On a different note

This is totally fair game.

McCain's voice mail to Palin.

John McCain Is Just Like You! Unsure How Much Property He Owns!

This is incredibly hypocritical. After accusing Obama of being out of touch with average Americans, McCain can't remember how many houses he owns. With every article about how Americans are unable to pay their mortgages and keep their homes, I think this is especially telling. But it gets better! McCain then directs the interviewer to contact "his staff" about how many homes he owns.

I am not a big fan of politics, and as we get closer to the actual presidential election, my aversion grows ever stronger. The constant empty rhetoric, tit-for-tat ad hominem attacks, and pandering just leave a bitter taste in my mouth. They are onerous in and of themselves, but the fact that all of that crap actually affects the daily polling results, gives my gag reflex (insert democratic caucus joke) an even larger jolt.

This one is just too much though. I have been growing increasingly irritated with the way McCain's campaign has been trying to paint Obama as an "elitist." Let's back up here, for a second ok?

As much as we all like to pretend it doesn't matter, Barrack Obama is African American. After all the discussion about how he's not "black enough" or how the democrats really shot themselves in the foot by nominating an African American, the fact remains that he is a member of a race that has been systematically discriminated against. Now, you can say all you want about Harvard Law and such, but as many of you know, that simply doesn't matter to some people. So for an old white man who married rich, to call Obama an elitist....the audacity just astounds me.

But the fact of it is, America, is that ALL our politicians are out of touch. Most, if not all, of our elected officials come from a lot of money, or now have a lot of money. Bush was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, and so were the Kennedys. I don't mind the fact that they are from a gilded class, but I do get irritated when they pretend they aren't.

Gas tax holiday is a horrible, no good idea

Please America. Do not be fooled by the bread and circuses.

When I first read "gas tax holiday" I thought it meant that we were going to be celebrating the gas tax; an idea that I found rather odd. But now, as I understand it, both Clinton and McCain are suggesting that the gas tax be cut for the summer. While the extra $28 dollars that is likely to result sure sounds nice, this is a really really bad idea.

First, Econ 101. A reduction in taxes will result in lower prices for consumers AND increase the amount of money oil producers will receive. Remember those big bad oil companies that Clinton says she hates? Well, they'll actually benefit from this because they will receive more money for more sales of gasoline.

A related issue is that this will result in more gasoline being consumed, which will result in more pollutants in our air. Hardly what we want these summer months.

Second, the gas tax goes goes into a Highway Trust Fund that (is already in the red) is used for infrastructure construction and repair. This will mean that there will be $9 billion less available for highway repair and maintenance (or actually, $9billion less to pay back the bonds that have already been issued to fund the infrastructure costs). Watch out for those potholes while you're using your barely cheaper gas. Doesn't anyone remember the bridge collapse in Minnesota?

Third, this is exactly the kind of short term thinking that has gotten us into trouble in the first place, and is nothing but political pandering to those most desperate. You want to help low income people with long commutes? Invest in better roads, more public transportation, or at the very least, give these people direct rebates so that the oil companies don't make even more money.

No economist is in favor of this proposal because it sucks is bad policy. When Clinton could not name an economist in favor of this policy, she said that the economists were the "elite opinion."

Does anyone else get the feeling that "elite" has started to mean "smart and well-thought out"?