Georgia’s Republican Governor Brian Kemp has declared a state of emergency amid the alarming surge in inflation, empowering a strategic gas tax suspension to alleviate the pressure on his constituents. Kemp’s executive action, a fitting encore of his gas tax suspension implemented from March through December 2022, is a strong rebuke of what he perceives to be detrimental federal spending and energy policies, all of which he blames for the steadily accelerating fuel price crisis.
Today, I signed an Executive Order suspending the state gas tax, because hardworking Georgians deserve real relief from the disastrous effects of Bidenomics.
Read more here: https://t.co/ftgoMc8Own pic.twitter.com/CvgqQyI2sp
— Governor Brian P. Kemp (@GovKemp) September 12, 2023
In stark terms, Kemp underscores the current federal administration’s alleged mishandling of the economy, characterizing it as the driving force of the nation’s fiscal woes. He asserts, “From runaway federal spending to policies that hamstring domestic energy production, all Bidenomics has done is take more money out of the pockets of the middle class.” In this narrative, Kemp firmly positions himself as the champion of average Georgians trying to eke out a living amidst skyrocketing costs.
Despite the critical geopolitical circumstances contributing to unprecedented fuel price hikes, including production cuts by Saudi Arabia and the persistent conflict in Ukraine, Kemp argues that the on-going divergent energy strategies under the Biden administration have exacerbated the problem. The crux of his argument lies in pinpointing the shifting focus from drilling to green alternatives, a move he asserts as having negative repercussions on fuel costs.
However, Kemp’s proposed relief measure via tax suspension is calculated to provide a tangible benefit for Georgians. Promising to save motorists an estimated 31.2 cents per gallon on regular gasoline and 35 cents per gallon on diesel fuel, Kemp’s initiative achieves widespread praise among his political allies, including Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns (R). Hailing the governor’s action as instrumental in maintaining economic momentum, Burns reaffirms, “Georgia’s success story is no accident – it is the result of conservative policies enacted to keep Georgia the nation’s best state for business.”
Statistics augment the gravity of Kemp’s actions, with data from the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reporting the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) rising 0.6% in August and escalating 3.7% over the previous 12 months. Kemp’s strategic response to this challenge, his executive order, seeks to mitigate the crushing effects of this rampant inflation.
It is worth noting that while Kemp’s temporary shift in fiscal policy directly addresses the immediate concerns of the residents in his state, it spurs a broader conversation about the efficacy of federal economic and energy initiatives and their tangible impact on an already strained middle class.
Governor Kemp’s decisive declaration of a state of emergency and its accompanying policy signifies more than just a temporary reprieve from gas tax; it is a wake-up call to Washington echoing the pain and frustration of middle-class Georgians grappling with the fallouts of inflation. It encourages us to assess federal policies through the lens of their real-life impacts and to question the efficacy and ramifications of sweeping transformations in energy policy. Moreover, it brings to the fore the role of state leadership in plotting a course for economic resilience in the face of mounting national uncertainty.
