Gas Tax Holiday.

Politics ahoy.  If the gas-tax holiday over the summer becomes a reality - and it won't, but if it does - I'm sending the $30 it will save me (and you, and all of you) to the Obama campaign.  I didn't want to get this site into politics again, but come on:

Hillary Clinton has now joined John McCain in proposing the most irresponsible policy idea of the year—an idea that actually could aid the terrorists. What's worse, both of them know that suspending the federal gas tax this summer is a terrible pander, and yet they're pushing it anyway for crass political advantage.

Clinton and McCain have learned a destructive lesson from the Bush era: as Bill Clinton said in 2002, it's better politically to be "strong and wrong" than thoughtful and right. The goal is to depict Barack Obama as an out-of-touch elitist. By any means necessary.        

I could highlight a long debate among economists on suspending the gas tax, but there is no debate. Not one respectable economist—and not one environmentalist or foreign policy expert—supports the idea, unless they are official members of the Clinton or McCain campaigns (and even some of them privately oppose it). To relieve suffering at the pump, send another rebate check or provide tax credits or something else, but not this.

Why is this gas pander so bad?...

On top of everything you can read at that link: as Obama pointed out the other day, it's slight of hand so that McCain - and Bandwagon Hillary - can look tough and concerned.  As he also pointed out, for the vast majority of people, the savings will amount to around $30.  Which will buy you half a tank of gas.  Don't take his word for it, and please don't take my word for it - take every conservative and liberal economist's word for it, because nobody with a calculator should be falling for this crap.  If Hillary wants to be known as the candidate for change, this works well, because the gas tax holiday will give you just that.  A pocketful of change. 

Hillary wants you to know she cares.

I want you to know Hillary is full of shit. 

John McCain 2000 would have known better.  John McCain 2008, well, whatever works, right?

Comments

[Brandon]

Sheesh. I've been undecided as far as Hillary or Obama, but I'm quickly leaning towards Obama. I don't care that McCain "occasionally" breaks with his party, or that he's a war hero; he frightens me. I believe a McCain presidency would be even worse than a Shrub presidency. McCain's ignorance is astounding, and I don't buy into Republican fear-mongering.

As for Hillary? Well, I just don't like her. Never have. And now this? She can kiss my vote good-bye (not that she had much chance of getting it anyway).

I guess I'm backing Obama now, though, admittedly, I'm just exasperated with the whole campaign thing. I thought it'd be exciting to give Shrub and Darth Vader a Democratic good-bye, but now the whole thing just wears me out.

[REllis]

Plus a gas tax holiday will allow the oil companies to raise their prices that much higher -- money that would go to the gov going directly to the oil guys, instead -- perfect Republican solution.

[Sara]

Good idea about donating your gas tax-break "savings." I'm thinking about doing the same with my ridiculous tax rebate.

[Pete]

McCain I could understand, giving his relentless pandering to the all-taxes-are-evil crowd. But Hillary's lack of understanding of basic economics seriously calls into question her "Ready from Day 1" claims.