I t was an economically sensible and politically shrewd plan. That makes eminent sense. Particularly when the vice president seems so accommodating in sticking his head out. Mr. Gore sounded mealy-mouthed and defensive when he attacked the tax cut plan for taking money away from road building. Taxes aren't the problem, Mr. Gore said, reflexively and unconvincingly.
Taxes are precisely the problem.
Republicans should vote immediately in the House and Senate on repealing the Gore gas tax. The vote hasn't happened. It looks like it is not going to happen. The answer is that Republicans got scared off. In their first big showdown with Al Gore they blinked first.