The Gas Tax Holiday

Ezra Klein tackles the media’s dislike of policy:

Policy is hard. Lots of people come to different conclusions. Unanimity is rare. Except on this gas tax holiday. Just about no one thinks it a good idea. Conservative economists loathe it, liberal economists loathe it, energy experts loathe it…it’s shameless pandering of the worst sort. So is the media going to create a scandal around McCain’s pander? Around Clinton’s copy-pander? Will they hound them at press conferences, run segments about the derailed "Straight Talk Express," bring on pollsters to ask whether Americans are tired of being lied to?

Well, not quite.

David Corn’s thoughts:

…we’re back to the perennial question: how mature are voters? Do they fall for the no-pain, quick-fix? Can they see through transparent pandering?

This is a small but real deal-breaker for me. It’s very hard to respect any politician who backs such an obvious piece of hooey.