Tom Brokaw - "Raise Gas Price to $4"

During an interview with Senator Obama on this weekend's Meet the Press, Tom Brokaw suggested to the President Elect that, in light of the recent and steep drop in gasoline prices, the government should use this time to place an additional tax on gasoline to keep it at $4 a gallon, a price, according to Brokaw, people "are willing to pay." Mr. Brokaw stated that the money realized from this new tax should be used for research in the area of alternative energy. Mr. Brokaw added that this tax would "send a signal that folks wouldn't be able to fill up their tanks for $20 anymore." Mr. Brokaw offered this proposal just two days after the Department of Labor had reported that the nation had lost over 500,000 jobs in November, which just goes to prove that a liberal' elite media's answer to all problems is to simply raise taxes! I also take exception to Mr. Brokaw's assertion that the American people are "willing" to pay $4 a gallon for gasoline. To claim that we are willing to pay that price connotes that we have a choice in the matter. With the exception of those few urban centers throughout the nation with a viable public transportation system, most Americans simply do not have a choice in the matter. Obviously Mr. Brokaw is on the same page as Senator Joe Biden who believes that it is our "patriotic duty" to pay more taxes in these troubling times! To Senator Obama's credit, he responded to Mr. Brokaw's suggestion by reminding him that with the large number of Americans currently out of work or in danger of losing their jobs, such a tax would be overly burdensome. I spoke with a friend who works 56 hours a week as a Security Guard at $9.50 an hour with no health plan or pension and asked what he thought of Mr. Brokaw's suggestion. His response was short and to the point - "Who the hell is Tom Brokaw and what planet does he live on?"