No gas-tax hike for infrastructure

A proposal by Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives to raise the federal gasoline tax to repair bridges comes at a bad time.

While we agree that a lot of our bridges are in need of repair, we would submit that there are other, more responsible ways to repair them than by raising taxes.

With financial markets tumbling dramatically in recent days as a result of the subprime lending mess, the economy doesn't need the added risk of a tax increase.

President Bush spoke against raising the federal gasoline tax, saying the transportation committee needs to look at how they prioritize funds.

We agree with Bush. It seems that for too long, members on the transportation committee have been able to cherry-pick what projects were good for them.

This approach, we are sure, doesn't always focus on the highest infrastructure priorities.

The bottom line is that we as Americans are taxed too much, and we don't need this one added on -- particularly at a time when we are having a subprime meltdown.

Federal action needed

The Bush administration has announced a crackdown on illegals in the workplace, a coalition of Senate Republicans wants more border control money, Sen. Arlen Specter, a Republican from Pennsylvania, wants to hand out 12 million green cards, and dozens of states and municipalities are writing their own immigration laws.

The failure of Congress to enact reform has touched off a free-for-all of partial remedies, or, worse, bad ideas.

The National Conference of State Legislatures reports that states passed 171 immigration bills during the first six months of 2007, on pace to double last year's total.

Immigration law, which was supposed to be the exclusive province of the federal government, has become a patchwork of disparate local rules and uneven enforcement.

Congress will try again to pass reforms when it returns next month. If it fails again, the states will continue to fill the void, and not fill it very well.