PLUS: Clinton Makes an Extremely Dangerous Statement About Iran in TV Interview
By Skeeter Sanders
Once again, we have a candidate for the nation's highest office dumping a truckload of hypocritical B.S. about class issues -- specifically, accusing a rival candidate of being an "elitist" and insensitive to working-class and poor Americans.
But this time, the hypocrite isn't Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, whose hypocrisy in calling Senator Barack Obama, her chief rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, an "elitist" was exposed by this blogger two weeks ago when I reminded readers that her husband, former President Bill Clinton, championed free-trade agreements that have cost thousands of working-class Americans their jobs.
Republican presidential nominee-elect John McCain on Sunday has done the same thing the former first lady did on Obama's alleged "elitism," calling the Illinois senator insensitive to poor people and out of touch on economic issues.
Excuse me, Senator McCain, but as the nominee of the party long known as the "party of the rich," you're hardly in any position to accuse Obama or any other Democrat of being out of touch with the working class and the poor.
Here we have the nominee of the party that has given away billions of dollars in tax breaks to the nation's wealthiest citizens -- and who is himself one of the wealthiest members of the United States Senate, with a net worth of $44 million, according to the McClatchy Newspapers -- accusing Obama, who grew up with modest means, of being out of touch with the working-class and the poor.
What a crock of 100 percent pure, unadulterated, hypocritical B.S.! Actually, it's worse than B.S. It's the kind of hypocrisy that bears the unmistakable smell of the liquid fertilizer that farmers spread onto their fields at the start of the planting season -- a smell far more nauseating than a skunk's (I live out in farm country, so I know what I'm talking about).
McCain Opposed -- But Now Favors -- Tax Cuts for the Wealthy
This is the same John McCain who blasted President Bush's tax cuts for the wealthiest one percent of Americans as fiscally irresponsible and was the only Republican in the Senate who voted against them. These tax cuts have resulted in middle-class and working-class Americans bearing more of the tax burden, percentage-wise, while reducing the tax burden of the wealthy.
But instead of shifting the tax burden back upon those who can most afford to bear it, McCain wants to make these "fiscally irresponsible" tax cuts for the wealthy permanent, instead of giving tax relief to those who need it most: Middle-class and working-class Americans.
McCain rapped his Democratic rival for opposing his idea to suspend the tax on fuel during the summer, a proposal that McCain believes will particularly help low-income people who usually have older cars that guzzle more gas.
"I noticed again today that Senator Obama repeated his opposition to giving low-income Americans a tax break, a little bit of relief so they can travel a little further and a little longer, and maybe have a little bit of money left over to enjoy some other things in their lives," McCain said. "Obviously, Senator Obama does not understand that this would be a nice thing for Americans, and the special interests should not be dictating this policy."
How Does Cutting Gas Tax Help Low-Income Americans Who Don't Have Cars?
On the contrary, it is Senator McCain who does not understand. In the first place, most low-income Americans -- especially those on fixed incomes -- don't own cars. They can't afford them. The urban poor rely on public transportation to get around.
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