McCainomics

Ross considers McCain's something-for-everyone economic policy:

This is almost certainly a wiser approach than campaigning as the prince of budgetary rectitude and nothing else, but by leaving McCain without a signal theme, it runs the risk that the media will end up deciding which aspects of his program get highlighted, and what narrative he ends up saddled with. If he's lucky, the press will highlight the populist themes and proposals, and portray him (once again) as the heir to Teddy Roosevelt. If he isn't, though, they'll peg him as a flip-flopping opportunist -- or worse, as George W. Bush redux.

Budgetary rectitude would have been enough for me after the last seven years - and more effective a contrast with Obama. The gas tax holiday idea has to be one of the more depressing of the season.