COMMENTARY

McCain, Clinton just pandering by suggesting gas-tax holiday

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So what options are available to the average American household? How about responding to the signals in the marketplace?

We can drive less. We can buy more fuel-efficient vehicles. We can carpool or — perish the thought — use public transit. We can turn off the lights in unoccupied rooms. We can even invest in energy in hopes that the gains will offset the losses in terms of rising consumer prices. Longer term, we can choose to live closer to work and cultural/entertainment centers.

The list goes on and on.

One of the greatest economic challenges of the coming decades will be retrofitting the world’s most energy-consumptive culture to be more efficient and diversified in its sources of energy. That may well include extracting existing reserves from environmentally sensitive areas. But it must also include a massive investment in conservation efforts and alternative energy sources ranging from biofuels to wind and nuclear.

In the meantime, take all the noise about a gas-tax holiday for what it is — election-year pandering by politicians who are desperate to appeal to voters feeling the economic heat of high energy prices.

Politically, it might work at the margins of the political process. Economically, it’s exactly the sort of thing that makes me an increasingly angry moderate looking for just a little common sense from our elected leaders.

Put simply, a gas-tax holiday is akin to lowering the cost of Guinness — for alcoholics.

Brilliant! Not.

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To reach Chris Lester, assistant managing editor-business, call 816-234-4424 or send e-mail to clester@kcstar.com.