Policy in Practice

The Wall Street Journal reports:

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood rejected increasing the gasoline tax to fix a worsening shortfall in funding for highways and mass-transit systems, saying the government should instead turn to ideas such as private investment and new tolls to raise money.

Mr. LaHood, a former Republican congressman from Illinois, said that even with $48 billion for transportation projects included in the economic stimulus bill, states would be forced to slash spending and construction jobs this year unless new funds emerge. Less money is available for such projects because the main revenue sources — taxes on gasoline and vehicle purchases — are declining amid a cutback in driving, a shift to fuel-efficient cars and slumping auto sales.

Last year, Congress transferred $8 billion into the Highway Trust Fund — the federal mechanism that channels fuel taxes into transportation projects — to ease the crunch. Mr. LaHood said Congress will face the same dilemma this year and beyond until a permanent fix is found.

Mr. LaHood dismissed the idea of raising the 18.4-cent federal tax on a gallon of gasoline, which hasn’t changed since 1993. Last week a congressionally chartered commission said Congress should consider raising the rate this year as it fashions a multiyear transportation bill that could cost $500 billion. The commission said the U.S. faces a $68 billion annual funding gap if nothing changes.

“If you talked to the people who served on this commission, they will tell you, rightly so, there is not enough money in the Highway Trust Fund to do what we want to do,” Mr. LaHood said. “With the economy the way it is right now, trying to propose a 10-cent-a-gallon increase in the gasoline tax is not going to fly anywhere in America, including Washington, D.C.”

Politico reports that a serious of gaffes from its new party chairman have party leaders scratching their heads and wondering if a mistake might have been made in electing the former Lt. Governor of Maryland:

Steadily becoming a dependable punch line, Steele has brushed back Rush Limbaugh, threatened moderate Republican senators, offered the “friggin’ awesome” Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal some “slum love,” called civil unions “crazy” and promised more outreach to “urban-suburban hip-hop settings” via an “off the hook” public relations campaign.

He even threw a shout-out to “one-armed midgets.”

That’s in just 30 days on the job — and that’s just the PR part.

On the organizational side, Steele does not have a chief of staff, a political director, a finance director or a communications director. Last week, one of the two men sharing the job of interim finance director was forced to resign.

For now, “the fourth floor,” as the RNC’s executive suite is known, is being run by a pair of consultants.

“There’s frustration that there’s no discipline, no planning,” said a well-known Republican consultant. “He’s risking being overexposed by accepting every interview, which makes gaffes more likely.”

With the national debate embroiling Republicans over who is the de facto leader of the GOP–Rush Limbaugh, Michael Steele, Newt Gingrich, or someone else–Politico reports that U.S. Attorney Generals are perhaps the most fertile ground for future party leadership.