Wall St Journal, May 5, 2008

Sen. Barack Obama won the endorsement of the Teamsters earlier this year after privately telling the union he supported ending the strict federal oversight imposed to root out corruption, according to officials from the union and the Obama campaign.

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Obama uses rightwing talking points to attack Dems and Dem core values - and now we learn about his backroom deal on deregulating unions!!!
btw- Hoffa's body has never been found.

because the global prices rose.

And the global prices rose throughout the summer as well.

That money doesn't come out of our infrastructure budget, and Obama's been talking about a middle-class tax cut for the whole campaign.

And $1000 direct to consumer would be meaningful, while $30 that you might or might not see is a gimmick.  This really isn't that hard to figure out.

with Obama's plan, you don't have to buy gasoline to benefit.  Clinton's plan (assuming it would work) encourages people to buy gasoline.  That should not be a progressive goal.

A $1000 tax rebate, whatever its other merits or demerits, does not do that.

... and while I haven't "denounced or ridiculed" his $1000 rebate idea, I have questioned its impact on the deficit.  Frankly, I wish that when he was asked to pledge not to raise taxes on the "middle class", he would have refused and said something like, "I will absolutely try my hardest not to.  But I'm worried about the national debt.  First we'll eliminate George Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy, and we'll cut spending where we can -- especially by getting out of Iraq.  But if we still can't balance the budget, I'd rather ask today's taxpayers to pay for today's spending, rather than keep borrowing from our children."  Alas, that may a bit much to ask of any politician these days.

peace,
lilnev

The Pope is Catholic.

Hahahaha. Quite.

Due to Jerome's objectivity it appears he tasted the Koolaid, but isn't swimming in it.
For example, here's an entertaining Obama Koolaid swimmer - equating Wright with Lewinsky.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/2/8 4957/29225/854/507648

it SHOWS pandering to win an election, which is fine because that is what she is trying to do, but don't pretend it shows empathy

It also shows a willingness to pander to people's wish to go for a gax tax cut whenever there is a gas price increase.

Why is it that we can't people on board for a slight income tax cut? Isnt that more relief for consumers while maintaining pressure on the individual to cut down on gas consumption?

BTW, from the salon article's own reference, the guy says that there could be only 5 cents savings out of 18 cents. But what we have done is feed the monster that gas tax cuts are to be expected everytime gas prices are high.

Do we have any evidence of this? And why would pushing a proposal discouraged by EVERY ECONOMIST AROUND be "good politics." It sounds more like "Bush politics" which, when it involves the environment and global warming, we're disgusted. But when Hillary's involved, somehow, it's courage.

The Reality-based community will miss you all. Tell Paul Wolfowitz and company we said "Hi."

Stirkes a chord?  Unfortunately it sounds like a circa 1983 Def Leppard cover of Django Reinhardt's Nuages.

In other words:  very bad.  

You're comparing an untargeted, accross the board elimination of the gas tax with SS?  That's hysterical.  

Why don't Obama and Hillary crack down on any subsidies oil companies get? Windfall taxes are taxes on the corporation. It is akin to saying we will tax Walmart for excess profits and then give you a 1 cent sales tax cut.

on this audacious idea? I'll tell you when...never. That's why it's the worst kind of pandering.

our new Democrats (those that used to vote Republican)

Straw man much?

I have, in my life, voted for Bill Clinton, John Kerry, Al Gore, Russ Feingold, Paul Wellstone, and Tammy Baldwin. Sound like a closet Republican to you? My parents have voted Democrat all their lives, and, like me, went back and forth on the two candidates before settling on Obama.

Much as you can't wrap your mind around it, some Democrats like Obama better than Clinton, for legitimate, thoughtful reasons.

I love politics of stagnation and despair.

Really?  Because I already see significant change just in the campaign he is running - do you not see anything in that at all, or have you not been following closely?

No, what's sad is "you guys" are promoting a candidate without experiece or accomplishment.  If he's the nominee, prepare to watch the GOP demolish him.

a gas tax would work, as proven in Illinois. That's the main point of Jerome's diary, and it's a point that people apparently accept.

And what is the deal with Obama lying about what happened in Illinois. Clearly a large chunk of the tax relief was passed onto consumers. Yet Obama says the entire 5 cent tax was gobbled up by the oil companies. He must know that's not true.

Or at least BO should back up his statement that it didnt work.  What does he base that on. We can all agree to disagee if we support this but BO said it didnt work.  What does he base that statement on.

david

The problem I see is that the first change to the tax code that the Clinton's made was a 5 cent Increase of the Gas Tax.

What happened? Consumption went down. Then, PRICES went down. Supply and Demand 101.

Also, there is nothing to stop the oil companies or speculators from jacking the price of gas another 18 cents to pocket the 'tax holiday'.

That is why no economists have endorsed such a ridiculous plan.

Also, Hillary's claim that all economists are 'elitists' is the same anti-intellectual drivel that has been used by RightWingers to denounce everything from evolution to climate change.

But it's still far more responsible than Clinton's plan.

I don't think the guy is this article is from Illinois. They put stickers here on every pump talking about how they eliminated a nickel from every gallon pumped...

And people laughed at them. Honest to god laughter everytime they saw that thing at the pump. There was no more transparent political pander "vote me, I give u money" out there. Obama learned from this experience apparently.

People don't take you seriously when you throw this crap out there. Jerome, I am looking at you here.