Today, I had an appointment that caused me to be in the car later than usual, driving to my office mid-morning. As I have been known to do, I was listening to NPR. When a new segment started, I almost changed the station, thinking it was going to be a silly argument.
The topic for that hour of that show was the proposed "gas tax holiday" which many politicians are currently supporting. I can only presume that they are supporting it as a way to try to get voters to like them. I am not an economist (I am, however, a newly-declared Economics minor), but I am pretty sure that the entire idea is flawed for a number of reasons that I won't bore you with here.
There were three experts appearing on the show, one from a consumer advocacy agency, one an economic analyst with the Wall Street Journal, and a third who was a private sector analyst with ties to oil, I believe. I figured that it would be a lively debate back and forth where no one would change their mind. That's why I almost changed the station--I was not interested in listening to that argument. I was pleasantly surprised, and taken with a case of giggles, when all three panelists took the same position--gas tax holiday is a bad idea. One of them actually quickly listed six reasons why it was a bad idea, and they were all incredibly valid, as well as addressing various aspects of social and political impact.
One of them said my favorite thing I've heard about this idea yet: "It's not a holiday from gas tax. It's a holiday from reality, and economics."
No kidding.
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5 comments:
amen, sister. it is yet another example of how our culture just wants a quick fix to everything
I would love a vacation from reality.
This is just like the economic stimulus package. Everyone loves it (and don't get me wrong, I've got plans for my check!) but what a horrible horrible idea. Only people with a PhD in economics should be allowed to make policy decisions and put ideas out there. Too many dumb people making messes...
And congrats on the minor! :-) We'll let you be a junior member of the Econ club. :-)
Stimulus package? That is just for people who didn't pay tens of thousands in taxes. The ones who paid the big taxes get nothing. The sad part is they are the ones who could just go blow it all on something new and stimulate the economy.
Most people getting checks are so pressed, they will just waste it on food, fuel or medical care.
Why don't they just let all of us keep more of our own money and not try to be heros by giving some of us back our own money? Of course, they are giving my money to someone who didn't even pay taxes...
Sorry, got carried away...
I agree that the stimulus checks will do no good. But like LL said we have some big plans for ours. I know one of the big things we will be doing with ours is food fuel and some other such items, But we will also be coming to the end of the chapter of our lives that we call "Can our check pull through so we don't have to touch too much of our fantasy Disneyland vacation". I know long title. But we see the light at the end of the tunnel, we have been able to see it for a while but now we see its not an oncoming train.
I think that even with the checks not being the best idea, they will be good. Sorry Somebody's Parents didn't get one. Maybe if everything thing goes right Somebody's Parents will have to come over for dinner so we can celebrate our check.
If nobody got one and the government used the money to pay down the national debt, they wouldn't need to raise so much money (through taxes) to pay the interest on the debt. Stimulate the economy by not wasting so much money. Just a thought...
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