Motion for a Recess

$8 a Gallon Gas

Eight dollars. That’s about the average price of a gallon of gas in Europe. More than double our current prices. I’ve heard this before and now it feels pertinent to talk about when comparing to our current situation. But it seems like Europeans, for the most part, are fine with what they pay (unlike most Americans). It doesn’t cost more to produce gas in Europe than in the US. The reason for the markup is a result of government levied taxes, funding various initiatives such as health care and public transportation. Studies show that taxation has been the primary cause for reduced oil consumption. While US consumption has grown about 21% in the last decade, our European counterparts have seen stagnant or reduced consumption.

As much as I don’t like government intervention with certain policies, I feel this is a pressing matter that needs to be addressed. There are two options to choose from: we can either start passing legislation that increases fuel economy or we can increase the taxes that we pay on gas. Either way, some action is needed to curb our growing hunger for oil so we can fund public transportation projects or invest in alternative energies.

Graphical Representation of Worldwide Fuel Economy

The Gas Tax Repeal

The federal excise tax on gasoline has been the cause for major buzz in all the presidential campaigns recently. John McCain and Hillary Clinton are proposing a temporary lift on the tax (an 18.4 cent one, mind you) for the summer so that a partial burden is lifted off the American people’s shoulders. Seriously? Barack Obama, who seems like the only candidate to understand the difference between political expediency and forward-thinking policies, has spoken against this repeal saying it does nothing to curtail consumption. And most economists agree.
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Lame Democrats

Once again, the Democrats have proved to concede to the Republicans and White House War agenda. A couple weeks back, Bush requested more funding for the War to which Democrats responded in their usual way – only if a deadline was approved for troop withdrawal. But of course, Bush threatened to veto any bill passed that included a timetable and has stuck to his word. Now let’s get one thing straight. After nearly 12 years of a Republican-controlled Congress, the Democrats came back to the majority by vowing to end the Iraq war and bring the troops home. I understand it takes time to pass legislation and every small push towards achieving the end goal is important, but I have not seen one instance in which Democrats have thoroughly stood up to the Republican demands and followed through with their intents.

I think our anti-war Representatives and Senators are compromising on their values Continue reading…