Raise Gas Taxes?

The National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission will release a report Tuesday that recommends raising gasoline taxes by up to 40 cents a gallon over the next 5 years.

What?@#! That's a national gas tax increase of over 200 percent. Is this what American motorists need when gas prices are over $3 a gallon? And should we raise taxes when the economy could be slowing?

Fortunately the White House, led by Secretary Mary Peters, will oppose this nonsense. According to the Wall Street Journal:

Three commissioners, including Ms. Peters and Maria Cino, a former deputy secretary of transportation now organizing the 2008 Republican National Convention, oppose raising gas taxes because it would result in higher pump prices for motorists...

“Raising federal gas taxes won’t improve traffic congestion...and sends more of Americans’ hard-earned money to Washington to be squandered on earmarks and special-interest projects,” said Brian Turmail, a spokesman for Ms. Peters.

Exactly! Maybe if Congress would stop spending our tax dollars on "bridges to nowhere" we wouldn't need to raise taxes.