MikesVikes Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 (edited) As Sens. John McCain and Hillary Rodham Clinton pressed Thursday for suspension of the federal gasoline tax, economists, environmentalists and others roundly denounced the plan as a political stunt that would favor the oil industry rather than consumers. Economists are "as close to unanimous as you can get" in viewing the proposal as a "horrible idea," said Joseph J. Doyle Jr., a Massachusetts Institute of Technology economist who has studied gas tax "holidays." link Kudos to Obama. After struggling to keep his campaign on the right track after his minister has almost single handedly derailed it, he still doesn't take the easy way out on this issue. Vote for me now, pay later says Clinton and McCain. Edited May 2, 2008 by MikesVikes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perchoutofwater Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 I actually agree with Obama on this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Irish Doggy Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 I actually agree with Obama on this one. Indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimC Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 People can pave their own roads and build their own bridges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Holy Roller Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 People can pave their own roads and build their own bridges. Absolutely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perchoutofwater Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 People can pave their own roads and build their own bridges. I'd be for all roads being toll roads as well, as long as there was some kind of universal tag where we didn't have to stop at booths all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebellab Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 This would be the worst thing ever done. Our roads and bridges are in bad enough shape, taking money away from this would only make things worse. The cost of asphalt and concrete are rising right alone with everything else, so that road is going to also cost more to replace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big John Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 This would be the worst thing ever done. Our roads and bridges are in bad enough shape, taking money away from this would only make things worse. The cost of asphalt and concrete are rising right alone with everything else, so that road is going to also cost more to replace. Yep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtomicCEO Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 retarded pandering with no basis in economic reality. This would not help individuals or the country. Supply and demand would mean that gas prices would probably rise to cover the decrease in tax. With the federal defecit the way it is, pissing away 27 billion dollars of guaranteed income is stupid. This would actually benefit the people who waste gas more than the people who conserve it. This is why Hillary is not an attractive candidate to me. She will do whatever makes her the most popular in any given second without any thought of what it will mean next year. Kinda like the Iraq war. Oooh... mob mentality... better vote for this war! Nyuk Nyuk! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiegie Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 pandering--bad idea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 (edited) No. We should suspend the subsidies for the oil companies instead. Not tax them but eliminate many of their tax breaks. Has anyone ever pandered as much as Hillary? Next she's going to driving a big rig while holding a shotgun and drinking a beer. How many states is she from now? Illinois New York Pennsylvania Arkansas Edited May 2, 2008 by Randall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rajncajn Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 (edited) Why not raise the road & privilege tax on auto tags to generate funds for roads? That way consumers would see a daily decrease in gas prices by allowing them to lower or do away with gas taxes & the money for roads would still be there. Edited May 2, 2008 by rajncajn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rajncajn Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 No. We should suspend the subsidies for the oil companies instead. Not tax them but eliminate many of their tax breaks. That would be nice, but I would guess it would only cause them to raise gas prices more to make up the difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moneymakers Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 (edited) I think we need to give retribution to all the black folks that the government infected with aids. AL Franklen for President Edited May 2, 2008 by moneymakers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Beatings Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 While I could sure use some financial help right now, this doesn't seem like a very good plan. If gas taxes are too high, then simply lower them... permanently. Think of how ticked off everyone would be once those same taxes kick in again after the Summer is over, and we have a huge jump in gas prices again. Maybe we should stop spending our gas taxes on boondoggle light rail social engineering programs and actually use the funds to fix/expand our roads and bridges? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 I think we need to give retribution to all the black folks that the government infected with aids. AL Franklen for President Al Franken's black? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 "Oil executives have already said they don’t need the tax breaks. In testimony before a joint hearing of the Senate Committees on Commerce, Science and Transportation and Energy and Natural Resources on Nov. 9, 2005, Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden asked executives from these same five oil companies: “President [bush] said, and I quote: ‘With $55 oil, we do not need incentives to oil and gas companies to explore. There are plenty of incentives.’ Now, today the price of oil is above $55 per barrel [at the time, $59.65 to be exact]. Is the President wrong when he says we do not need incentives for oil and gas exploration? " There is a lot of drilling on public land as well. What royalties are they paying for all this oil? Since its inception, the Bush administration has been determined to give the energy industry the rights to drill for oil and gas in as many of America's public lands as it can, including our most beautiful, remote and sensitive lands. Now that the administration's end is in sight, federal officials across the West are redoubling their efforts to lease these areas for oil and gas development and to approve permits to drill them, virtually guaranteeing the industrialization of millions of acres of previously wild and open land. Already, almost 26 million acres of these lands have been leased and tens of thousands of wells have been drilled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtomicCEO Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 The difference between $3.30 gas and $3.50 gas to me is under $5/month. Would this relief of 18 cents per gallon make any noticeable difference in your life, even if gas prices didn't go up to cover the difference? No. Not at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westvirginia Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 I actually agree w/Obama on this one. The tax is entirely voluntary. Oh, and SB made a great point. Whatever happened with the Alaska bridge to nowhere? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatman Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 Man, what a bad idea. The bridge collapse in MN a year or two ago is enough of a reason not to do this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wirehairman Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 I also think Obama is correct in this instance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 (edited) It might not be a very popular opinion, but gas doesn't cost enough as it is. It is still far too cheap to consider any alternatives for getting around for most of America. Sure, if you live in a big city, that's one thing. Of course, finding a parking space is easily a bigger deterrent to using a car rather than train or public transit if that's the case. My car is still the cheapest way for me to get to where I need to go and that doesn't even take into account the convenience of just hopping into it and going. Everyone makes a huge deal about gas prices but I honestly see absolutely no change in their habits. Everywhere I look, people are driving around by themselves. I agree with Perch that we should start having toll roads, provided they're automated and don't require you to stop. Edited May 2, 2008 by detlef Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
borge007 Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 I also think Obama is correct in this instance. Agree-Obama's correct in most instances!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABearWithFurniture Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 How many states is she from now? Illinois New York Pennsylvania Arkansas Damn New Englanders!... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 (edited) It might not be a very popular opinion, but gas doesn't cost enough as it is. It is still far too cheap to consider any alternatives for getting around for most of America. Sure, if you live in a big city, that's one thing. Of course, finding a parking space is easily a bigger deterrent to using a car rather than train or public transit if that's the case. My car is still the cheapest way for me to get to where I need to go and that doesn't even take into account the convenience of just hopping into it and going. Everyone makes a huge deal about gas prices but I honestly see absolutely no change in their habits. Everywhere I look, people are driving around by themselves. I agree with Perch that we should start having toll roads, provided they're automated and don't require you to stop. I wouldn't mind suspending the oil company subsidies and increasing the gas tax if it gave subsidies to alternatives. Most people don't mind taxes if something good is done with that money. In the 1970's things were done to get off mideast oil but then the 80's reversed those actions. Adding- Hw much is this mideast oil really costing us? We have to include this war's costs in the equation. Edited May 2, 2008 by Randall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.