Today's NYTimes article,
$100 Rebate: Rise and Fall of GOP Idea is a nicely detailed tracking of said Icarus of Fristian blunder.
Senator Robert Menendez, Democrat of New Jersey, was pushing his own proposal for a gas-tax holiday...and Senator Debbie Stabenow, Democrat of Michigan, had been promoting a $500 rebate[...]
Senate Republicans, fearing they would be forced into the uncomfortable position of voting against the Democratic amendments, began pushing Mr. Frist to come up with an alternative. That set the stage for the April 26 meeting of the Energy Working Group, where Mr. Thune pitched his idea for a temporary suspension of the 18.4-cent-a-gallon federal gasoline tax.
But it was rejected as unworkable, partly because there were no guarantees that the oil companies would pass the saving onto consumers, partly because the tax pays for federal highway projects, and partly because many Republicans say the only answer to the problem of high gas prices is to increase supply.
See anything disconcerting here? (Yeah, I know, it's highlighted, you can't miss it.) I'll go ahead and let the gross reality of that one slide. Further...
The reaction of conservative talk-show hosts was hostile. Though the rebate was couched in a broader plan that included provisions to allow drilling in the Arctic refuge, protect against price gouging and repeal tax incentives that benefit energy companies, the proposed $100 rebate provided a neat sound bite. Callers denounced it as pandering, and Rush Limbaugh said senators were "treating us like we're a bunch of whores."
In one sign of how haphazardly the plan had been thrown together, lobbyists for businesses -- an important element of the Republican base -- quickly mobilized against a provision that would have generated billions of dollars by changing the way businesses treat inventories for tax purposes The business lobby complained that it had not been consulted, and by Monday Mr. Frist had scuttled the provision.
The coup de grâce for the rebate came on Tuesday afternoon, when the House Republican leader, John A. Boehner of Ohio, called the plan insulting.
Insulting? I'll tell you what's insulting.
1. The fact that congress all but admits that (a) oil bigwigs would most likely pocket oil taxbreak dollars, if the tax were suspended, and (b) that they (congress) could have no control over it;
2. Every other word out of Rush Limbaugh's mouth, esp those highlighted, suggesting that we (that is, they of the multiple SUV) can't be bought with a little hundred bucks for gas.
3. That the more monumental, useful side of the bill, namely the "protect against price gouging and repeal tax incentives that benefit energy companies (also solution to above, 1.a.)" is squashed because (a) Rush Limbaugh disapproves, (b) fellow Republican congresspeople weren't in the loop and insulted by that more than anything, and (c) my favorite, because lobbyists weren't consulted and were similarly irked by being left out. Lobbyists, the very lifeblood and voice... oh, nevermind.
Notice what you're not seeing in any of these reasons for the bill not passing? The words "people," or "constituents," or "Americans?" Or in other words, anyone else outside of Republican congressmen, aides, lobbyists, and Rush Limbaugh (and I suppose we can go ahead and take his listeners on in too)?
You know what? Maybe it is insulting that the Republicans are trying to pander, for reasons self-serving, Frist for the White House, etc. A hundred dollars wouldn't last two fill-ups in your average SUV. My car might perhaps get three fill-ups with a c-note, and you know what? I'll take it. Hand it over Congress. Am I insulted? Hell no. I'm too dumbfounded to be insulted. I can only take so many insults before things start to look appealing, and a hundred bucks won't ever appear any other way to me. Let's have it. Give it here. I want it. Oh, but you all are worried about spending...SINCE WHEN?
Is there anyone else out there who feels like $100 aint such a bad idea anymore? I'll admit, I'd initially thought it was foolish, but who the hell was I kidding?