Posted on 11/01/2006 8:34:42 PM PST by SmithL
Former President Clinton swooped into Northern California on Wednesday to raise campaign cash and rally support for Proposition 87 and a Democrat who is making an unexpectedly strong challenge to Republican Rep. Richard Pombo.
Proposition 87 would raise $4 billion for research into alternative energy by taxing the oil pumped in California. Opponents, mostly oil companies, have raised more than $80 million to defeat it, while supporters have raised more than $50 million, making it the most expensive ballot fight in California history.
"It looks to me that the opponents are spending $100 million dollars to swell the 'I don't know and I don't care' vote," Clinton told several hundred supporters who waited two hours to hear him speak at Civic Center Plaza in downtown San Francisco. "But I think you do know and you do care."
Clinton said Proposition 87 would create new jobs in California by helping build the alternative energy industry. He said the measure also would help to reduce global warming and make the air cleaner. Opponents say it will make gasoline more expensive.
Between the San Francisco rally and a later one planned in Stockton, Clinton raised an estimated $2 million at a San Francisco fundraiser with Rep. Nancy Pelosi for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
WTF is BILL CLINTON doing stumping for a CA proposition? Next the libs will fly Osama in.
Typical liberalnomics BS in the article I'd like to add, "creating jobs" by taxing ourselves. Great idea, it sure worked in Soviet Russia.
I am afraid 87 is going to pass. I hope not but the polls say it is ahead.
Cool... taking into account Clinton's track record, I am more sure Pombo will win now.
His ugly lying mug is more motivation to get out and vote NO against the Prop 87 extortion,
along with all of the other TAXES and DEBT that infests the ballot.
YES on Prop 90!
Clinton Shills For Bad Energy Policy
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1728319/posts
This is getting to be the habit with these socialists - They butt in where they really have no business.
I know what would happen back here in my little village if, on town meeting day, someone from a neighboring town came in and tried to have a say on issues we were deciding...
How can people be so stupid. More money for government to waste. Gas is already pretty high out here, in fact, everything out here is more expensive than in most states. So easy for the rich to be telling us to vote for something that probably will do more harm than good.
His ugly lying mug is more motivation to get out and vote NO against the Prop 87 extortion,
along with all of the other TAXES and DEBT that infests the ballot.
YES on Prop 90!
Already marked my sample ballot as such. Can't fool me. I'm voting no on all the CA Bond & Taxes initiatives and propositions.
Leave the friggin government out of the private sector. Don't these dumbsh!ts ever learn? It's the government that got us into this energy mess in the first place.
When I saw that the rats had trotted out Weasley Clark to defend kerry, I knew they were gearing up to float all their old neoMarxists out. They are reaching the bottom of the barrel, they simply don't have anyone of any "caliber" to stump for candidates.
I suspect we'll see Mondale, Gary Hart, more of jimmeh and clintoon bestowing the kiss of death. Why not trot out Dukaka? Whatever happened to Mr Cereal Diaries, ex-senator Graham of FL? LOL. And wait...we haven't seen Max Cleland yet! Oooh, I just can't handle the suspense.
I don't know if there is a financial relationship between Clinton and Al Gore but I suspect, like the whole Global Warming Scam, that the funding and motivation behind this initiative will mean billions for certain green corporations and special interests.
Just voted against on my absentee ballot...
Bingo.
The real problem here is that bubba is saying that since Brazil is energy independent we can be too.
Well they're independent because they drill offshore for oil.
Good.
I vote early, and then toss ALL campaign fliers in the trash, unread.
Clinton Says Raise Taxes on Oil
Former President Bill Clinton says that taxes hikes on oil will reduce dependence on energy. Clinton threw his support behind Proposition 87, which calls for raising taxes on oil to encourage conservation and fund government research on alternate fuels.
"High oil prices are the key to saving the planet,” Clinton told a cheering crowd at the campus. “It will encourage people to forego foolish travel. There is no need for the average person to be driving wherever and whenever he pleases. There is no need for these people to be jetting around the country for frivolous reasons. Oil needs to be conserved for important purposes—like my trip to join you here tonight for this rally.”
Proposition 87 has drawn criticism from opponents who claim that raising taxes on oil produced in California would discourage production and make the state more dependent on foreign oil. The California Taxpayers Association (CTA) and several public safety groups are opposing the proposition.
“A couple of months ago these Democrats were saying high prices were wrecking the economy and that it was Bush’s fault,” said Tom Swift, spokesman for the CTA. “Now they’re saying high prices are a good thing? It makes no sense.”
Clinton explained the apparent inconsistency. “Bush’s high prices weren’t the result of higher taxes,” Clinton pointed out. “The money was all flowing to the private sector where all it would do is encourage companies to supply more fuel. This would just perpetuate wasteful travel. Prop 87 extracts the money from consumers and funnels it into projects selected by the government. There would be no risk of inducing increased supplies of gasoline that would undermine the conservation objective.”
read more...
http://www.azconservative.org/Column_Archives.htm
I'm visiting in California (having come from Chicago and already having voted). Tonight I saw that sickening Clinton Prop 87 commerical not less that 9 times in a 90 minute period. Nauseating.
If its a tax hike, Clinton would fly his private jet using 2200 gallons of Jet A across the country to stump for it.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.