by oil companies as well. In the long term, she has the boldest and most comprehensive plan that will increase fuel efficiency standards... help lawmakers retool their production facilities."

Wolfson said that Clinton would introduce legislation to alleviate the gas tax burden on consumers over the summer by having a windfall tax on oil company profits pick up the tab. He was non-committal as to whether or not the senator would leave the campaign trail and return to Washington to push the legislation.

Aides to Clinton could not, when asked, point to a single non-political expert who supported such a proposal, saying simply that it is a president's prerogative when to take expert advise.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/01/clinton-camp-gas-plan-she_n_99643.html

How Arrogant!

[DJ13]

1. She Doesn't Need To Listen To Experts

She sounds more and more like Bush/Cheney every day.

:puke:

[olkaz]

2. That sounds just like Dubya.

Here we go again.

[Avalux]

8. My thought exactly! n/t

[ClassWarrior]

12. Yup.

NGU.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

3. And the chance that Little King Georgie is going to sign a bill with windfall taxes on the oil cos.

Is less than nil.

This is nothing but pandering and political theater.

[bunnies]

11. So she'll just blame bush for not signing it...

and totally hide the fact that if she were competent, she would have known the bill wouldnt pass in the first place. So instead she'll just throw out all that money and put a few hundred thousand people out of work. Great idea Hil. :eyes:

[BOSSHOG]

4. Now is not the time to encourage people to drive

I'm neither for or agin either Obama or Clinton but setting aside gas taxes may encourage Americans to drive this summer and that is not what we need. We should encourage people to vacation close to home, to cut down on demand as much as possible. If every driver cut back five gallons a week, thats a lot of gas.

[CBGLuthier]

5. president's prerogrative?

She thinks she's the president.

Now that's funny.

[redqueen]

6. "it is a president's prerogative when to take expert advise"

Great. Another Bush.

[bunnies]

7. And then what happens when that profits tax bill doesnt clear the senate?

Come ON! Its a net loss of 300,000 jobs and all that money for infrastructure. For WHAT? $20 or $30 total savings per family?! There is nothing good about her idea. It defies common sense.

ugh. It pisses me off. :nuke:

[Saturday]

9. Oh stop it. This is a stupid thread. nt

[gmudem]

15. No it really isn't.

We already have a president who ignores experts and instead goes with his own dumb ideas. Look how that's worked out.

The fact that you think this is somehow stupid frightens me.

[Asgaya Dihi]

26. I don't think so

but the part that bugs me most never gets mentioned.

We had a bridge collapse not all that long ago. When that happened the news for a time cycled reports that the bridge in question wasn't in any worse shape than many others in the nation today, we've got a bunch which could go at any time and more in need of repair or upgrade for anything from earthquake to flood.

The gas tax provides much of what little money we spend on that stuff. If we're already behind in upkeep and we take more of it we're going to end up paying for it, we need to increase that funding rather than chip away at it. It provides little more than a gesture to the average consumer and could worsen an already bad situation in other respects. I think it's a silly idea.

[Cha]

10. That's because the Experts aren't pandering and posing

to bribe voters like the chickenshithawk.

[NJmaverick]

13. Where have we heard that idea before???

I don't need to listen to the experts..... Who else says that????

[Barack_America]

14. When one of your most consistent supporters (Krugman) criticizes your policy...

You should listen.

[southern_belle]

16. yes it does.

It amazes me that people can't see through her bullsh*t. :rant:

[barack the house]

17. Obama proposes a genuine tax cut for the middle and ordinary folk to pay for the gas.

Once the gas tax goes up goes the price and the oil comapany wins.

[City Lights]

18. Experts? She don't need no stinkin' experts.

Too much like Bush for my tastes.

[jillan]

19. What she has said is that we need BOTH a temporary and permanent solution.

[BlueIdaho]

20. Isn't this exactly how she fucked up Health Care Reform in the '90s?

"I did it Myyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay."

[indimuse]

21. no! arrogant are people who poo poo the effort!

money IS money!

[Bread and Circus]

22. Another example of how things under Hillary won't change much from George Bush

[crimsonblue]

23. That, because that worked out sooo well for Bush...

Polar bears? screw em. Right whales? screw em. Habeus Corpus? screw it. Global Warming? screw it. We do NOT need another president who believes they are smarter than everyone else in the room.. we need a president willing to listen to advisers in the respective fields... because, get this... these experts went to school and got advanced training in their subject area.

[CakeGrrl]

24. "I'm the Decider" Part II

Oy.

[AZBlue]

25. I'll say it again: she's George W. Bush in a dress.