Fact Check: Obama and the gas taxes

Democratic Sen. Barack Obama accuses his presidential rivals of pandering to voters by supporting the "gimmick" of temporarily lifting federal taxes on gasoline, despite his own past support for a similar tax holiday.

As a state legislator voting for a tax break, Obama even joked that he wanted signs on gas pumps telling motorists that he was responsible for lowering prices.

A damned shame something pesky like a fact or two has to enter this debate. Otherwise Senator Obama would be able to bamboozle the rest of us about his support for working families struggling to get by day to day. Because the way Senator Obama sees things this tax break business is just Washington as usual politics.

"This is the problem with Washington. We are facing a situation where oil prices could hit $200 a barrel. Oil companies like Shell and BP just reported record profits for the quarter. And we're arguing over a gimmick that would save you half a tank of gas over the course of the entire summer so that everyone in Washington can pat themselves on the back and say that they did something," Obama says.

Senator Obama seems to be confusing Washington for Chicago style politics. Because by his own admission, that was the purpose of him voting three times to eliminate the gas tax in Illinois. It was a campaign gimmick. And don't think for a moment that Senator Obama was merely joking with his comment.

In 2000, gasoline prices were climbing quickly, reaching $2 a gallon in the Chicago area -- a remarkable price back then. Illinois legislators scrambled to offer some election-year relief to angry motorists.

Obama voted three times for a tax holiday.

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.

Senator Obama clearly understands what a political gimmick is. He has plenty of experience participating in them. His voting three times for a tax holiday in Illinois is a prime example. But Obama also likes to project his past experience in Illinois upon Washington D.C.. It's a case of misguided transference. And it is designed to hide his own record in Illinois as well as hoodwink the public so that they don't remember that HE voted for the Bush-Cheney-Obama Energy Bill that put us in this situation to begin with. And his plan? Blame Hillary for playing politics.

He says a tax holiday would provide consumers little real relief, ignore the country's energy problems and take money from road and bridge repairs.

Cue the obnoxious buzzer: Wrong! Hillary's plan DOES NOT take money away from road and bridge repairs. That is John McCain's plan. Hillary pays for the tax relief by taxing the windfall profits of oil companies. Those very same windfall profits that Senator Obama made possible. The very same oil companies that contribute so heavily to his campaign. But I am sure Senator Obama doesn't want you to remember that. He wants to change the subject by attacking Hillary for offering SOME relief to people that are crying out for help. And just what does Senator Obama offer?

Sorry, I  didn't quite hear that. Can you repeat it? Huh? I must be going deaf. Because all I hear are crickets.

Senator Obama likes to demean the concept of offering citizens some relief to the ever increasing fuel prices. He acts as if a 18.4 cent per gallon tax relief is no big deal. That us common folk wouldn't even benefit from it. I wonder if he has seen the long lines of motorists waiting to fill up when the prices at any station are only 10 cents less than the rest? Surely he either hasn't seen it or his elite ass doesn't frickin care. I know plenty of people that will drive 15 miles just to get gas at 15 cents less per gallon than what they pay for in their own neighborhood. PLENTY OF PEOPLE. It isn't unusual. And when people pay less they feel like they have done something good for their family and are willing to spend more on other things thus stimulating the economy.

Now an elitist might not think that way. Perhaps only the price of arugula means something to them. But us regular folk that have to pay for our own transportation and fuel, and have to actually work for a living actually care about the cost of gasoline. And we want, no we demand some relief!

So if Senator Obama is too busy listening to the sound of his own voice that he loves so much to offer ordinary Americans some tax relief we will answer in kind. And hear this clearly Senator Obama: There will be no votes for you!