$30 from a gas tax holiday buys one person food for a month, but do "creative class" [cough] Obama Fan Bois care? Guess...

the fact that the blogosphere is not progressive (anymore).

Liberalism puts social class issues front and center and focuses on redistribution towards the bottom of the social ladder (see Scandinavian countries), which is why any discussion of economic redistribution would get you accused of fomenting class warfare on the SCLM.

The Big Blogger Boyz could not care less about economic redistribution because they have done well as a consequence of the Clinton years so they were secure enough to weather the BS from the Bush years.

Let's face it, the "creative class" is part of what Leslie Sklair calls the transnational capitalist class, at least, its ideological component. They focus more on process and identity politics and are not the least interested in bread and butter issues.

Another sad realization of this primary.

They have none.

BTW - You can pad your nutritional intake by sneaking into motel "continental breakfasts" and some "Happy Hour" buffets.

Just a tip for those in need.

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Real ponies don't oink- Patrick McManus

Not in a Caramel Macchiato...and these days, everyone must sacrifice so no more vente's for a while and you can see the dollar stretches just a bit farther and you can probably get about 9 of them for your $30.

Is that it claims the Clinton and McCain plans are the same and would deny the highway trust fund of money, when - of course - Clinton's wouldn't.

Frankly, I think HRC is being gimmicky. The oil companies will take more and this will be less money for roads and transit.

The better solution would be more subsidies for things like van pools, so people who live in areas with poor transit would have a non auto option for their work commute.

Is Obama misrepresenting what I said?
I don’t have a link to the ad itself, but apparently there’s an Obama ad citing something I said about McCain’s gas tax holiday as a way to attack Hillary Clinton.

I did not say that the Clinton proposal would increase oil industry profits. If the ad implies that I did, it should be retracted.

The Clinton proposal is financed by an excess profits tax. At worst, it sends money in a circle. In practice, it would probably reduce oil industry profits at least slightly, since the rise in the pre-tax price of gasoline probably wouldn’t wipe out all of the tax cut.

I was very clear when I wrote about the Clinton proposal that while I didn’t think it was good policy, it was not the same as McCain’s, and relatively harmless. If the Obama people are suggesting otherwise, they’re being deliberately dishonest.

I think Krugman is right, btw. (via Talk Left, see http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05...)

I'm all for better mass transportation and car pools. However, that alone isn't going to help everybody, particularly in rural areas. It also won't do anything to lower the energy costs of delivering food and other necessities which ends up raising the costs of those items. Now, I don't think the gas tax holiday is going to solve the problem. I tend to see it as 1) possibly giving a little back and some people desperately need even that little and 2) being an important symbol that the government recognizes people are hurting from gas prices and is trying to do something that helps them that's paid for by oil companies who have benefitted mightily under the current administration at our expense.

not something that won't kick in for months or years.

I say we take all the oil company execs, harvest and sell their usable organs, render their fat for candles, and use the rest for Hot Pocket filling.

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Real ponies don't oink- Patrick McManus

supply of my migraine meds (which medicaid does NOT cover for some stupid reason.) And when you're leaving on SSI-D, trust me, that $30 makes a HUGE difference. (Though I doubt it will be $30 for me, I fill up every month/month and a half)

happily immune to all religious indoctrination

Bash Clinton??

http://insightanalytical.wordpress.com/

Some contradictions observed....

I mention in passing the Gallup tracking poll, but today's AP-Ipsos poll is SO much nicer!!!

how attached so many progressives seem to be to what is no doubt a regressive tax. Imagine if Obama hadn't turned this into a intra party argument to further his own political standing. Right now we could be having a debate with McCain on this issue where he would either be forced to agree that Hillary's plan is actually better than is, or disagree with her plan and be exposed as someone who was not really looking out for working people, but rather trying to fool them into thinking he was while his plan was really just diverting money from paying to improve our infrastructure to lining the pockets of the oil companies. Imagine if right now we could be making the story- John McCain, for cutting your taxes only when it benefits the Oil Companies. Instead we get a bunch of ads lying about what Clinton's plan actually is, and downplaying helping people out because it happens to be good politics.

at the bottom of every page.

I've had some comment posting weirdness myself but I thought it only seems to happen when I include some link and perhaps I forget to close a tag but it's happened to me twice now...once only part of the comment got through...tonight, the whole comment disappeared...weird

Creative Commons license

Part of the reason that the Mighty Corrente Building is so mighty

Man, Obama is getting really cocky. What a d-bag.

Obama voted to let the oil companies make huge sums at the expense of the consumer and now doesn't want to tax their "excessive profits". The question should be: why doesn't Obama want oil companies' "excessive profits" to pay for my friend's Ramen? Emphasize "excessive profits".

This is the beauty of Obama's "megachurch philosophy". That is, do easy things (use corporate lobbyists as bundlers instead of lobby firms) and decry those who are up front about their ties. But heaven forbid you ask Obama's supporters to help the little guy if it causes them sacrifice, real or perceived. More on the megachurch philosohy later if you all can't figure it out.

ever since he demonstrated his bowling prowess (removing the White House bowling alley and replacing it with a basketball court).

Probably can finagle the money from the highway funds to do the conversion too.

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/200...

It is amazing to see all of these progressives fall all over themselves to help maintain a regressive tax.

1 hint...it wasn't Hillary.

Obama is in Exelon's pocket - hint do a search on page for 'Ayers'

William Ayers father

Here - http://susiemadrak.com/2008/05/05/21/47/...

And how nice that there is an Ayers-Exelon connection. I'm sure the GOP won't notice that at all.

Obama is like a guy that waltzes in and out of every building in Manhattan without ever getting checked for an ID. He votes for Cheney's energy bill and to my knowledge that fact has alluded everyone that is cracking back on Hillary now. Why she isn't clubbing him over the head with this is beyond comprehension.

we're getting slammed with it's an insultingly small measure. Everyone knows a much more comprehensive initiative is needed, but you say we should be happy with a few crumbs in an election year?

Yeah, the thought of that $30 is still gonna be keeping me warm come November when I have to fill that heating oil tank....

Thomas Ayers (William Ayers father), was (I don't think he's still alive) chairman of Commonwealth Edison

Lots of info can be found here

Now, if you want an interesting read on the mindset and activities of the 70's and SDS, revolutionaries and a few details of Ayers, this seems to be a pretty accurate representation of the times. Since I am a product of those times, it seemed to be a really fair recollection but I wasn't quite that radical myself.

when the price of heating oil in the east is going to be devastating on a lot of people.

I can see Obama pitching liquified coal already

Obama : We're going to build a basketball court in the White House.
OxyCon: Man, Obama is getting really cocky. What a d-bag.

He's pandering to North Carolina & Indiana's rabid college basketball fans!

Obama, Marie Antionette in drag, today treated some folks to cake.

He either has:

a. a tin ear;
b. self-destructive behavior of a personality disorder;
c. just given bread winners in the family the finger.

as Obama and his buds. Read on rezkowatch a page called -one degree of separation- awhile back, and the fodder for the GOP is stunning.

Your Ramen noodles--seems my daughter lived on them while at UF. Four for a dollar.

I topped her with catsup packets and hot water-makes tomato soup. Tastes like crap, but hey if you're hungry.

"Why she isn’t clubbing him over the head with this is beyond comprehension."

Because Mr. Hope must in no way be criticized. Racist you know.

Besides, only low information voters are interested in those icky details.

That they think this measure is the only thing Hillary has proposed? Or are they just deliberately lying? Its one or the other. There should be no ignorance from the "leisure class"

She proposed this because McCain did. Rather than give him and the GOP the high road, she agreed with it, but required the oil companies to pay for it. They would have proposed it in the House and Pelosi would have gotten outplayed and the Dems would have lost face. Rather than make the oil companies part with their "excessive profits", the "leisure class" would rather stick it to Hillary. There should be no question that "leisure class" priorities do not include economic justice. Apparently, they lack the empathy gene.

Everybody Loves Ramen.

You mean the "Gentry"? The self-styled lords of the "progressive" intertubes manor?

It wasn't so long ago that I don't still remember living in a car under a bridge. Getting full on a piece of toast. Living on a piece of toast and a ramen. Borrowing five dollars from a friend because I NEEDED IT to eat. Feeling lucky to make $30 in a day because that means you can kick the ball just a little further down the road.

I'm lucky, my circumstances are 180 degrees different now, but it still pisses me off that somebody who wouldn't think twice to drop $20/day on fancy coffee feels qualified to say the "dumb Normals" won't really miss that $30. Thirty dollars is also a one month mass transit pass (some places).

I have another question (it's a little long)
Why Won't Those Stupid Gentrys Shut the Fuck Up Regarding Shit About Which They Obviously Know Jack Squat?

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Good night and good riddance!

Rather than bash Hillary's proposal, why didn't Obama say "Ok, we will raise the ante, we will incorporate your gas tax holiday and windfall profit tax on oil profits but will increase it so that we can subsidize mass transit vouchers". He will never do this because it is even MORE progressive, it helps people who [GASP!], DON'T EVEN BUY GAS DIRECTLY!!!! Plus it helps "them city folk", which is a voting bloc the "Gentry" must feel are already sufficiently duped.

But all this means breaking the Obama campaign tradition and respond with a POLICY proposal rather than a PROCESS argument.

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Good night and good riddance!

The problem seems to be that the "creative class" has never been poor and just don't seem to grasp that a little relief can mean alot to some folks.

When I was going to college in the early 70's, I for the most part paid my own way. My parents had additional kids at home to raise. College was a luxury and I was too embarrased to ask them for $$. There were months when I lived on chicken pot pies (6/$1 on sale) and spaghetti. A real treat was buying an off-brand fast food hamburger for 23 cents. During that same time, my boyfriend lived on ketchup sandwiches.

It did take me 11 years to get my degree, because I eventually determined it would be easier to get through college with a little help from the G.I. bill.

All in all, if you have never had to scrape to get by, you cannot understand what a "few bucks" can mean to someone who is living on the margins.

but there's something in the air and it isn't Febreze. Everyone's giddy, flirty and...well... I thought this primary season was about angst and denial. I'm confused by this new found headiness.

Maybe I'll just sit down on this pillow and take a puff.

Being needy is so lacking, so basically saying that you are not o.k..
that might be humiliating and being you requires guts. We are back to cajones now.

The OFB reminds me of the kids I use to teach. If you didn't wear the favored brand of clothes, you didn't fit into the cool crowd. It just reeked of insecurity. Nothing really changes and that makes me sad.

I suspect bullshit. Go ahead and eliminate the gas tax, I'll be generous and ignore the realities of economics and assume that'll save you $0.18/gallon (although given the laws of supply and demand, it would be more like $0.07/gallon). In order to save $30/month, you'd have to use 167 gallons of gas/month. Now, when you were eating your ramen/pork and beans/spaghetti, how much driving were you doing? Did you even have a car? I'll guess that you weren't spending $700/month on gas.

My point is, a gas tax holiday wouldn't have helped you at all, and it won't help the poor people you describe. The people who will enjoy this the most (aside from Exxon/Mobil for the extra ~$.11/gallon profit) are the upper middle class, who'll have extra money saved in fueling their SUVs. They'll have an extra couple lattes a month, and the poor will be exactly as poor as they were before.

If Clinton wanted to help the poor, she'd propose policy changes that would actually help the poor. This is just a stupid pander to middle class voters, and your refusal to acknowledge it as such demonstrates a terrible lack of judgment.

If Clinton wanted to help the poor, she’d propose policy changes that would actually help the poor.

Too bad she already does. I don't understand why the OFB are attacking this single proposal, as if it is the entire sum of her policies. She has policies that will help working class voters, and they are better than Obama's. That's why the working class is voting for her. She has better environmental policies, yet the OFB act like this is her only plan for greenhouse gases, is to increase the driving(which this won't, $3.40/gal vs $3.60/gal is not going to convince many people, that times are good and the living is easy).

But, yes, for a lot of families, like mine, who only have one car, means we a do a lot more driving than if we both had cars, because we spend a lot of time carting the other to work, so we can accomplish other things during the shift. So that savings(which I think will out more like 10-12%,) will be a lot of extra money for my family.

My point is, a gas tax holiday wouldn’t have helped you at all, and it won’t help the poor people you describe.

Oh please, do continue, I love being told by my "betters" what will really help me and what won't. I'm sure that will get your candidate lots of votes. Republican voters might like to be talked down to, but Democrats don't, and you might want to remind your candidate of that.

Bill Clinton for First Dude!!!

The reason the OFB are attacking the gas tax plan is because it is a pointless, pathetic pander. She's made it a policy centerpiece, attacking Obama in speeches and ads for being against it, but it's a terrible piece of policy. Don't you think every Clinton supporter would be attacking Obama for this plan if he'd proposed it before Clinton? Can you imagine how virulent Krugman would be?

How many gallons of gas do you use a month? How much are you going to save? $5? $10? Are you spending $700/month on gas? If so, what kind of land yacht are you driving? My biggest objection to the gas tax holiday is that it won't help people (the oil companies will pocket the difference). But the biggest shock to me is that the CFB would ever attempt to defend such a pathetic piece of policy.

last word should be in quotes, "policy"

How many gallons of gas do you use a month? How much are you going to save? $5? $10? Are you spending $700/month on gas?

People where I live (rural South) have to drive 60 miles one way to get to a job. With a car that gets about 20 miles to the gallon, that's two fill-ups a week for a 15-gallon tank: about $120 a week in gas, or an average of about $500 a month.