Why Senators McCain and Clinton have it wrong about the gas tax holiday

I know the idea of a gas tax holiday sounds great. In reality, it's a counter-productive idea meant to pander to voters. A gas tax holiday during the summer months will save voters about 30 cents a day, based on average mileage per American. It's a small, small savings. The problem with this small savings is that it will give Americans a false sense of security about gas prices and demand will increase, which will send gas prices up even higher!

McCain isn't worried at all about how to pay for it, even though it will cost 300,000 construction jobs this summer. You see, that 30 cents a day we pay on Federal gas taxes employs that many Americans in road maintenance and construction. (Might it also make you more likely to have an accident if a road isn't maintained and you spin out on a pothole?)

Senator Clinton wants to pay for it by putting a profits tax on big oil. I agree that there should be a profits tax on big oil. But, Oops - Mrs. Clinton must have forgotten that she's ALREADY proposed a profit tax on big oil, and that $9 billion in revenue is ALREADY pledged to develop alternative fuels. She wants to spend it twice, I guess.

Yet another reason I'm for Obama - he won't sell out the country with nonsensical proposals to pander for votes. Imagine that; a candidate that understands economics and basic supply and demand.