I am a little troubled by McCain's call for the suspension of the gas tax this summer. Not that I would mind spending a little less for gas, but I can't help wondering whether the tax suspension would really provide much of a benefit. For instance, McCain claims food prices will drop because transportation costs will lessen - but couldn't the income tax just be lowered so people could afford more food at these prices? Isn't there a better alternative?

And what about people who don't have or can't afford cars? They won't get much benefit from the tax suspension as those who can afford cars, etc. And for those who do have cars - does this give them license to drive more at a cheaper rate? has McCain addressed the environmental impact his tax suspension proposal could have?

And if the tax is only suspended for the summer, who would realize enough benefit to make it worth it? It seems like a band-aid strategy, or at best, a campaign strategy for election (funny how the tax suspension would end near vote time!). What happens when the tax is reenacted? back to the same.

 

Flat income tax rate.  Leave the fuel taxes as is.  Tap into our existing KNOWN oil deposits.

Suspending the gas tax for the summer could have the added benefit of an immediate boost for the tourism industry. Band-aid approach? Maybe. But sometimes you just have to stop the bleeding and then address the cause.

I second this motion.  Better practical prosperity for the many than pristine "prettyness" for a few.  Better profits in the hands of those who build skyscrapers in Houston, TX than those who destroy skyscrapers in NYC!  If there are recoverable reserves in ANWR and beneath the continental shelves, we should allow development there, especially it can be done in an environmentally safe way.  Brazil, Russia, and Norway are developing their offshore reserves.  All the prohibition against development of our reserves has done has increased the price of fuel to $3.50-4.00/gallon while putting profits in the hands of OPEC, Al Qaeda, and Iran.  The policies that these "progressive" politicians support may very well hurt the people that these "progressive" politicians say they care about: the poor.  Suspending the gas tax would do nothing to increase the supply or reduce demand for fuel.

Exxon Mobil just recorded an $11 billion profit in the first three months of 2008.  Do we really need to figure out ways to make the oil companies richer?  Didn't Bush, an ex-oil man himself, say Americans are addicted to petroleum?  The gas tax break just pepetuates the addiction, and the illusion that everybody else in the world should change, but never Americans. 

Also, who is to say that the oil companies won't just continue to rasie the prices after the tax is lifted? They will take advantage of the cut and by the time the break is over, we could possibly already be back up to the same price level we started at pre-tax removal. Then how fun will it be when the tax is slapped back on?

Make the tax cuts permanent and get Congress to ease up regulations so that drilling can happen in Anwar, new refineries can be built, etc.  Not a short time solution, but if this had been done years ago we might not be in the mess we are now!  Can't fault a company for making $ - it's the American way!