This news should be front and center. Hillary's policies are not necessarily good for the country. She talks purdy and panders well, but she clearly does not care about long-term ramifications of her pandering.

Sent by P. Shears | 4:57 PM ET | 04-30-2008

Oh noes! Not aid the terrorists! Who will protect the children from the terror?! Darn you the terrorists! Darn you!

Is there an indie band called "The Terrorists" yet? Cause there oughta be.

Sent by Jody Sol | 5:10 PM ET | 04-30-2008

Once again Obama comes up on top. He already said it was not a good idea.
What is wrong with McCain and Hillary. If this were a wrong war, just as it is a wrong economic move at this time they would have signed it.well...well...well

Sent by Christy | 5:13 PM ET | 04-30-2008

Making good and sound judgements sometimes does not equate to being at the place for a longtime.Being at the place for a long time is only equal to longevity. To say it translates to good future judgements is false and such arguments should be sold and bought in the market of simple minded people.

Sent by Ty | 5:19 PM ET | 04-30-2008

This is a issue that separates Obama from Clinton and McCain. It shows who has the judgment of a true statesman verses who will say any stupid thing to get a vote from uninformed voters.

Sent by Gary | 5:20 PM ET | 04-30-2008

Gary, sadly, however, our democracy is government by the 50% of the least informed voting citizens +1. Like that beauty contestant from South Carolina who wants to help with the education in Asia and the Iraq. Scary.

Sent by P. Shears | 5:34 PM ET | 04-30-2008

The gas tax holiday would do nothing but make it a little cheaper to keep wasting millions of gallons of gasoline every day.

Politicians and consumers should be less concerned with the cost of a gallon of gas, and more concerned with the cost per mile driven. We could afford higher gas costs if our vehicles got decent gas mileage.

Sent by Chad Haatvedt | 5:53 PM ET | 04-30-2008

Should the gas tax holiday happen, I wonder how Mc and Hil plan to fund road projects that no doubt are on the planning boards?
Demand will drive the increase, we may very well have more unemployment because without the funds the road work will be halted.
Not to mention that clearly Mc & Hil are not listening to the experts. We need someone to listen and not blow with the wind, it's called Pandering for votes?

Sent by Daly | 5:55 PM ET | 04-30-2008

So we get back 20 bucks this year -- what about the next year? What a silly thing to advocate! Even if passed, all we would tangibly experience is further deterioration in our roads, which are as bad as the roads in India already!

Sent by John Adams | 6:30 PM ET | 04-30-2008

What a surprise! All left wing writers. Balanced coverage, anyone?

Sent by mike | 8:09 PM ET | 04-30-2008

Cutting gas tax is like putting a dirty bandaid on a cancerous sore. We need to heal the patient rather than cause more complications. Instead why not increase the gas tax and fund public transport, mass transit infrastructure improvements, compact developments, and alternatives to the large gas guzzling cars. Why not not do that? Silly me, its an election year and so politicians take leave of their senses.

Sent by Allan Ramesh | 8:29 PM ET | 04-30-2008

If Hillary weren't so arrogant, she'd be embarrassed. McCain is just an embarrassment, so there it is.

Sent by Sweetie | 8:30 PM ET | 04-30-2008

Any tax holiday is a good holiday.

The power to tax is the power to destroy.

Sent by deek | 9:25 PM ET | 04-30-2008

I hope people are watching this and realizing that Hillary will always do what she thinks is most expedient politically. There is a difference in the democratic candidates and we should take heed to avoid short term, poorly thought out proposals.

Sent by Monica | 9:57 PM ET | 04-30-2008

Wake up. Senator Obama is the closest to real we've had in decades. Ignore the mainstream, daily "news" and follow the candidates and what they say and have said and in what complete context it was said. Anyone with the ability to read and do some research knows the history of this goernment and what it is capable of. Change is only possible through the people being energized, right Jody.

Sent by Michael Jacobs | 9:58 PM ET | 04-30-2008

Clinton and McCain's gas tax holiday is more of the same "something for nothing" upon which the U.S. was founded and has been sustained for much of the past half century.

Native Americans, Hawaiians and other indigenous peoples of the Americas and the Pacific got nothing (except the blunt end of genocidal and dispossession policies) from the United States at virtually no cost to the United States...something for nothing. The financial institutions of the U.S. are built on the 'something for nothing' premise. The promise-sorry notes of the U.S. Federal Reserve are the currency of "something-for-nothing" economics. The allure of "something-for-nothing" economics has so thoroughly conquered the American psyche that ideas such as gas-tax holiday can be considered as surely within the bounds of sound reasoning and sane fiscal policy.

Sent by River Rhiim | 10:34 PM ET | 04-30-2008

"Gas Tax Holiday!" Mcain and Clinton say as they clammer in and out of thier S.U.V's

Sent by Joel Dunn | 1:20 AM ET | 05-01-2008

Gas tax holiday helps no one except the oil companies who will reap greater profits when people buy more gas. Shame on McCain and Clinton for pandering.

Sent by Mark from Atlanta | 1:24 AM ET | 05-01-2008

good idea jody sol!

we could also have the "qaeda kingpins" or "the islamofashionistas" or "simply scared."

endless possibilities fom the pushbutton panic crowd.

Sent by tim in exile | 1:35 AM ET | 05-01-2008

They need to increase the gas tax to $8 a gallon then take the money and build better PUBLIC transportation!

Sent by Thinking out of the box | 8:33 AM ET | 05-01-2008

HERE'S AN IDEA...how about Americans sending back those "stimulus tax checks"...from these comments, sounds like if that decision were in this forum those checks would never have been sent...I wonder if Americans would have agreed with you?

Sent by ard | 9:45 AM ET | 05-01-2008

Considering those checks were written with Chinese funding and the bill stuck to the next generation, we'd have been a lot better off if they hadn't sent them. This after the Paygo act was signed into law not a year before!

That is of course not considering the 43 million dollars used to send a letter telling you that a check would be coming if you filled out a tax return. Only in America.

Sent by James Cutler | 10:12 AM ET | 05-01-2008

The nostrum stated above that "the power to tax is the power to destroy" was stated by Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes. However, Holmes also said that "taxes are the price of a civilized society".

Sent by Mike Fleissner | 10:37 AM ET | 05-01-2008

ard, for weeks you have been criticizing Obama for his lack of experience, his politics, his avoiding the issues that matter, and his empty rhetoric. Now here he differs from Clinton (who previously had criticized McCain for his lack of understanding of the economy but here sides with him) and Clinton gets panned by actual experts in the economy. Here Obama stands up for the good rather than the political opportunity. And so instead of being quiet or conceding, you belittle people for their good economic sense. Just before this post you criticized superdelegates for disloyalty but can't accept it from these people, even when they make good economic sense!

Sent by Drew | 10:37 AM ET | 05-01-2008

So people are gonna fill their trunks with gas because it's so cheap?

It seems to me that as prices rise, people will make choices to cut back on certain things, maybe they won't take the pickup truck on a certain trip or something. However it seems that there probably is a limit to the other side of the equation, if prices drop people will make other choices but only up to a certain point. They may revert back to their original plans but they aren't going to use MORE just for the heck of it.

Just because gas is cheap doesn't mean people just go for joyrides to burn it up.

Sent by deek | 10:57 AM ET | 05-01-2008

Why hasn't McCain or Clinton introduced a bill in the senate promoting their "tax holiday?" Why? Because they both know that it does not have any legs or in McCain's case any wheels to be given any consideration. It just goes to show how this silly political season brings out the pandering from these two. Sadly, this is one more case of empty political rhetoric. Clinton:"..an idea that has political appeal." Yeah, right.

Sent by Roger | 11:37 AM ET | 05-01-2008

Drew,

Actually, my comments are more a reflection of a potential hyprocrisy regarding the "tax cut holiday" and the "tax stimulus check" situation. Personally, I see these pretty much as the same idea and find it worthy of mention since not much criticism was given regarding the latter...I don't think I have compromised myself in doing so(I'm standing firm on my convictions and way of thinking)...however, I do feel that attacks are quickly rendered to Clinton and McCain, whereas, Obama is either excused or defended in ALL things...I simply attempt to keep the climate somewhat neutral, though in this forum it is extremely challenging...just like Clinton, I'm not giving up this struggle...

PS: Consider that there are Americans that can appreciate "the spirit" of anyone that attempts to show they understand where they come from...why do you think Obama went bowling, ate cheesesteak and attempted to play ball..to some degree, we all understand that politicians will do what it takes to connect with the voting American public...none of these candidates is exempt and bottom line pretty much everyone in America wants the oil companies to be held accountable and a cost cut in filling up at the gas station.

Sent by ard | 11:38 AM ET | 05-01-2008

Gas tax holiday - worse than conservation, big corporate give-away and gas is still too cheap!

As discussed by many experts, if the tax holiday would result in a drop in gas prices by 18,4 cents, it would save the average american who drives 4,000 miles during the summer on 20 mpg some USD 36.4 over a 3 month summer period, the same as driving 200 miles less! So instead of encouraging consumption with a potential reduction, ask people to conserve which would be much easier to achieve, guaranteed (no question whether the saving will actually occur) and be in line with a good enviromental policy.

Furthermore, the proposal seems to be another big win for transportation lobbyists. Because (assuming the saving does occur) the main benefits will go to large users (not the individual who drives his car): just think UPS, Fedex, trucking companies etc - per a Websearch UPS operates over 90,000 delivery vehicles => 90,000 x 200 miles per day x 3 months (5days a week only) at 20 mpg with 18,4 cent saving = USD 10.7 million!

Finally, is gas really so expensive? The USA is supposed to be a market driven economy. Items in short supply are priced higher than items that are available is large quantities (think SUV's - many good deals still out there), so why tinker with it? Compare gas price in Europe at over USD 8/gallon. This has resulted in better gasmileage for European cars, more alternative energy uses and conservation measures. It seems that market forces are fine in the US as long as they do not harm big business, in which case government intervention is requested and 'sold' to the consumer as good for them.

Sent by Erik | 11:56 AM ET | 05-01-2008

I am all for alternative energy sources. but how far away from something plausible and affordable that we could transition to immediately.

Whoa I just realized something, would we be having a serious disscusion about conservation or alternative fuel sources if not for the current financial crisis?

Sent by J.A.WILSON | 12:07 AM ET | 05-02-2008