John McCain and Hillary Clinton are in the madhouse. A gas tax repeal is completely insane for a variety of reasons.

http://www.yahoo.com/s/870015

If anything, Tax it more.

Precisely. Our infrastructure is falling apart, and nobody wants to pay for it.

A great quote from Tom Friedman:

"Hillary Clinton has decided to line up with John McCain in pushing to suspend the federal excise tax on gasoline, 18.4 cents a gallon, for this summer’s travel season. This is not an energy policy. This is money laundering: we borrow money from China and ship it to Saudi Arabia and take a little cut for ourselves as it goes through our gas tanks. What a way to build our country."

$.184 x 22.5 gallons (in my tank) x 3 fillups a month (average) x 4 months = $49.68.

Big freaking deal.

I agree with you guys. If anything, I thought that dumb 300 dollar rebate we had this year from fed. tax, was a useless waste too. If they were worried about truckers (rather than commuters and vacationers) they could have come up with something occupation-specific.

You really use a ton of gas.

$0.184 x 11gal x 2 per month x 4 months = $16.19. Not much savings.

I don't really have a problem with excise taxes (one of the few). Has anyone considered that cheaper gas likely will lead to more gas consumption?

I drive an SUV and (currently) have to commute on average 50 miles a day. Starting in September that should be cut back a bit.

Oh, and yeah, as much as it makes my wallet cringe, I think higher gas prices is a good thing. It will (hopefully) spur consumers into being wiser about usage.

Is there any possibility of this proposal passing? I don't get why this is such an issue with there being no chance of it being enacted. I of course endorse Obama's stand on this issue, but a good politician needs to pander when there is little cost, and he has not mastered the art. Clinton and McCain for all their faults get American Politics 101, Obama at times doesn't.

We all know politicians pander to the lowest common denominator but don't promote it man!

The first job is getting elected. After you are elected, you have the bully pulpit to address the public and get them to support your goals and ideas. That is impossible if you don't get the first job done.

Lincoln was probably one of the most principled men to become President, but it didn't prevent him from being pragmatic with the issue of slavery during the election of 1860. When he was in the Northeast he was very adamant about it being an abomination and the need for it to be abolished. When he was in southern Illinois or Kentucky he was much more diplomatic and presented himself as very amiable to the status quo. When he took office he did what he thought was right, probably upsetting the fringe in both sections of the country.

Now what would compel you to do such a thing like that?

Eeesh. Long story.

I finally understand now. You support the candidate most skilled at pandering because you believe pandering to be the most important skill in the leader of the free world.

You can't get anything done if you don't get elected. None of these candidates align with my political ideas. I think we should tax gas more if we should do anything. We are running out of oil, peak production of food crops like corn and rice have been reached. End of life as we know it is near and these are the leaders we have to choose.

$0.184 x 15gal x 4 per month x 4 months = $44.16

I could use $44.16...

Ok then Malthusian Trap man......

Well, I don't mean to sound so pessimistic, but the signs are ominous with the rise in oil prices and the lack of any more large oil reserves being discovered. I don't think the standards of living that have been a the way of life for the past 4-5 decades can be sustained without fundamental changes in the way the West (especially the US) lives. We can fix most of these problems, I just don't see the leadership willing to do it.

And when the government doesn't get that money and doesn't fix the potholes and bridges, when your car takes damage, it might cost a bit more than $44.16.

Clearly what the candidates need to do is offer a free Tank to each voter.

Exactly, the savings are minimal when spread out to the population but when combined make a hell of a lot of money.

Well perhaps the government should focus its taxes more on the ludicrous salaries that the CEOs make. really the Government needs to focus on reducing transportation costs for truckers and the airlines as these lead to cost increases in everything from food to true expenses. A temporary relief on the Gas Tax for consumers does little a releif of 50 cents a gallon goes a long way for trucks and planes which leads to cost stabilization for neccesaties and even luxury items.

Or maybe it will entice these industries to develop better methods of transportation!

$.184 x 12.5 gallons x 3 fillups a month x 4 months = $27.60.

That's enough for 3 movie tickets.

PASS IT! i need to watch more movies in theaters.