Lifting the Tax on the Sale of Indulgences

Oges is fond of saying that Bill Clinton was one of the greatest Republican presidents in US history. In his words,

"Clinton was the first president since WWII to leave the government with a balanced budget - usually the dream of 'fiscally conservative' Republicans (ironically, Reagan burst the bank and GWB is setting records for deficit spending). Also, similar to how LBJ was opposed to civil rights when he was a local politician in Texas but when it became the zeitgeist LBJ switched sides, when Clinton realized the Republican-dominated Congress was not interested in his more liberal measures - such as universal health care - he gave them everything the Congress wanted, mostly related to NAFTA and other "free trade" issues, which are basically gifts to large corporations and tend to hurt the average working folks Democrats traditionally represent."

The point I'm meandering toward is about today's article in the NY Times:

"Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton lined up with Senator John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, in endorsing a plan to suspend the federal excise tax on gasoline, 18.4 cents a gallon, for the summer travel season."

Not to poop on their pander party, but aren't we at capacity already? Wouldn't lower prices make people want to drive more? In turn, wouldn't driving more demand more gas, and hike the price?

Anyone who favors a political leader who trades votes for environmental degradation, fuel supply depletion, increased CO2 emissions, and fiscal irresponsibility (i.e. dipping into the Federal Highway Fund to pay for it) gets the government they deserve.

Now I'm not convinced yet that Obama has enough expertise or authority to quickly solve our energy problems, but at least he's not falling for this patronizing hoodwink. In the same article:

"At a meeting with voters in North Carolina on Monday, Mr. Obama said lifting the gas tax for three months would save the average consumer no more than $30, a figure confirmed by Congressional analysts. Mr. Obama has previously dismissed Mr. McCain’s proposal as a 'scheme.'

'Half a tank of gas,' Mr. Obama told his audience. 'That’s his big solution.'"

Hilary, please, just give up the ghost. You're starting to creep me out. As of today, I'd honest to God almost rather have Laura Bush as president. I said "almost," but please, somebody, make it stop; she burns, she burns.

April in Austin, Among Additional Ataxia

I have a new job.

Got stolen away from the energy savings company by a very small, very specialized, software shop. Here is the view from the previous offices:


Here is the new view (from the conference room):

Arial view directly above our building:


It's April in Austin, which means there are an incomprehensible number of festivals, events, open-air concerts, and/or kid's activites to attend...among them:
Old Settler's Music Festival
Texas Hill Country Wine & Food Fest
Urban Music Festival
Austin Fine Arts Fest
Reggae Fest (AKA Bob Marley Festival)
Annual Dragon Boat Festival and Race
Family Music Festival
Cinco de Mayo (gets started early 'round here, especially in San Antonio )
Eeyore's Birthday

Not convinced? Check this list out. It's exhausting, every year, just thinking about April in Austin.

Ultimately, we'll go to Reggae Fest and Eeyore's, as usual, and struggle with the rest.

The farmer's markets are overflowing, and the wildflowers are exploding. Life is tearing by on ball bearings. Don't ask how I managed to find time to post this: if I knew, I'd do it again, soon.