LaTourette’s Gas Price Proposal Rejected By Nearly Everyone
Election-Year Stunt Leaves LaTourette Looking For Allies
WICKLIFFE, Ohio (July 11, 2008) – From Northeast Ohio to the halls of Congress commuters everywhere are shooting down Steve LaTourette’s proposal to provide federal reimbursements for gas consumption. Democratic Congressional Candidate Bill O’Neill remarked the bill was a “taxpayer-funded windfall for oil companies that does absolutely nothing to solve the gas price crisis -- and actually makes it worse.” Not even two weeks since LaTourette announced the bill publicly, it’s clear that the voters, media, and Congress agree that LaTourette’s blatant pandering has backfired.
“This is election year politics at its worst,” remarked Justin Barasky, spokesperson for the O’Neill campaign. “We were confident that the voters would see right through this scheme, and we’re encouraged by the responses we’ve heard. The call for change in Northeast Ohio is only growing louder.”
How’s it Playing?
Days since H.R. 6154 was introduced in Congress: 50
Number of New Cosponsors since then: 0
Newspapers
The News Herald: “It's too complicated and panders to Americans struggling with skyrocketing prices… This plan's choking on fumes” – July 10, 2008, editorial
Sun Newspapers: “Chalk it up to election year politics… Instead of subsidies it’s time for change. Last week LaTourette’s fall opponent, William O’Neill, called for the government to invest in light rail. Light rail will thin clogged highways, wean us off foreign oil and stall urban sprawl. That proposal is a wiser use of tax dollars.” – July 10, 2008, editorial
Blogs
Plunderbund: “LaTourette’s plan is typical of the really bad ideas being proposed by Republicans this year in response to rising fuel prices.”
Buckeye State Blog: “Apparently, LaTourette Doesn't Think Gas Prices Are High Enough”
Weapons of Mass Discussion (even a blog on the right): “This is not a solution. It is a gimmick.”
Cleveland.com
reader: “This is possibly the dumbest idea I have ever heard of. How
about encouraging alternative fuels, hybrid cars, telecommuting, four
day work weeks, etc. The sooner we can come up with an alternative to
oil, the sooner we can stop unintentionally sponsoring terrorism.”- photobern, July 2, 2008