The Bishop and the Butterfly: Murder, Politics, and the End of the Jazz Age

    McCain's Gas Tax "Holiday" More Like a "Safety Cut"

    By azpaull on Tue, 04/15/2008 - 5:53pm |
    My Senator, John McCain, continues to flounder to connect on economic issues.  I think that his newest proposal for a gas tax "holiday" for the summer driving season is a good one politically - on the surface.

    Federal taxes are 18.4 cents/gallon. McCain claims it will have a stimulus effect on the economy. I think that would be minor. Right now, they have been predicting gas up to $4.00/gal this summer. So, McCain's proposal would keep it at about $3.80. I would think we are going to see a continued (slight) slowing in consumer gas consumption as the price goes up.

    Meanwhile, I think that Sens. Clinton and/or Obama should immediately start pointing out that it was just a year ago that the bridge collapse in MN had all of us worrying about putting MORE money into infrastructure, and that the gas tax holiday would be counterproductive in the long run.

    Of course, the prospect of a "tax cut" may win more voters than the prospect of the corresponding "safety cut".