John McCain is still pretending that a suspension of the federal gasoline tax would result in significant savings for American drivers.
Previously, McCain's "calls" for a gas-tax holiday were countered with the argument that it would cause a shortage of funds for federal highway projects.
Anticipating a repeat of such criticism, McCain augmented his "call" for a suspension of the gas tax by saying we don't need federal highway projects.
The Republican told an estimated 1,200 people at Kansas City's Union Station that suspending the federal tax on gasoline and diesel fuel would help put millions of dollars into the hands of businesses and lower-income Americans.Good luck selling that one. Not even Sen. Kit Bond (R-MO), McCain's Missouri campaign chair, was willing to pretend he agreed.
Such a holiday, he later told The Kansas City Star, could be justified by cutting wasteful spending: "The most pork barrel-laden aspect of everything we do are the highway bills."
And would somebody please remind McCain that he is a United States senator, and as such, enjoys the ability to sponsor legislation for policies he supports?
For example, if McCain believed there should be a suspension of the federal gas tax, he could actually introduce a bill to enact it. He doesn't have to take the passive position of "calling" for a gas-tax holiday, and then waiting and hoping for somebody, anybody, to make it happen. He could do it himself!
Granted, that might require him to show up for work at the Capitol, which he hasn't done since April. But if he really is talkin' straight about his commitment to a gas-tax suspension, wouldn't it be worth skipping a fundraiser or two for a sidetrip to DC?
