Daily Kos --- Cheney: High Gas Taxes Rock

The latest post on Daily Kos links to a NYT article describing Cheney's support of increased taxes on gasoline.

In sum, unlike Kerry, Cheney introduced legislation that would raise gas taxes.

Here is the important Cheney quote that is noted by Kos, NYT, and shamelessly plagiarized by me,

"Let us rid ourselves of the fiction that low oil prices are somehow good for the United States."

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/4/6/12187/55330

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/06/politics/06CHEN.html

Kerry Backed Effort to Stop Cheney Gas Price Hike
Kerry opposed Cheney plan that would have raised gas prices by $1.2 trillion and cut 400,000 jobs.

April 06, 2004

For Immediate Release

In 1986, then-Congressman Dick Cheney proposed a tax on oil that would have raised gasoline prices and laid 400,000 workers off. Despite this bill, the Bush-Cheney campaign claims that they are interested in lower gas prices and opposed to higher taxes.

Senator Kerry helped stop Cheney’s proposed gas price hike, co-sponsoring for a resolution in opposition to the plan. Even Cheney’s fellow Republican lawmakers opposed his gas price hike -- 15 Senators joined Kerry to sponsor a resolution in 1987 to stop Cheney’s bill.

Cheney Opposed Low Oil Prices

In October 1986, Cheney introduced legislation to create a new import tax that would have increased the price of oil and ultimately the price of gasoline by billions of dollars per year. On the House floor Cheney said “let us rid ourselves of the fiction that low oil prices are somehow good for the United States.”

Cheney Bill would Cost Consumers $1.2 Trillion

The Congressional Research Service, in coordination with staffers from the Senate Energy Committee, studied the effects of Cheney’s bill on consumers. The report states that if Cheney’s plan had been enacted in 1986 it would have cost consumers $1.2 trillion.

Bill Would Have Led to Loss of 400,000 jobs

Senator John Heinz of Pennsylvania, a Republican, said in February 1987 that the proposals would add $1.3 billion per year to the energy costs of Pennsylvania consumers. He also cited a study done for a Federal Reserve Bank suggesting that a $5 per barrel fee would lead to the loss of 400,000 jobs nationwide and cause inflation to soar.

Kerry and 15 Senators from Both Parties Joined in Opposition to Cheney’s Bill

On February 3rd, 1987, John Kerry and 15 Senators cosponsored a resolution in opposition to import fees and taxes on oil, including Republican Senators John Heinz and Alphonse D’Amato. Senator Pell said that “the truth is that an oil import fee is not a good idea and would certainly not be painless for consumers. An oil import fee would impose heavy new costs on all who use oil and oil products in manufacturing and production. It would also impose higher costs on all who heat their homes with oil or use oil-generated electricity. In addition, by increasing the production costs of energy and raw materials, an oil import fee would make American manufacturers far less competitive in world markets—a situation certainly not tolerable with today's current trade imbalance.

Bush-Cheney Campaign Refuse to Acknowledge Cheney’s Call for Higher Taxes

When asked about Cheney’s bill to increase oil taxes, Scott Stanzel, a spokesman for the Bush-Cheney campaign, said that “President Bush and Vice President Cheney want to keep taxes low and keep the economy moving. They have proposed an energy plan that will provide for a stable, affordable and secure energy supply.”
While the Bush-Cheney campaign failed to acknowledge the higher tax and gas prices as a result of Cheney’s bill, Cheney’s office refused to comment about the bill.

http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/releases/pr_2004_0406.html

but I agree with Cheney's staement: "let us rid ourselves of the fiction that low oil prices are somehow good for the United States."


That said, this is just more evidence of this administration's* complete disregard for the American people, hypocrisy, and thirst for power.

I actually agree with you. But, rest assured, Cheney was not thinking the same thing you are thinking when he made that statement.

Moreover, given the ads that Bush has been running, this is one of those rare opportunities to create some "jujitsu." I don't know what the word actually means, but one poll junkie has described this word as following. If you have jujitsu, your opponent's attacks hurt your opponent instead of you. I think that those ads have hurt Kerry. If all of those negatives created by the Bush ads can now be transferred back to them, I am a giggly, happy camper.

As much as I can't stand Buschco, I don't misunderestimate their political abilities and blunders like this will not come along often. I hope that we are able to take advantage of it.

Pointing out that credibility problem of this administration.

The Bush attack ad on the Kerry gas tax is so bad that it is funny. Does Kerry need to use the KOS story for a counter ad or just let the ad run its course?

Again and again Kerry proves he's not a statesman...

he's the greenest candidate ever.