It’ll Never Come Back

by digby

McCain’s gambit to “temporarily” suspend the gas tax is very clever. But Democrats should not be taken in. If it’s suspended it will never be reinstated. If they doubt that, remember the sad case of former California governor Gray Davis: he lowered the vehicle licensing fees with the understanding they would be raised when the state needed the money. When the dot-com bubble burst and the energy companies decided to stick it to California, he tried to reinstate them — and it was a primary reason he was recalled and replaced with a cyborg.

I don’t know how much money is involved, but however much it is will never be restored, so if they do it they’d better adjust to the lowered revenue. Republicans will screech like harpies from hell at the mere idea of “raising gas prices” with a “new” tax and the Democrats will get killed for doing it. Just say no to McCain’s plan now.

I might suggest that Democrats point out to McCain that we can save a lot more money by getting out of Iraq. (Lives too!)

Update: Dean Baker explains how this gambit adds up to a huge windfall for the poor blighted oil companies.

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