Congress Addresses The Gas Tax...

...but, as is depressingly typical, they're going in the opposite direction from the American people.  McCain proposed a few months ago that a bill should be passed to put the federal gas tax on hold during the summer months.  While it was a nice idea, it got zero traction with Congress (surprise, surprise).  Now, we're still dealing with high gas prices, and debating the best ways to bring those prices down.  So what's Congress talking about now?  Increasing the gas tax:

Despite calls from the presidential campaign trail for a Memorial Day-to-Labor Day tax freeze, lawmakers quickly concluded — with a prod from the construction industry — that having $9 billion less to spend on highways could create a pre-election specter of thousands of lost jobs.

Now, lawmakers quietly are talking about raising fuel taxes by a dime from the current 18.4 cents a gallon on gasoline and 24.3 cents on diesel fuel. …

I wish this was a joke, but it's not.  Here's the reality behind this flimsy excuse:

The problem with the transportation bill isn't a lack of funds, it's a lack of fiscal discipline.  Oberstar figures prominently in this, earmarking transportation funds for projects like bike and walking path, visitor centers, and other nonsense instead of focusing on the infrastructural needs he decries. Over twelve percent of the last transportation bill consisted of earmarks, with projects like a North Dakota peace garden, a Montana baseball stadium and a Las Vegas history museum.

Yet another example of how completely out of touch (not to mention fiscally irresponsible) Congress is.  Call 'em up and tell them what you think of them.

There's my two cents.