Hillary's pathetic pandering

Hillary Clinton's phony populism and egregious anti-intellectualism are really getting ridiculous. In the words of Robert Reich:

I'm not suggesting economists have all the answers. But when economists tell a president or a presidential candidate that his or her idea is dumb – and when all respectable economists around America agree that it’s a dumb idea – it’s probably wise for the president or presidential candidate to listen. When the president or candidate doesn’t, and proudly defends the policy by saying she's "not going to put my lot in with economists,” we’ve got a problem, folks.

Indiana and North Carolina voters, please, for heaven's sake, see through this crap.

Comments

[...]

Of course, he used to date Hillary... so infer into that what you will.

[Leanna Loomer]

why does reaganomics come to mind??

[kcatnd]

It will trickle down!

[Duck]

Look out Michelle !

http://www.nypost.com/seven/05042008/news/nationalnews/baracks_rev__stole_a_wife_109298.htm

[Angrier and Angrier]

What really gets me is how Hillary is saying the oil companies will pay! First, taking away the 18-cent gas tax will only cause the price of gas to rise 18-cents (law of supply and demand). Second, oil companies will pocket that difference, taking funds away from highway projects that would have been used by American motorists. Third, no way in hell Congress will pass the windfall profit tax on oil companies.

All Hillary's proposal will do is give MORE money to the oil companies, not less, and do NOTHING to reduce the price of gas for consumers.

[JO]

What's interesting is that while an Illinois state senator, he voted for a gas tax holiday. The holiday even lasted the entire summer of 2000. I guess he wasn't too concerned with the big bad oil companies then.

Oh wait, he's the candidate for change. Change your mind when it's convenient maybe.

[Angrier and Angrier]

JO-

I don't know if Obama did this at the state level or not. The difference, though, is in 2000 we didn't have surges in the price of gas due to supply and demand issues. If you did a gas tax holiday in 2000, you might actually reduce the price of gas. That simply won't happen right now. Gas has gone up 15-cents in one week.

JO, you so just burned Obama way to go!

Oh wait no ya didn't.

Obama mentioned the fact that he voted for the 2000 gas tax holiday in Ill. on Meet the Press yesterday, stating in part: "I voted for it. Then six months later we took a look and consumers had not benefited at all. I learned from a mistake."

It would probably be convenient for Obama to pander and join CLinton in this idiotic gas tax holiday idea - but he chooses not to - that tells me something about his character.

[Angrier and Angrier]

According to the NY Times, Hillary Clinton needs 78 percent of the remaining Super Delegates to get the nomination while Obama only needs 22 percent. After Florida in 2000, does anyone really think Dems will buck the popular vote and pledged delegate vote to hand Hillary the nomination? If they do, the Dems simply won't win in November because those supporting Obama now will either vote for McCain or Green Party in November.

[yea]

a new national poll shows obama well ahead of mccain in a hypothetical general election matchup. after obama gets the nomination im sure that'll earn him a boost. things are starting to look better after a dicey past few weeks. if he can pull out indiana i think the media will abandon hillary.

[Duck]

I think a windfall profits tax is the best way to bring down the prices of gas. Forget monopolists, it is the American way to penalize ANYONE who profits beyond their due. It's just not fair.

Given that 99.999% of the price of gas is determined by domestic oil refining and distribution companies, it surely must be the case that taxing these companies and redistributing wealth will lower the price of gas.

See, this is all because it is liberal candidates. Liberal candidates, who really care about the American people and want to help them. They are the ones who are going to help bring prices down with taxes. It is so logical. I think people who think opening the domestic market to exploration and less regulation will lower the price are crazy, crazy rich white people who just want more windfall profits. It's taxes people. Taxes have historically been the fulcrum of market change.

Hold on, hold on, I'm coming out of my trip. Man, that's the last time I take asprin that's 4 years past the expiration date. I should have stopped at the mold. Did I say anything stupid ? OMG !

[Angrier and Angrier]

"Hold on, hold on, I'm coming out of my trip. Man, that's the last time I take asprin that's 4 years past the expiration date. I should have stopped at the mold. Did I say anything stupid ? OMG !"

If there was adequate government regulation, you wouldn't have been sold aspirin that is four years past its expiration date.

[Mike]

No amount of governmental regulation will prevent people from taking expired medicine, Angrier. Unless the bottle comes with a self destruct failsafe on a timer, it's likely to go bad in the medicine cabinet.

[Angrier and Angrier]

I was being a smart-ass.

[Brendan]

Ah, the fine line between being a smartass and being a dumbass.

:P

[copndor]

Sh*t! There's a line there?!

[Sandy Underpants]

Is Hill-Rod gaining any traction with her ridiculous proposal? Seems like villifying free-market American Companies and threatening to tax them into oblivion does not put the candidate in a good light, even if it IS oil companies. More importantly, everyone knows that when you tax the profits of, essentially, a monopoly they pass the tax onto the consumer, which Obama articulated swelly on MTP yesterday. Of course Obama has much more experience in public service than Hillary, so it's not really a fair debate.

[Duck]

Mike, you know what I say (during a psychedelic trip) when someone says "no amount of government regulation" can solve a problem ???????

YES

WE

CAN

Barack "Government Can / Gov't Will" Obama 2008 !

Smelling salts - quick with the smelling salts ! !

[David K.]

No amount of governmental regulation will prevent people from taking expired medicine,

NO amount Mike? I'm pretty sure if they had expired drug squads that would raid peoples homes for expired drugs that would do it ;-)

[Angrier and Angrier]

We could solve the expired medication problem if we would just stop insuring old people against robot attacks.

[Alasdair]

David K - I'm with Mike on this ... even with the Beyond-Sell-by-date Commissar in each household, in the households of the BS Commissars, themselves, they will take drugs past their "expiration" date ...

[Alasdair]

Duck - if you keep being rational, you're gonna have to change your ID on here to Mallard or Smew or Goosander or Merganser or the like ... if you keep on being Duck, you become the exception to the D-list ... (grin) ...

{cue vee David K}

[Jim]

This issue sum Clinton up completely. This one issue. A lack of understanding and forethought on key issues and/or a willingness to ignore what's best for America/world/kittens to do what seems to score the most political points.

Seriously, no joke, this one issue says it all.

[Mad Max, Esquire]

I would agree with Jim if it weren't for a better example she gave in 2002 and then didn't reverse her decision until Obama got into the race. People are more worried about whether or not Obama will go bowling with them than whether or not Hillary will say or do anything for power. Frankly I would rather have a President who bowls a 37 but who doesn't change his mind every time a new poll is out.

[Alasdair]

Mad Max - I didn't know that McCain bowled a 37 ... are you sure that's not the YEAR McCain was born ?

(grin)

[Jim]

Very true. And if she didn't read the NIE then, it appears she isn't reading The Economist now.

[David K.]

Poor Duck, being called rational by Alasdair is like being called sane by a LaRouchie...

[Duck]

Quack !

[Andrew]

Of course the gas holiday is pandering, but give me a break -- they're both pandering about all sorts of issues! At least with HRC, we can trust her to not actually implement her faux-populist policies once elected, because everyone knows that every word is just a front to appease voters.

[Duck]

Obama was quite dumb to oppose this tax during primary season. If it was pandering that would help little, he should have one-better'd it by saying let's start there AND steal money from Big Oil with a windfall profits tax to re-distribute to others. His opposition to the gas tax lifter has to look stubborn to the everyday American. But this is a candidate whose presidency will be built on heavy taxation, so I guess we should applaud his early integrity at opposing tax cuts of any kind.

[Duck]

That gets me thinking. It's hard to imagine a scarier candidate than a former community organizer affectionate for the government's unique role as the only not-for-profit that can force people to donate to it with no limitations whatsoever. Let's watch as Obama takes his election as a spending and taxing mandate. Socialism ain't far folks. It shall come a sh**storm born on a fragrant fart. And that fart is Obama.

[Angrier and Angrier]

Duck-

If you actually listened to Obama's speeches, his proposed policies appear to be much more in line with centrist thinking than Hillary's. Hillary is talking about declaring war on the Republicans. Obama might be overly idealistic. But I think in the long run he will be more pragmatic and effective than Hillary.

As for McCain, the guy is out of touch with everyone, including the Republican Party. McCain's political philosophy seems to have more to do with Oppositional Defiant Disorder than any conservative or libertarian mantra.

[Duck]

I can quack to that ! (re McCain).

As for Obama, as far as real conservatives are concerned, he and hillary do indeed flock together like birds of an equal feather.

Quack !