Ever since George Bush sold the idea he would be a compassionate conservative, respect for voters' intelligence has been going rapidly downhill. The gas-tax holiday is a new low.
Described by New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg as "about the dumbest thing I’ve heard in an awful long time from an economic point of view” and in the face of bipartisan disapproval in Congress, John McCain and Hillary Clinton are out there trolling for votes on the theory that economically hard-pressed Americans are morons.
Giving consumers 18 cents on $4-a-gallon at the gas pump may sound good, but it would add up to a saving of less than $30 for most families, encourage consumption and cost the government $9 billion and the economy 300,000 jobs.
The tax supports the federal Highway Trust Fund, which finances road projects nationwide and is already facing a $3.4 billion shortfall, according to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation. The federal transportation department says every $1 billion in highway spending creates 34,779 jobs.
But the candidates are banking on voters' inability to grasp the fact that a pre-election handout won't solve their problems but make them worse in the long run. Even the Wall Street Journal says the idea “smacks of poll-driven gimmickry.”
But Hillary Clinton is out there claiming to be "the only candidate who has a plan to give relief to the nation’s drivers" while John McCain is promising them "a little break."
How dense do they think we are?
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6 comments:
They know we are pretty dense, we elected a Bush for three terms and now they are going for a fourth with McCain.
We will be lucky to escape this fiasco without a war in Africa let alone Iran.
Have you noticed how the MSM reports our troops are now being attacked with Irani supplied fighters and weapons? Are the Iranis supporting Sunnis now?
You failed to mention that Senator Obama does not support this stupid pandering.
I've been pulling for Hillary. But, I have to say that the gas tax holiday shenanigans *really* bug me. I know they all feel they have to do stupid things -- maybe only because all politicians have only done stupid things to get people to vote for them? I don't know. But, it *really* left a bad taste in my mouth.
I don't want that crud. I want things to *get done.*
Switching subjects, but still related....I've never been a huge Obama fan. But, I really admired the way he handled the Pastor fiasco.
After the gas tax thing and seeing how Obama dealt with that Pastor mess, I think I'm now leaning towards Obama.
But, I'll vote for either one.
Hillary really disappointed me on that, though.
1. What Larry said.
2. Blue Girl: I originally backed Edwards but grew to appreciate Barack Obama after reading his 1994book, Dreams from My Father.
No gas tax holiday, please. Let us figure this out on our own, please.
FYI, the wholesale trading price of unleaded gasoline closed just under $3/gallon.
John, I really liked Edwards too.
I've always thought Obama is arrogant. I catch it more in his *off* moments than in what he directly does or says. I guess I shouldn't hold arrogance against a politician. Especially one who thinks they're good enough and smart enough to be POTUS. They'd all have to have a healthy dose of it, I do believe.
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