Earl Shoup – 8/13/06

This page was last updated on August 13, 2006.

Lawmakers’ [sic] ignore our pleas; Earl Shoup; Beaver County Times; August 13, 2006.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“I have e-mailed various federal and state legislators regarding the soaring price of gasoline at the pump.

“My pleas of doing something immediately to alleviate this travesty have fallen on deaf ears. These so-called servants of the taxpaying public let gouged taxpayers’ requests and ideas fall to the wayside because they haven’t got a clue as to the financial burden these outrageous pump prices have placed on the lifestyle of fixed and low-income taxpayers, mainly senior citizens.”

[RWC] As you will read, Mr. Shoup’s idea of “doing something” is for the government to give him a handout to pay for gasoline.

“These lawmakers receive generous transportation expenditures and fancy cars at the taxpayers’ expense and therefore have no idea or inkling as to the financial burden of ever-soaring prices at the pump.

“My suggestion to them to ease the pain at the pump was to temporarily suspend all state and federal gasoline taxes or give the low- and fixed-income taxpayers a one time rebate large enough to cover the lofty increases at the pump.”

[RWC] Cutting gasoline taxes and/or giving rebates have the effect of artificially lowering the price of gasoline. Artificially lowering the price of gasoline is exactly the wrong thing to do. When you artificially lower the price of a product, consumption increases and provides more upward pressure on prices. High prices tend to drive conservation (reduced consumption) and this puts downward pressure on prices.

I don’t know Mr. Shoup’s age or where he went to school, but we learned these basics of economics when I attended Center High School in the 1960s.

“I have suggested these ideas to our self-serving politicians on more than one occasion, but they shrugged them off with the typical meaningless rhetoric of politicians: ‘We are working on long-term answers and solutions that will eventually ease the financial pain for all Americans at the pump.’

“Long term, my butt.

“We need relief like today or yesterday. Come up with a significant solution to this ever-growing problem. A couple months ago, U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum briefly endorsed a one-time rebate of a pitiful $100 to all Americans sponsored by one of his cohorts, but quickly dropped that like a hot potato because of the pressure he received from the higher-ups in the Bush administration, a typical boot-licking, cowering Santorum move.”

[RWC] You have to love name-calling. It’s the hallmark of someone who can back up his positions with facts and logic – not. Check his previous screeds, and you’ll find name-calling is a regular feature of Mr. Shoup’s letters.

FYI, though I didn’t critique any of his previous submissions, this is at least the fifth letter in the last 11 months in which Mr. Shoup has bashed Republicans in general or President Bush or Sen. Santorum specifically.

“The only answer is to replace these good-for-nothing leeches when they are up for re-lection [sic] and elect capable, caring representatives who will listen and do the bidding of their constituents. Adios amigos.”

[RWC] Translation: “I want someone who will take money out of someone else’s paycheck or pension check and give it to me so I can get a break on gas prices.”