The Presidential candidates have been answering critics about what they will do to lower gas prices if they were to take office. John McCain and Hillary Clinton believe that the gas tax of approximately 18.5 cents per gallon should take a holiday with the school kids this summer.
Barak Obama thinks this is a bad idea, more symbolism than substance. He figures that it will cost the government millions in needed highway funds and put road workers out of a job due to decreased tax revenues.
I agree completely with Obama on this. Look at some numbers. An average car has a 12-gallon tank and gets about 25 miles per gallon. Figure that most drivers are on the roads about 15,000 miles annually.
Using these assumptions, during the three months that the gas tax is lifted, Joe, or Jane, America would save about $30.
This is not enough to make me think that this tax hiatus is a good idea. It is not a panacea for the hole in my wallet when I pull up to the pump. A savings of less than 20 cents per gallon is insulting when its offer is intended to make me think that I'm getting something, when in reality I'm getting the same politicians' shell game that I've gotten for the 24 years that I've been voting.
This is an election year. Each candidate has his and her own remedies for all of society's ills. This gas tax hiatus is a bitter pill to swallow when I'm looking for an aggressive energy plan that rewards conservation rather than offers me a smoke and mirror illusion of savings for consumption.
Is there a spot on the ballot to mark "None of the Above?"
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