It’s not just a gimmick — it’s a destructive gimmick. Woo-hoo!
The Federal gas tax is about 18 cents a gallon; given the way prices have skyrocketed, 18 cents is a drop in the bucket — and given that it’s being suggested by two particiular presidential candidates — who won’t be in a position to make it happen for nine months, by which time gas may well be even higher and the effect even a smaller drop.
It’s the “feel-good” silly suggestion of the season.
Plus — it’s not like the federal gas tax is just crazy money that’s being burned in big bonfires beside the Potomac. It goes toward federal highway work — maintaining / expanding / repairing roads, bridges, non-trivial stuff like that. So either any tax “holiday” will have to be short-lived, or else there won’t be any road for folks to be driving on …
They’d be just as well off printing money and sending out more rebate checks.
(cartoon via BD)
Because it’s so hard to express in words what a dumb idea the ‘gas tax holiday’ really is…
It’s such a dumb idea, there aren’t even any economists who think it’s a good idea. I mean, you can usually find economists to support practically *any* suggestion. Yeesh!