When the "dole" is the better alternative, then the dole-meisters have a problem, IMO. Intelligent wily dole recipients (like me?) who are not so much value-self-esteem driven also factor in the cost of getting to that "work".

In brief: Certain lines of semi-legal or illegal activity have high hourly compensation rates, and might even be fairly interesting.

As long as the candidates lack tested specifics, I find them to be insulting my intelligence. Strangely and probably correctly, both McCain and H. Clinton are correctly estimating the impact of a lowered summer gasoline tax proposal on the superficial or non-thinking class. If getting Hillary to make the counter/sycophantic move over such chicken feed was the main pain-prolonging neutral result, perhaps it is worth it to John McCain.

If "we" want people to go for alternate energy and consume less oil, the last thing I would expect to be effective is to lower prices by non-market mechanisms like a tax holiday. Hillary Clinton, NIMBY, like Massachusetts Sen. Kennedy on wind power, in the past has been partisan solidly against ANWR Alaskan wildlife preserve (?low impact angled well) drilling, and nuclear power proposals.