Summer has officially begun, and that means it’s Road Trip Season in America. “But what about skyrocketing gas prices?” you’re probably asking yourselves. How can people enjoy their summer vacation when gas is so expensive?
Not to worry! Joe Biden has got it all figured out:
Even among election-year panders, this idea is … well, as competent as you’d expect from Biden and his team.
"Incredible transition" update: Biden to authorize release from the Strategic Gas-Tax Holiday Reserve, or somethinghttps://t.co/HSHLw35Xxk
— Ed Morrissey (@EdMorrissey) June 22, 2022
This is brilliant, guys. More from our friend Ed Morrissey at HotAir:
Joe Biden’s probably counting on Republicans to resist this foolish gimmick, and he’s most likely correct. Perhaps they shouldn’t, however, and instead let this silly idea finally have its day. The momentary 18.4¢ per gallon reduction in gas prices will get swallowed up by still-rising prices, which rose by 40¢ in the first two weeks of this month alone. The momentary spike in demand will likely force higher increases in price than might have happened without the “holiday,” in fact. Then, sometime in September just when the first voters begin to cast ballots in a few jurisdictions for the midterms, Biden will hit them with an 18.4¢ tax hike.
Does anyone do math or look at a calendar in this White House? Really? Even among election-year panders, this idea is … well, as competent as you’d expect from Biden and his team.
…
And let’s not forget that the federal gas tax actually serves a specific purpose. As Egan points out, it finances the Highway Trust Fund, which goes to a number of infrastructure maintenance tasks. One of Biden’s few accomplishments in his first 17 months in office was passing a bipartisan infrastructure bill that has to work in tandem with the Highway Trust Fund. Now Biden is proposing to starve the one solid win he got other than the inflation-starting American Rescue Plan to try to temporarily blunt the effects of Biden’s insane energy policies.
Hmmm … you know, the more we think about it, the worse this idea actually sounds.
So of course White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain is super proud of it:
On tap for today:https://t.co/Ql3uZ8E2a3
— Ronald Klain (@WHCOS) June 22, 2022
Congratulations, Ron! This is huge!
But I thought this was an opportunity to shift to green energy! https://t.co/jLBfv2HqoJ
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) June 22, 2022
It is! But also it’s not! Give Ron some time and he’ll get back to you.
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) June 22, 2022
It’s called “making progress,” Smug. Get with it.
the important thing when facing a supply-side crunch is to do nothing to expand supply while trying to increase demand https://t.co/5DqNOQsN2T
— Logan Dobson (@LoganDobson) June 22, 2022
So reduce the price of gas without increasing supply. Demand for this artificially scarce resource will jump, driving prices up again. Then after 3 months, you'll reinstitute the taxes.
3 months: July, August, September. Gas price super-spike in October.
Great plan, champ!
— The Sarcasticist (@TheSarcasticist) June 22, 2022
The administration has no clue about simple economics.
This move increases demand and does nothing for supply.
And they will print money, driving inflation even higher, to do it.
It’s early, but already earns my clown of the day award. https://t.co/KicA14L9hO
— David Huey (@davidhuey) June 22, 2022
Heckuva job, Ron!
White House Super Genius quote tweets a story with a big honkin' $7 gas sign on it. https://t.co/1OneJdPucp
— NeverTweet (@LOLNeverTweet) June 22, 2022
More epic failure and $7/gal gas. Not something you'd think they would brag about. https://t.co/wUPpIOWFO0
— Christy (@NoDramaGal) June 22, 2022
Except it’s exactly the sort of thing you’d expect Ron Klain to brag about. Because Ron Klain is a jackass.
https://twitter.com/a_newsman/status/1539601427366088704
Like @SaysSimonson says, this admin's ability to brag on their own failures is unparalleled. https://t.co/7DJTJleWC5
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) June 22, 2022
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