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.