High Gasoline Prices: Bush’s Quick Fix

AP reports that President Bush argues that there is no quick fix for the problem of high gasoline prices:

President Bush said Monday that he’s troubled by rising gas prices and will take a look at proposals to relieve the crisis but warned that there is no quick fix. “It’s been a while in the making and it’s going to be a while that we solve the problem,” Bush said in an interview on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” “We’re too dependent on foreign oil and we need to be exploring more at home.” Bush said the rising cost of gas “troubles me a lot” because it is “like a tax on the working people.”

This leaves me wondering why Bush has not jumped on the McCain-Clinton gas tax holiday bandwagon – but hopefully he’ll resist such pandering THIS TIME. AP mentions that proposal as well as the windfall profits tax – which I bet Bush will not consider. AP also mentions a few that I’m sure Bush is itching to push forward:

new refineries, nuclear power plants and drilling in the Alaska wilderness, supported by Bush. “We’ll analyze some of these suggestions, but the key is that we think long-term for America, that we diversify away from oil and we’re wise and build new refineries and increase supply for the American consumers,” Bush said in the interview on the White House grounds with his wife, Laura.

Did I say I was wondering if Bush might consider the McCain-Clinton quick fix and perhaps a few of his own?

The federal tax rebate on the way to taxpayers will help, he said. “One way to help solve it, of course, is by sending some of the money back. That’s what’s happening now as we speak. There’s a rebate going back to the American people, which should help,” Bush said. He reiterated his call for Congress to make permanent the tax cuts enacted during his administration.

Yep – it’s time for some more Spend&Spend and Borrow&Borrow! What do we tell the children?