Who we cast our vote for in this upcoming presidential election is a tremendous responsibility. We, as a nation, are going to decide the direction for the world for our generation and for countless generations to come. The energy crisis has been a top priority for me as I weigh my decision for whom I should cast my vote. Senator McCain has impressed me thus far. During a Republican debate he proclaimed that he will lead an Apollo program to become energy independent. As a candidate that is known for doing what he thinks is right, even if it means crossing party lines, I believed him. Then in an interview with Sean Hannity, McCain declared with vigor and determination, “I believe I can inspire Americans to serve a cause greater than their self interest!” Yes! As my cynicism starts to slowly fade, I finally begin to believe that we have a man that can lead us to fight the great challenge of this century. We finally have a man that will ask Americans to sacrifice for their country and for the good of others. We finally have a man that will tell us what we need to hear, like our oil addition is decimating our economy and endangering our homeland, instead of what we want to hear. Unfortunately, I could not have been more mistaken.
This week John McCain announced his tax plan for if he becomes president and one of the main components was a “gas-tax holiday.” He would suspend the already puny 18¢ tax per gallon of gasoline and the 24¢ tax per gallon of diesel between Memorial Day and Labor Day. So I guess his great strategy for leading us away from our dangerous addiction to oil is to make it more affordable. I guess when he asked people to serve a cause greater than their self-interest, the cause he was referring to was the yachts for Saudi princes and the military of Hugo Chavez. A tax holiday doesn’t make any sense. If someone if your family is struggling from an alcohol addiction, do you give them money to make the alcohol more affordable? When your best friend is trying to quit smoking, do you put the cigarettes in closer reach? No!
Senator McCain, I have a much better tax plan for you. My tax plan will achieve your objective of giving the average American a break from these high gas prices. My plan will provide a tremendous economic stimulus for this country. More importantly, my plan will help this country build the foundation it needs for long term energy, economic and environmental security. Now I will warn you, it might not sound good at first. You might have to “inspire Americans” to buy into it, but for the good of this country, it will be well worth it.
Add a $1.00 tax to every gallon of gasoline and a $0.50 tax to every gallon of diesel. We are going to call this tax the “Patriot Tax.” Put every cent you get from this tax in a fund called the “Patriot Fund.” This fund will NOT be used for ANY government activities. At the end of the year, everyone that files a tax return will get an equal portion of this fund, which we will call a “Patriot Rebate.” This tax is revenue neutral! So the mill worker that has to buys a $18,000 Honda Civic, and gets 30 miles to the gallon, will get back far more from the Patriot Fund than he put in, while the ritzy CEO in Beverly Hills who drives a $60,000 Hummer, will pay far more into the fund than he gets back. Such a plan will have several very positive effects. It will, on average, give more financial assistance to those that need it most. It will encourage business to convert their fleets to alternatives, such as natural gas, which will have an economic benefit to them in the long run when they are paying $1.36 a gallon instead of $4.36 a gallon. It will decrease the demand for oil in its largest market, the United States. It will give less money to tyrant such as Hugo Chavez and Vladimir Putin with which to stomp our democracy. It will shift hundreds of millions of dollars from the Saudi and Iranian economies back into the American economy. It will give American businesses the incentive they need to push alternatives such as natural gas, biodiesel, ethanol, electric and hydrogen, all of which are domestic. It will give America a leadership role in fighting the battles of the 21st century such as Islamic Fascism, global warming, and economic depression. Most importantly, it will make this country and this world better for our children and our children’s children.
Senator McCain I know it is more difficult to make the argument I just laid out than to simply say, “no gas-tax.” I know it will take more time and energy to make this case to the American people, but I believed in you. Inspire us to serve a greater cause. Lead us into a cleaner, safer, and stronger 21st century. Show our friends that we are ready to lead and show our enemies that they can not break us. There is no greater legacy you can leave for our country and no single act that can make such a dramatic impact on our prosperity. I believed in you because I thought you would do what you think is right. I believed in you because I desire the spread of freedom and democracy to every corner of the globe. I believed in you because I was hoping that you were not just another politician. Make me believe again.