Read My Lips, It's Summer Vacation and You Deserve It

You have probably heard about the gas-tax holiday proposed for this summer. McCain started it and then Hillary quickly latched on. This has to be one of the dumbest panders of the campaigns. To his credit, Obama hasn't let himself get caught up in it. He put it in perspective fairly well on Meet The Press today. This pandering can be expected from John McCain, following the classical republican tactic of raising the tax bogeyman to get what they want, but it it disappointing to see Hillary jumping on the bandwagon. Whether it is medical insurance for kids or ensuring voting accuracy, the tough on taxes shtick works as an effective way to get support for what otherwise would be unpopular ideas. In the case of the gas tax holiday, it can be a faux issue to try and win elections, and cast yourself as 'for the working man'.

Notice that the fiscal conservatism and disdain for giving your hard earned money to Uncle Sam only extends far enough to make a good commercial. When it comes to actually limiting spending, the most recent Republican controlled White House/Congress combination did a horrible job. The lower taxes for everyone mantra invariably turns into giveaways to donors and fellow Bushies, and of course to your 'base' of the most wealthy. While doing the easy part with reckless abandon- telling wealthy people and your friends that they can pay less in taxes-the hard work of controlling spending goes not only undone but seemingly not even attempted. Two foreign military occupations and an outsourcing of government services to the private sector with cost-plus contracts in return for shoddy work, tax evasion, more tax evasion, and probably one of the biggest taxpayer money grabs in recent history. The absurdity and shameless hypocrisy of it is best illustrated by, you guessed it, George W with the simultaneous large tax cuts and starting of two (maybe 3 soon) wars.