Fueling the Fire, Part II

Yesterday our office sent out this press release discussing the fact Barack Obama has no real plan to help American consumers with the rising cost of gasoline. His actions have, in fact, worked to raise gas prices. Sure, Obama talks a good game when it comes to what he wants to do for America, most often we hear about his “plan”. Unfortunately for voters, he has remained mum on what his “plan” actually entails. Barack Obama’s platitudes amount to little more than empty rhetoric.

Continuing with yesterday’s theme of Obama’s opposition to immediate gas tax relief for working families throughout the U.S., we find out Obama once supported suspension of gas taxes. But before we discuss this, let’s recap where we stand right now. U.S. Senator John McCain, as part of his plan to help Americans in the sluggish economy, suggested a suspension of the 18.4 cents per gallon federal gas tax from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Such a suspension of the gas tax would save American families an estimated $6.8 billion over the three month span. Today, the average cost of one gallon of regular gasoline in Arizona is $3.406. (www.fuelgaugereport.com, Accessed 4/24/08) If enacted today, Sen. McCain’s plan would bring the cost of gasoline down to $3.222 per gallon, saving the consumer $2.74 per fill-up (based on a 15 gallon tank).

In regard to John McCain’s proposal, Obama said, ‘I’ve said I think John McCain’s proposal for a three-month tax holiday is a bad idea.” This is an interesting stance to take for a man who, less than ten years ago, supported a gas tax holiday and looked for ways in which he could benefit politically from it. Responding to the rising cost of gasoline in 2000, Obama voted to suspend Illinois' state sales tax on gasoline. (S.B. 1310: Senate Third Reading, Passed, 50-0-6, 3/8/00, Obama voted ‘Yea’) Obama went on to say about his vote, which helped families, “I originally voted for the suspension because I thought that it was extraordinary circumstances, given the huge hike in prices…” (Illinois 91st General Assembly Regular Session Senate Transcript, 11/15/00, www.ilga.gov, pp.51-52)

If the recent hike in gas prices do not amount to extraordinary circumstances, it’s hard to imagine what truly might. After he voted for the gas tax repeal, he attempted to garner the most political benefit possible from it. As the Illinois Senate debated an amendment to require petroleum marketers to place signs on pumps stating the gas tax was in fact repealed, Obama asked, “I was wondering, can I – in my district, can I have ‘Senator Obama reduced your gasoline prices’? Is that possible?” (Illinois 91st General Assembly Regular Session Senate Transcript, 4/15/00, www.ilga.gov, p.81)

The alarm bells go off immediately when this is brought into the picture. Obama was for it, before he was against it. He looked to benefit politically from his vote and now he is against providing the same relief to Americans he provided to Illinoisans just 8 years ago. This is not the “Audacity of Hope,” it is the audacity of hypocrisy. John McCain offers a pragmatic solution to help American families and Barack Obama outright rejects it; even though he supported such an idea only eight years ago. Whereas John McCain will work to help Americans by putting more money back into their own pockets, Barack Obama is focused on filling the government coffers at the expense of hardworking Americans.