Quote: "Gasoline price increases are like a hidden tax on the working people." President Bush.
Figure of Speech: false analogy, the fallacy of strange bedfellows.
The president has an answer for America’s oil addiction: make gas cheaper. Figaro finds this an odd cure — like using an overdose to shake a heroin habit — but since the Democrats offer the same cure, it must be a good idea.
Still, we take issue with Bush’s latest analogy, equating a price increase with taxes. When taxes rise, there is usually little you can do about it unless you’re rich enough to find a dodge. But when the price of a commodity increases, people can try to consume less of it. That’s what used to be known as the "free market."
The false analogy is the most dangerous kind of fallacy, because it can permanently distort reality. If prices are taxes, then only government can fix them. That’s what used to be known as "socialism."
Snappy Answer: "Which makes Cheney the taxman."