Barak’s stance on the issues? Whatever stance you like!

I was corrected this morning when I mentioned to a colleague that Barak Obama was worse of a flip-flopper than John Kerry was back in the 2004 elections. He told me that Barak’s not a flip-flopper. When Kerry flip-flopped on an issue, he first flipped to 1 stance on an issue, then flopped to an opposing stance when the winds of public opinion became clear to him. Barak, on the other hand, is taking both sides of an issue simultaneously. I had to admit my friend was right.

I note that some folks who are far more talented than I have come out with an ad that hits this nail squarely on the head. From Let Freedom Ring, I give you “Both Ways Barak” which is truth in advertising if you’ve ever seen the concept.

Kick ‘em when they’re up, kick ‘em when they’re down

Via Hot Air this morning (I’m catching back up – more on that in another post this morning), Ed Morrissey puts some light onto a move by Congress that I’m sure will catch many folks by surprise. In spite of the recent talk about having Congress give us a break on gas prices by putting up a tax holiday and/or freezing any tax increases for the summer, Democrats in Congress think now is the perfect time to raise gas taxes by about a dime per gallon:

The political vision of a summer gas tax holiday died a quick death in Congress, losing to a view that federal excise taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel will have to go up if they go anywhere.

Despite calls from the presidential campaign trail for a Memorial Day-to-Labor Day tax freeze, lawmakers quickly concluded — with a prod from the construction industry — that having $9 billion less to spend on highways could create a pre-election specter of thousands of lost jobs.

Now, lawmakers quietly are talking about raising fuel taxes by a dime from the current 18.4 cents a gallon on gasoline and 24.3 cents on diesel fuel.

Yep, that’s right: you’re just not burning enough gas to support the expected tax revenues so they’re going to raise them. You know all of that effort you’ve gone through to cut back on driving and buying more fuel-efficient cars so you can lower your gasoline expense? Forget it. Congress is going to raise that figure back up and you won’t get a mile more driving distance out of the deal.

Seriously, folks, the time to get engaged with your elected reps is way overdue if you’ve never sent them so much as a post-it note. And, appearances to the contrary, they will listen to the voters if enough of them get cranked up on an issue.

Please note that it was John McCain who thought you were paying too much at the pump. Obama thinks the prices are just fine and it’s his party who’s looking to confiscate more of your money in taxes. Read up on the Hot Air piece I’ve linked to get a lovely example of what these supposed “transportation taxes” are going to pay for.