Meet our new columnist and find out why Biden's gas tax idea is just more pandering

Paste BN

I live in Michigan, and our governor, Gretchen Whitmer, likes to talk a lot about “kitchen-table issues.”

While as a conservative, I disagree with much of what our Democratic governor proposes, I think she is absolutely right to focus on these things. The quality of your child’s school, the state of the roads, access to health care and providing for your family – these are issues we all care about.

Just as important are costs that go along with our daily lives, such as what we pay for groceries and how much it takes to fill up the gas tank.

Inflation has made life much more expensive, and all Americans are feeling the pinch, especially those who are already struggling financially.

The economy is what people care most about these days, even though there are a lot of other contentious issues that are vying for their attention – from the Supreme Court overturning abortion rights to the Jan. 6 hearings.

That’s why I wanted to write about President Joe Biden’s idea to offer Americans a federal gas tax “holiday” as we head into the long weekend. It may sound nice, but it’s not a long-term solution. And adding any additional stimulus could make inflation worse.

This is where liberals and conservatives differ most when it comes to approaching the country’s problems: Democrats’ instinct is to come up with a government solution, while Republicans generally think less intervention is better.

I believe these are important discussions to have.

Thank you for subscribing to Paste BN and taking a few minutes to read my column. Happy Fourth!

-Ingrid Jacques

Biden’s gas tax ‘holiday’ is just more pandering

What does President Joe Biden have in mind? Last week, he asked Congress for a federal gas tax holiday through September, which would offer motorists a savings of 18 cents a gallon for gas and slightly more for diesel.

Well, maybe.

Plenty of economists and regulation experts are skeptical that such a tax holiday would make it to consumers’ pockets or offer much relief even if it did – estimates range from $20 to $30 per driver over three months.

And the stimulus, while small, could add to inflation woes by encouraging more demand when supply can’t keep up. (READ MORE)

What else has Ingrid written?

Thankfully for our readers, Ingrid has hit the ground running with a handful of columns you won't want to miss.

Facebook Twitter Email