Hill Watching - May 2, 2008 - Gas Tax & G.W. Wild Card Red Sox Statement

On Senate side, this is a bill that is similar to plan McCain and Clinton have both been touting in their campaign, and it makes little sense. It is another call to suspend highway fuel taxes. Reports estimate that the average person would save roughly $25 to $30 over the summer vacation with suspended fuel tax. However, our roads are falling apart. There are weekly stories of giant sinkholes, bridges collapsing, etc...sometimes making me think we live in a third world nation. I'd rather have roads without car-sized holes and bridges that stay up than an extra $25 bucks for the entire summer.

By Mr. REID (for Mrs. CLINTON (for herself and Mr. MENENDEZ)):
S. 2971. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for a suspension of the highway fuel tax, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Finance.
Source: [S3742]


The House was not in session today, so here is funny statenment from Rahm Emmanuel on the House floor last Thursday, the 1st of May:

PRESIDENT BUSH IS 0 FOR 2 -- (House of Representatives - May 01, 2008)

(Mr. EMANUEL asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.)
Mr. EMANUEL. Madam Speaker, in 1993, when professional baseball owners were deciding how to rehabilitate the reputation of baseball after the players' strike, they debated whether to enact a wild-card rule to allow the second place team into the playoffs. Only one owner at the time voted against this, Texas Rangers general partner, George Bush.

When the rule passed 27-1, at the time the President said, ``I made my arguments and went down in flames. History will prove me right.''

Since then, nearly a third of the World Series Champions have been wild-card teams, including the 2004 World Series Champion Boston Red Sox. The rule helped save baseball, as history has shown.

And just like his baseball predictions, President Bush sings a very similar tune about Iraq. He says, as recently as yesterday, ``History will prove whether I'm right, and I think I'll be right.''

Really? Five years today since his speech on ``Mission Accomplished.'' And let's take stock. More than 4,000 lives have been lost, tens of thousands of American men and women have been injured, we've spent over 475 billion taxpayer dollars in Iraq, with the price tag continually going up.

History will judge whether, once again, George Bush's record and America's reputation will go down in flames. At this rate, he's 0 for 2.
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