Overnight, John made plain that he does not understand the role of government or the role of oil, producers, in the price at retail of gasoline. And diesel.

He and other chuckleheads are making the argument that Trump should suspend taxes on the price of gasoline at the pump. Let’s put to the side the fact that Trump has no power to do that. John also argues that California ought to reduce or eliminate its state tax on the price of gasoline.

I realize John lives in a fantasy world — in which he somehow he thinks that Republicans can force these votes and then carry them, in chambers where they are no longer the majority, and in the case of California, where they haven’t been the majority in many years.

Charming.

John lives in a retro-1984 fantasy world where Ronald Reagan is still President and has sway in California.

But I didn’t primarily stop by with my coffee here to make fun of this part of his fantasy, above. It is this particular quote below that I wanted to highlight:

…Governments make more money off gasoline than the oil companies do….

Wow.

Where to begin? Of course the truth is John well-knows what he is saying is nonsensical.

But he is banking on the fact that most Trump supporters have less than a third grade understanding of the most fundamental concepts underpinning national economics.

So let’s just quickly untangle this: most oil refining companies just reported all-time record profits this past quarter. That’s a fact. [So just maybe they could be persuaded — by DoE regs — to stop gouging the American consumer. But John will never suggest that.]

Government is not in the business of “making money”. In fact, one of a government’s main roles — in the economy, is to provide protection, stability and services that otherwise cannot be provided by a for-profit model — all at “prices“ that the populace feels are acceptable.

Finally, John — and other hard right frothers — no longer write much about the size of the deficit because they know that Trump has presided over the largest increases of the deficit — in a well over a century — on a percentage basis.

But if silly John got his way, the deficit would soon be over $6 trillion — within months. [How on Earth would Trump ever fund his ballroom and arch and golf club renovations?]

What a feckless putz.

Out.