McCain's plan would maintain demand or increase it, thereby ensuring oil companies will show a huge profit. A lot of the profit comes from the top 10% of demand. It would also have the effect of maintaining or increasing our demand upon foreign energy supplies. The US is importing a higher percentage of oil than we were on 9-10-2001, to the delight of Saudi Arabians, et al.

At a time when it's clear only economic pressures, not self-restraint or interest in the environment, will force the necessary changes in US consumer habits, McCain wants to avoid those pressures and changes.

(Note: More domestic drilling is not the answer to America's energy problems. For a temporary fix we'd get permanent damage to irreplaceable resources.)

I agree there is a temporary benefit to the consumer, allowing him/her continue to use freeways which will not be maintained as necessary even though subject to the same pounding by trucks and other vehicles.

In the meantime there are reports the infrastructure is deteriorating badly already, and there have been proposals to increase fuel taxes to repair or replace bridges, etc. At a time when the Feds are broke, McCain proposes to break them further.

My Subject Line was a bit dramatic, certainly as accurate as most. In my humble opinion. (And in all humility, modesty and with self-afacing self-abasement, I'll fight to the death defending it against all wrong-thinkers.)

(Maybe not to the death. And I'm still looking for the humility in that.)

Arf