Gas Tax "Holiday"

Well it looks like McCain's been reading Glenn Beck (yes, the same article cited in my first post). While Beck seems to be a true believer in trickle-down economics, McCain I think, is just pandering.

There were two quotes in this article that I found particularly relevant:

1.

"It's a quick fix for people who believe cheap gas is their birthright," said Tom Kloza, chief oil analyst at the Oil Price Information Service, a research firm. "It's not a prudent thing to do."

2.

If money from the general fund is used, it could in some ways be a fairer tax. The gas tax is a flat tax that impacts poor people more than rich ones, while money from the general fund is raised in a system where people who earn more are supposed to pay more.

These two quotes get at the heart of my "primary questions." The acknowledgment that there are people who believe that cheap gas is their birthright is an important one. I think the very concept of "birthright" is partially responsible for the mess we're in. Could it be that we're so wrapped up in the things that we have a right to do, that we forget to ask ourselves if we should do them? I have the right to disperse my social security number, my mother's maiden name and all of my bank account information right here in this post. It's guaranteed in the constitution. That doesn't make it a good idea. Knowing when not to exercise one's rights can be even more important than knowing when to exercise those rights.

The second quote addresses the disparity between rich and poor in this country. It's indicative of the kind of trap faced by the poor, the trap I'm interested in exploring:

It's difficult to invest in something that will save you money in the future if you don't have any money now. A new Prius, solar panels, a tankless water heater, all these things are expensive in terms of capital outlay but they depreciate slowly and significantly reduce long term expenses. What this amounts to is that a family that pays a higher percentage of its income for gasoline, electricity, and natural gas is trapped into paying that higher percentage because that can't afford to make the investments that would decrease those expenses. Poor people often drive older, less fuel-efficient vehicles, thus paying more in federal gas tax (by way of higher consumption) and in paying more are further limiting their ability to get out of the trap.

I'm looking for a way out.