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Tuesday, April 26, 2005

I disagree with point 4 of Harry Reid's Agenda

4. Relief at the Pump (S. 847). Democrats plan to halt the diversion of oil from the markets to the strategic petroleum reserve. By releasing oil from the reserve through a swap program, the plan will bring down prices at the pump.


That is absurd. US gas prices are way too low. A reasonable proposal would be to increase the tax on gasoline. Of course I understand that the proposals are pure politics and will never be enacted. It is very exciting that the Democrats are threatening to bring them directly to the floor (they have refrained to follow one of the Senates unwritten rules). Although wasn't Kos supposed to be spending time with his son ?

This is brilliant as it will scare Republicans into voting against the nuclear option. For this statesmanlike purpose, the threatened amendments should be red meat populism preferably as unstatesmanlike as possible (as point 4 is). Still, I think that convincing Americans that they have to pay more for gas is important.

Before someone says "yeah well how would you like to pay $5 a gallon for gas" I point out that I live in Italy and I do. Before someone says "You're just jealous" I will post and run.

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