It's been a while since we have heard from Minnesota Democrat James Oberstar. He has decided that he wants Congress to enact a mileage tax. Yep. A mileage-based tax on cars and trucks would help offset the fact that federal gasoline tax revenues are in decline. Oberstar doesn't want to waste time on pilot programs. He sees that as a waste of time that could be spent collecting tax revenue! He wants this passed now so that the government can start paying for highway program. However, a congressionally mandated commission estimated that switching to a vehicle-miles traveled tax would take a decade to put in place on a national level.

Here's the danger. Oberstar and his buddies in the congress would just love to have both the mileage tax and the present federal taxes on gasoline. They're talking tax increases here .. not just a different way of raising the same revenue. Oh how Democrats love tax increases. Oh ... and stand by for the program to prevent this tax from affecting the poor, poor pitiful poor.