Democrats’ latest idea: gas stamps

The Hill ^ | September 11, 2008 | Alexander Bolton

[bamahead]

As the U.S. economy teeters on the brink of recession, Democratic leaders are revisiting an idea born of the Great Depression: gas stamps to help Americans cope with high fuel prices.

The proposal to subsidize fuel costs for lower-income families and individuals would almost certainly be popular with white, working-class voters and could boost Barack Obama’s appeal with that critical voting bloc in this year’s presidential election.

Democratic lawmakers and their leaders say they are serious about including it in a second economic stimulus package expected to move this month. Meanwhile, Republicans ridicule the idea as a return to welfare-state politics, which they say characterized the Democratic Party before Bill Clinton.

“It’s certainly under consideration,” House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) told The Hill on Thursday afternoon. “It would be like food stamps for those people who need help.”

Gas stamps would work like traditional food stamps, which some Americans have collected since the 1930s. They would be used, however, to pay for regular unleaded instead of meat and potatoes.

Under one version of the proposal, a person earning up to $31,200 or a family of four earning up to $63,600 could receive government payments totaling $500 for gas.

Hoyer said he was not ready to discuss details about the proposal because he is focused on passing a comprehensive energy bill Democrats unveiled this week...

But some Democratic strategists think that gas stamps could help Obama and other candidates appeal to voters in rural and exurban areas, a demographic that leans toward the GOP.

Democratic strategist Chris Lehane said that the presidential election will likely come down to “2 or 3 percent of the electorate in a handful of battleground states” and that working-class men and women from rural and exurban areas could decide the results.

[bamahead]

Did not see this posted.

Can anybody say 'vote buying'?

And not only that, they want the states to pay for it?

He said the mechanism for giving money to Americans at the pump has yet to be designed.
He suggested that state and local governments could design stamps or perhaps a
credit card that would give people a discount each time they fill up their cars or trucks.

[bamahead]

Under one version of the proposal, a person earning up to $31,200 or a family of four earning up to $63,600 could receive government payments totaling $500 for gas.



Libertarian ping!Click here to get added or here to be removed or just reply to this post!

[Spktyr]

Gas companies already have such campaigns in place. Shell gives you cash back towards fuel with their card, for example.

Drill here, drill now.

[ElkGroveDan]

Why not clothing stamps? How about rent stamps? Those things are necessities too.

[Tzimisce]

Great, the people who brought us the high gas prices are going to set up a loyal voter base who will continue to vote for them despite how the rest of us suffer.

Brilliant idea. :(

[ConservativeMind]

Reminds me of those “stagflation” years of Jimmy Carter.

Democrats want to do that?

[LibFreeOrDie]

How about those idiots repealing the Federal and state gasoline/diesel taxes instead?

Diesel:

Gasoline:

[SkiKnee]

It is a brilliant idea when you consider that their main goal is total control over all our natural resources.

[CaptRon]

They must be kidding!

What am I saying. Of course they'er not. It's much better to do this than to allow drilling, because then we can all be beholdin' to the owners of the plantation. We can all bow the their beneficence. And even better, they can pay for it by confiscatory taxes on the only sector of the economy who can get us out of this mess, the bad oil companies.

[Gene Eric]

what about that gas bag idea?

[Octar]

Chris Lehane = Dunce who cannot find an actual job.

[jazusamo]

Desocialist Party leaves me near speechless again. It’s not surprising McDermott suggested it, one of the most devout socialist in the party.

[CaptRon]

You left out the nastiest, most uniformed democrat attack dog this side of begala.

[LostInBayport]

He suggested that state and local governments could design stamps or perhaps a credit card that would give people a discount each time they fill up their cars or trucks

We already have this here in the socialist cesspit of Massachusetts. Except those benefiting from it are state employees, such as those on parole boards. The state provides them with a car for their personal use also! One of many reasons I'm voting for the repeal of the state income tax in November.

As for this latest attempt at Democrat pandering, it is simply another welfare program that does nothing to solve the underlying problem of reliance on foreign oil. We need to DRILL HERE, DRILL NOW!

[castlebrew]

Next up - Bread and Circuses...

[Kozak]

GREAT! GENIUS! And homeless guys without cars will have an extra $300 dollars for crack and alcohol when they trade the stamps on the brand new black market that will be created ( maybe those will be some of the new “green” jobs Obambi is planning).

[Harry Wurzbach]

Please, by all means, remind the electorate that you are the party of welfare.

[Kickass Conservative]

I want gas stamps, and movie stamps, and beer stamps and video game stamps and ice cream stamps and flat screen TV stamps and pony stamps and, and, and....

Santa Claus does exist!

[DemforBush]

Can I get a stamp for the air pump at the gas station?

I want to be sure to keep my tires properly inflated, after all...

[bamahead]

lol