Buying Votes

I had to look at this story twice to believe what I was reading. Republicans in the Senate are proposing to send each American $100 to counter high gasoline costs. One hundred bucks. Puhleeze.

Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee called the proposal "a bold package that will give consumers some relief" from gasoline prices that have passed $3 a gallon in many parts of the country.

"We are going to ease the burden," added Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., at a GOP news conference unveiling the measures. Frist said he hoped for a Senate vote next Tuesday.

This is a vote buy-off, pure and simple.

I’m embarrassed for Frist, Domenici and any other Senate Republican who thinks this will really “ease the burden”.

Want to really ease the burden? Drop the federal gas tax, permanently. Republicans should encourage the states they represent to drop the local taxes they collect on each gallon of gas sold. Start drilling in Alaska. Build some refineries for goodnesssake.

Keep my $100 bucks and do some of these things instead.