Pandering Politicians: The Zenith of Nonsense

Pander - to provide for other’s desires, politicians that pander to consumers’ emotions.

Politician - 1. a person experienced in the art or science of government, one actively engaged in conducting the business of a government. 2. a) a person engaged in party politics as a profession. b) a person primarily interested in political office for selfish or other narrow usually shortsighted reasons.

The recent suggestion by two politicians in the running for president, that the gas tax be suspended for the summer months, is the zenith of political pandering. A serious economic problem facing Americans and given the short-term and shortsighted solution only a pandering politician could come up with, is an insult to any of us with half a brain, or, the slightest understanding of the principles of supply and demand.

The idea that suspending the gas tax for the summer months will make driving more affordable is, in my opinion, a sick joke. Unfortunately, there are far too many people out there that will fall for such crap. The money from the tax goes to repairing roads and bridges which is just the kind of economic activity that we need - rebuilding the infrastructure of our own nation, and spending those tax dollars right here at home.

If the American public, the electorate, falls for such pure unadulterated BS, then we deserve the president we get in January 2009. How could anyone not see through such nonsense?

The other idea, that the oil companies will pay for the tax dollars lost through the suspension of the tax with an excess profits or windfall profits tax, is also pitifully stupid. The oil companies will simply raise the price of gasoline to off set the cost of the tax. When will the American public stop falling for such nonsense?

Oil is a commodity and as a commodity will respond to the increased demand unless the supply is increased, with a higher price at the pump. Economics 101. Draw the graph, this is not rocket science, but rather a simple supply and demand curve.

It is outrageous that such a feeble suggestion be spoken by possibly the next president of the United States. If the people can not see through such nonsense, then we as a nation are doomed to live in our own excrement for the next four years and perhaps even longer.

After all we have been through since 1973, the time of the first oil embargo, for this nation to still be suckered into believing that a gas tax holiday will bring the American consumer relief, is almost impossible to believe.

I know a number of economists have spoken out already about the folly of the gas tax holiday stunt, but now is the time for the American people to demonstrate that they have a grasp of a simple supply/demand curve and are not about to be fooled by such nonsense. Stay tuned.