General Feed
To Senator Allard's staff,
I just wanted to give you my 2 cents on the "Gas Tax Relief Act" that Senator Allard's e-mail says he is supporting.
In short, it's a terrible idea. It is a transparent attempt by Republicans to try to avoid political fallout from gas prices (due to idiot consumers who think that the prices are government's fault) by buying votes for $100.
Furthermore, buying into the left's rhetoric (which Republicans are sadly now adopting) about price gouging damages the very foundation of our economy. It is outrageous for the GOP to talk about windfall profits taxes, price controls, and other such socialist measures which have plenty of bad history behind them.
[Combining this with the dangerous talk out of Congress about legislators getting involved with foreign takeovers of US companies, I have never seen the GOP so complicit...or even taking the lead...on anti-free-market ideas which I had thought or hoped died with the Soviet Union.]
The sort of policy suggestions I'm seeing from the Republicans, including from usually-reliable members like Senator Allard, makes me worry about the future of the country in a much more fundamental way than most of the various issues-of-the-day that we see. If the GOP does not stand for economic liberty, be sure that nobody will...and be sure that voters will punish Republicans early and often.
Best regards,
Ross K
U.S. Senator Wayne Allard Weekly News Column
GAS TAX RELIEF ACT
Last Wednesday I joined with several Republicans in the Senate to introduce the Gas Price Relief and Rebate Act of 2006, as an amendment to the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill. I have co-sponsored this legislation to try to bring some relief to the historic high gas prices we are seeing.
The purpose of this legislation is to help ease the burden on consumers from high oil and gas prices, continue to develop and diversify our domestic fuel supply, and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
It gives $100 gas tax holiday rebate check to taxpayers to help ease the burden of high gasoline costs.
It contains consumer anti-price gouging protection by giving the Federal Trade and the Justice Commission, as well as the Justice Department and state attorneys general, the authority to bring enforcement actions against any supplier unlawfully inflating the price of gas.
It expands tax incentives to increase refinery capacity to secure our gasoline supply.
And it encourages research and development into alternative fuels and advanced technology vehicles to diversify our domestic energy supply and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.