Pinko Magazine Hedonism + Activism

Okay so this makes me really mad. Everyone is freaking out because gas prices are going up, meaning that now America is close to paying half of what the rest of the world pays for gas, and to deal with it both John McCain and Hillary Clinton have proposed suspending gas taxes (the federal ones, and some of them, and BY THE WAY isn’t it cute that they are agreeing again? They SO love each other OMG) for lots of the summer as economic relief for the dirty unwashed masses when we drive to the beach. Most environmentalists and energy experts know that this is a BAD precedent; sending the message that we pay this huge, burdensome amount for gas is just not true, and that’s money that is supposed to help repair our federal infrastructure i.e. fix bridges before they fall into the Mississippi River and kill everyone. And the savings to the average driver, over the course of the summer? $30.

Now, if you said to me, Ben, you can have $30, but you might be crushed to death by a falling highway, that’s not a bet I would take. You? What’s worse is the entire election is again sliding inexorably into a debate on Republican terms: Taxes are bad, government is oppressive, you need “relief,” and in spite of it making no policy sense Hillary is campaigning on the idea this week in her ongoing effort to present herself as a populist, which is ridiculous. Obama? Against it, which I think is courageous because it WILL be used as another “Barack is elitist and out of touch” cudgle, even though it’s sound policy. The reality is that cheap oil for America is over (read this. Seriously. Read this.) and we have to move on and find some other ways to handle our shit.

Also this has nothing to do with gas prices at all but you should watch it, because I watched it and I need someone to make it all okay again.

About The Author - Ben Wyskida is a writer, activist, conscientious hedonist and political communications strategist living in Brooklyn. - Visit Ben's site.