Indiana Folks' Pain At The Pump
This column was written by CBS News Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith.
We were in Northern Indiana yesterday to do a story on today's primary. And we spent part of the time at a gas station.
Gas taxes in Indiana are lower than Illinois, and it's quite common for people to cross the state line to fill up - saving as much as a couple of bucks every tankfull.
We asked some customers about Hillary Clinton and John McCain's plan to do away with the federal gas tax this summer and there was near-unanimous agreement that it's a good idea.
One woman said she needed every dollar of savings she could get. She said the price of gas was killing her, changing the way she lived.
I ride a bike to work, so some of this pain at the pump thing was lost on me…until yesterday.
Folks sense repealing the gas tax is a gimmick, but they also seem to think anyone who would enact the plan at least feels their pain. They are convinced Washington is hopelessly out of touch with their daily problems.
So, rolling back the gas tax means that at least someone gets it…even a little bit.
By Harry Smith