Momentum for Gas-Tax Hike?

Sure, it’s a smart thing to do.
Didn’t Tom Friedman write about this very issue just a few weeks ago?

I sincerely doubt that the Obama and/or the Democrats will raise gasoline taxes… after all, these are the same people that recognized middle class America is disappearing and only the RICH Republicans are left. Perhaps, the rich Republicans are pushing for this because they don’t know what to do with their money! There is a Republicans State Rep here in Illinois suggesting the state should raise the gas tax… You would think Republicans would be smarter now. They have lost big time – yet continue to be for the RICH!

Where are those true leaders who know that raising taxes does not solve problems!!?? For goodness sake! Can’t we start electing creative thinkers who will make the tough choices and cut spending rather then have people cough up more money in taxes.
Just a reminder, if the gas taxes are raised, you can expect the price of gas to rise as well and this time, the federal government will have even more reason to not fight the higher cost. Their bottom line will depend on high gas prices (the tax is a percentage of the amount paid at the pump).

It is quite proper to use taxes to control behavior. If the gasoline tax were higher then maybe people would drive more fuel efficient cars and our dependency on foreign oil would decrease. Seems simple to me. Much like raising the tax on tobacco to discourage smoking.

On a related note, I am hoping that the Democrats have a filibuster proof Senate so they have no one to keep them from theirselves……
It is time to have to come through with the silliness of higher gas prices, card check for the unions and free health care for the 42% of Americans who already pay NO federal income taxes.
Please, give the Democrats complete reign.

There is a time for everything. A time to raise a gas tax and a time to have your brain re-installed. Lower gas prices are THE ONLY bright spot tax payers see. Lower gas means lower business costs for those small operators who relay on transportation.
Try to see it this way, instead of an opportunity to raise taxes it is a stimulus that just fell from heaven. Don’t worry OPEC is sworn to take that small blessing away. A swift tax raise will be the gravy stain on Obama’s tie that remains for the next 4 years.

Jim – taxes are a way of controlling behavior? Since when is the government meant to control behavior? My politicians represent me – they are elected to work on behalf of their constituents and achieve the goals of their districts – they are not elected to find ways to control the behavior of the voters!.
by the way, if politicians really wanted to encourage people to drive less or use less gasoline, they would find ways to make it easier to avoid driving, not finding ways to make it harder for them to drive. Invest in trails, sidewalks, buses and trains, not roads. Educate people how they can convert their vehicles to alternative fuels or provide tax breaks or grants to fuel station owners to allow them to convert some of their tanks to alternative fuels (very expensive). Raising taxes is the easy way out and will not solve any problem or control behavior.

“It is quite proper to use taxes to control behavior.”
Exactly, and this is why the founders made war with the British aristocracy; it seems that King George III was doing a lackluster job of “controlling our behavior”.
The problem was contained while we still had cotton plantation slave masters to “control behavior”. Then somehow, some right ring idiot started prating on about “human freedom” and from that point onward it’s been all downhill.
We need goverment to control us lest government of the government; by the government; for the government shall perish from the earth.
Now how can we get the government to control our voting behavior lest we err in that regard too?

And so it begins….No one has ever taxed themselves to prosperity. If we want change, let’s change back to Reagan’s ideals of low taxes and less governmental interference. That worked before and will work again for us now. If we follow the high tax crowd, a whole lot of people will not be working very soon.

Bubbler Dad: “No one has ever taxed themselves to prosperity. ”
The gas tax – which is the same as a decade and a half ago while cement and steel costs have risen even faster than vehicle miles driven – does not bring in enough money to pay for maintenance of the roads. Do Republicans propose:
1. Tax income to pay for roads.
2. Tax some other non-related field to divert money to roads.
3. Allow the current road infrastructure to continue to decay.
4. Increase the gas tax to allow for continued maintenance of the US’s road infrastructure.
Those are the choices. You can whine and pontificate about taxes, but I hope the adults in government deal with reality.

“Since when is the government meant to control behavior?”
Since it’s creation – never mind reading a bit about the Founding Fathers, you should probably start with Hobbes and Rousseau.
“Raising taxes is the easy way out and will not solve any problem or control behavior.”
It’s success at doing everything from providing for the common defense to creating the interstate highway infrastructure to even cutting teen smoking (the typical allowance is sensitive to an extra $1 per pack) is well documented. Providing bumpersticker opinions that are firmly and widely refuted by reality adds little to the discussion beyond noise.

Well, either way, they’re going to loose.
If you increase the tax to pay for the roads, you will make Americans drive even less, buy even more fuel-efficient vehicles, etc. In one way, this is good, for it will curb gas consumtion even more. The other way is that the Feds will have even less money from taxes to fix the roads. So in the long term, they’re going to end up taxing something else to get the money.
The other side of the coin is that if they do not increase the gas tax and do not find another source of revenue, roads and bridges will decay and Americans will be stuck with fewer and fewer good roads to drive on.
So either way, it looks like a no win scenerio.

neither a borrower nor a lender be…

Didn’t Obama promise not to raise taxes on the middle class/ working class? Wouldn’t gas tax indeed by a tax on the working middle class since we need our cars to work. Even worse, part of it again is to go to REDISTRIBUTE wealth from those that work to those that really don’t in the form of EIC. Obama lied….he is so going to tax us that are members of the working class. But hey, with fewer of us able to afford to drive to work, Obama will be able to have less crowded roads for his gas gozzling limos and Suvs.

Miss S: “Is there not a better way to convince people to drive less and use less fuel? Are the American people now deemed so stupid that the only way to curb their excessive driving habits ”
Speaking of so stupid, you do realize that there is data from just the last year showing, in big 10′ high letters with flashing lights, that a $0.10 increase in the price of gas has negligible effect on miles driven (or the price of groceries, mail service, etc)?
Law making by whining that has no basis in reality has to stop.

jhw539 “It’s success at doing everything from providing for the common defense to creating the interstate highway infrastructure to even cutting teen smoking (the typical allowance is sensitive to an extra $1 per pack) is well documented.”
– I beg to differ with you that it was the tax money that makes the difference in solving problems, like smoking – education tends to make the biggest difference.
Those expensive anti-smoking, anti-drinking, anti-drug ads paid for by higher taxes actually do very little to curb behavior. The tax itself also has done little to change smoking or drinking behavior – people quit when they are ready to quit, not when a government tax instructs them to do so.
It’s when the non-profit anti-tobacco, anti-drug, anti-drinking groups (like MADD) began going into the schools (for free – no tax dollars involved) and began working to prevent these problems early in a child’s life (first and second grade) that the declines started happening.
A gas tax would make life very hard on a big part of the population – some people drive to work because they have no other option. Many poor people watch their pennies and even a slight raise in tax could cause them significant hardship, as we’ve seen in the past – when gas prices inch up even by a few cents poor people start to make difficult choices. I suggest you visit a soup kitchen or food bank to hear some of the stories about how people are really affected by these tax increases. The solutions don’t come from raising taxes, they come from analyzing the problem and finding real solutions.

Miss S ,that is NOT sop (standard operating procedure) these days.
the new american spirit is to CREATE a problem/problems where none existed previously,(or exacerbate current problems ) to throw taxpayer money at ,”providing much-needed new job growth…”
(with the accompanying increase in tax revenues ready and waiting to be duly misappropriated and gleaned ,eg T.A.R.P. = G.S.T.L = GOVERNMENT SANCTIONED TAXPAYER LOOTING )

jhw539 – Rarely do numbers tell the whole story and often studies and data are sadly misleading. Talk to some people who are struggling, you might find that there is another side to the story. Although ten cents per gallon might mean very little to you and the majority, I assure you, it would be a hardship on some people. Not all can just turn over additional pennies to the government. You may not have noticed, but times are tough right now and lots of people are struggling.

Now that gas is resonably priced again, lets have Obama and the Dems raise it back up again. Brilliamt idea , especially since the same people(Democrats) said that high fuel prices were ruining the economy a year ago. Keep It Up Democrats….. Obama/Biden, Pelosi, Reid, Frank, Dodd, Etc.

*******The Obama Count*******
That will make 5 campain promises Obama has gone back on before his swearing in!!!

I hope the demoncrats raise taxes. It furthers the belief that this is an area they know how to lead. The GOP, if they are not too stupid, will take this issue and run with it as a tax on the middle class. Of course, throughout all of this rhetoric, no one thinks about cutting spending in areas that are bloated and transferring that revenue to the roads. That type of thinking is “change”, but it’s too much to ask.

The gas tax really doesn’t need to be raised. A rise in the price at the pump (one or two dollars) would easily net the government the extra tax dollars they need as the tax is based on the sale price.
Of course, the government doesn’t set the price for a gallon of gas, but when prices rise, like they did last year, the government doesn’t really try to stop it either. Sure, the well-publicized hearings were a good show, but it was the government that was laughing all the way to the bank – they profited nicely from those high prices.

yea right, go back and actually read the article, then tell us how Obama has already ‘gone back’ on his campaign promise…..

Scrambler One – “Maybe we should just borrow more $$$ from the Chinese to pay for our road repairs. That seems to be the GOP way to avoid higher taxes: rather than tax and spend, they borrow and spend. Problem is, someday, someone will have to pay it all back…..” —
Sure, or we could just find ways to make it easier for people to drive less (more public transportation, trails, sidewalks, etc.) … or maybe we could find ways to encourage more gas station owners to carry alternative fuels (greater availability of alt fuels, like E85 throughout the infrastructure would make it easier for more people to use those fuels). These things could be done without putting extra burden on those who can’t afford to pay higher taxes.
But, raising taxes to fix roads so people can drive more is easier isn’t it?

I knew lower gas prices were only temporary. People got a little comfortable and started buying gas hog SUVs again.
One of the reasons gas prices went down is people started buying small cars, lowering the demand for gas. But the boneheads had to have the big SUVs.

Obama’s takin my change.

If Congress could actually come up with a plan (remember the Big 3 bailout, anyone? They were told they had to have a “plan”….) then maybe the middle class could get behind a gas tax increase.
I’ve always felt that as soon as the price of petroleum goes down, everyone gets amnesia and won’t support public transportation alternatives, or they buy another gas guzzler.
At this point, I don’t trust anyone–no CEO’s, no senators, no one.
But, alas, if America wants to get serious about alternatives for transportation, then cutting existing costs isn’t the answer. We’re already to the point of cutting funding for agendas that most of us don’t want cut. Just wait until we have another bridge fiasco, and then remember that we can’t build a new one, because Congress can’t figure out how to plan their budgets intelligently to use those extra taxes for what they were intended.

This could be a problem, since with the bailout of the auto industry, we soon will be driving true alternative energy vehicles…won’t we? No more of Americans being held hostage by the auto industry to the oil industry…right?

What if we raised the gas tax and used the money to improve public transportation? Americans are too much in love with our cars. Travel somewhere like the UK where gas taxes are much higher and you find smaller cars, more compact cities (maybe its a little late for the US) and much better public transportation.

Jim – of course you are right, there are certain behaviors that should and must be influenced. Raising gas tax for the right reason and using the revenues correctly is an excellent approach. Just like smoking, high gas use has far reaching consequences far beyond the individual. I would opt for $5/gallon with a $4 tax, with a fixed profit for the oil guys and use the revenue to drive real energy independence. Americans have shown that “we” are stupid and very selfish. Unfortunately, it is the human condition of all peoples. Make bad habits (like a 100lb female driving a 3 ton “subdivision SUV” alone or one guy driving a 3 ton truck with the bed empty 99.9% of time) pay for their lack of vision. The problem is that we don’t learn without siginificant consequences. Gas is being held low on purpose by the oil folks until we “forget” and start buying those big dumb autos again. You don’t think that the big-3 and oil and unions are not in deep together on this? Do some carefull research and read behind what is “not said”. Also, 90% of use americans have cars that work just fiine, we don’t need new cars every 3 years. But if there was a REAL reason to buy a new one – give me 50+ MPG, or PHEV at ZERO gallons on my daily commute, that I would invest in for my family. As Forest Gump loosely said “stupid is as stupid does”

Angry Taxpayer said:
“Scrambler One – “Maybe we should just borrow more $$$ from the Chinese to pay for our road repairs. That seems to be the GOP way to avoid higher taxes: rather than tax and spend, they borrow and spend. Problem is, someday, someone will have to pay it all back…..” —
Sure, or we could just find ways to make it easier for people to drive less (more public transportation, trails, sidewalks, etc.) … or maybe we could find ways to encourage more gas station owners to carry alternative fuels (greater availability of alt fuels, like E85 throughout the infrastructure would make it easier for more people to use those fuels). These things could be done without putting extra burden on those who can’t afford to pay higher taxes.
But, raising taxes to fix roads so people can drive more is easier isn’t it?”
Making it ‘easier for people to drive less’ will still cost a lot of $$$. Public transportation simply is not feasible in many parts of the country, and would cost a boat load to start up. Trails and sidewalks will not get people to work. Maybe we should mandate that everyone lives within X miles of their job? And if you live far enough from your job that you have to drive to it, you pay extra. (OK, even I don’t really think that makes sense). E85 gas is less efficient than ‘regular’ gas, so one has to fill up more often using it. The gas companies would certainly like that. But at least you’re thinking of alternatives to a higher gas tax, which is definitely a step in the right direction.
One more thing. The article raises the POSSIBILITY that we MAY have to increase the gas tax IF we don’t find an alternative funding source for road and infrastructure repairs. Some people here seem to think that it is a foregone conclusion under Obama. It’s not. “Don’t look now — but momentum is starting to build from influential corners for an increase to the federal tax on gasoline.” A government commission, some environmental groups, and Tom Friedman seem to make up the ‘influential corners’…..

california girl – so what will happen to the price of food when farmers pay $5 per gallon to run their tractors? Or how about the family that lives in a rural community with no public transportation and can barely afford $2-per gallon gas to drive to work? What happens to them? Well, the family I guess can either cut back on food, which is OK, since it won’t be cost-effective for the farmer to run his tractors anyway. You’re right. It’s a win-win for everyone.

Miss S: “jhw539 – Rarely do numbers tell the whole story and often studies and data are sadly misleading. Talk to some people who are struggling, you might find that there is another side to the story. ”
So we are to set policy by talking to a few random people as opposed to looking at studies that talked to thousands? A struggling unemployed worker will be in far worse straights if the road money needed comes from taxes on businesses.
There is no free ride – where should the money to maintain and fix our neglected infrastructure come from? Or should we continue down our current path to a second-world infrastructure (and all the economic growth penalty that entails)?

See Item #4.
Thanks to ACORN fraud, hussein succeeded in hijacking the presidency – as he did with his nomination. Add this disgrace to the d-crat Congress and here is what you get:
1. AMNESTY for all 20+ million illegals
2. A federal mandate that states must issue drivers licenses to illegals.
3. An end to ALL off-shore US drilling (which the d-crats just allowed to go forward- Buffoon Barney Frank has already indicated it will be stopped if the d-crats win).
4. TAX INCREASES and MORE TAX INCREASES and MORE TAX INCREASES and MORE TAX INCREASES because “RAISING TAXES IS PATRIOTIC”, says plagiarist-joe.
5. A MARXIAN RE-DISTRIBUTION OF YOUR WEALTH (i.e., giving your hard-earned tax dollars to non-tax-paying slugs and slackers via the biggest welfare program in history)
6. The biggest expansion of the federal government in history
7. The loony-left radicalization of US education as hussein tried to do in Illinois with his pal, Weatherman terrorist Bill Ayers.
8. Elimination of FREE SPEECH via a government mandate banning conservative talk radio.
9. Government controlled healthcare.
10. Mandatory s*x education in KINDERGARTEN (as hussein enacted in Illinois)
11. Enactment of the d-crats’ “The Employee Free Choice Act” – which will force millions and millions of Americans to join unions – with union dues going to the d-crat party, like-it-or-not.
12. Tax cheat d-crat Rangle allowed to continue heading the House Ways & Means Tax Panel with full authority over YOUR taxes. (His motto is: “You pay taxes so I don’t have to”.)
….and even more disgusting actions too numerous to mention.

jhw539, Tobacco does not run a tractor during planting or harvesting, nor does it transport crops to market or goods or services, increasing these costs hurts the poor most of all, no one needs to smoke, but people need to eat so I look at your logic as being flawed.

Thanks, Alex, for the funniest silly rant I’ve read today!

If the government wants a renewable and releable reveneu stream they should legalize marijuana and tax it.

The cost of fuel is ridiculously low in the US. Just try to live in Europe for a few years. I recommed jacking up the fuel tax and put the money in better green technology and deficit reduction programs.

Gas prices have only gone down recently and I do not trust that they will stay down. At one point during the past year we were paying over $400 a MONTH on gasoline for our cars and I do NOT drive a Hummer! When prices on gasoline go up EVERYTHING goes up as well – food prices, airline rates, etc. I voted for Obama but as a moderate I can promise him and every other liberal dem supporting tax hikes that I will NOT vote for him again if he starts messing with taxes. Get out of Iraq – use the $$ to rebuild their infrastructure to rebuild ours and leave our taxes alone.

Oy Vey: ” Most of these comments, people are simply not agreeing with you, not insulting you. Do you think that calling someone’s comment a “stupid rant” makes you sound somehow smarter or superior? (hint – it doesn’t) ”
People should be called out on being ignorant out of laziness and embarrassed when they say something silly (I certainly have been in the past by the strong pro-gun rights crowd – they had facts and strong reasoning and I was suitably embarrassed to have barreled in ignorant). I suppose I grew up in a time when there was such a thing as a stupid question and people worked to keep up and listened so they never needed to ask one.
(I would argue that I am actually insulting the comment, not the person, but I don’t feel that important but fine detail is even necessary to defend myself.)

buckaroobonsai: “Tobacco does not run a tractor during planting or harvesting, nor does it transport crops to market or goods or services, increasing these costs hurts the poor most of all, no one needs to smoke, but people need to eat so I look at your logic as being flawed.”
The need for infrastructure improvement had absolutely nothing to do with my mention of the cigarette tax, rather that was a side illustration of the proven and documented ability of taxes to shape societal behavior with a minimum infringement on freedom. I apologize for going badly off topic, I know it makes it tough for people just doing a quick scan.

I seem to remember Senator Obama saying that there would be absolutely no increase in taxes for the middle class, but a tax cut instead. We’ll see if he keeps his word.

i am a obama supporter but i hopehe doesnt raise gas tax. raise taxes on the filthy rich have been rapeing the economy for the last 8 years. if we need money take it from those that are responsiblefor this mess and that is most republicans and the rich—-duh one in the same lol

What the F***?

Just another federal government money grab. They want to take the money, waste 1/2 of it and then fund some WPA program which will be totally ineffective. This is just one of the many completely fouled up programs Obama is going to try and invent.

T- the really rich are Democrats. including Kennedy, Kerry, Soros and most of Hollywood.

IS ANYONE WONDERING WHAT HAPPENED TO THE 350 BILLION DOLLARS THAT WENT TO BAIL OUT THE BANKS —SO THE ECONOMY WOULD BE GIVEN A BIG BOOST…SEEMS THE ECONOMY IS WORSE NOW THAN BEFOR ALL THAT MONEY WAS GIVEN TO THE BANKS? HOW COME NO ONE IS TALIKING ABOUT THIS ANYMORE–WAIT TILL WE GET THE BILL ON THAT ONE–

1. High fuel prices were killing the airline and auto industries. It is unhelpful to send things where they were.
2. The assumption is always that somehow the government will spend the money wisely. It’s funny because usually the government taxes and then figures out how to waste the money later. If there is a specific necessary infrastructure project, then the project should be well-outlined and a time-limited increase in spending to cover the cost should be implemented.
3. There are some in the US (and on this blog) whose agenda is for us to all drive fart-driven small-car deathtraps. Real people still need trucks to do real work. Yes, we need a sound energy policy, but taxation is not a sound policy!

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE read the Tom Friedman article by clicking on the “Friedman wrote” link. There is so much at stake here. We cannot continue to finance terrorists and autocratic regimes that wish to do us and the American wway of life harm. And Mr. Friedman also said that we can offset the increased tax by decreasing payroll taxes. More money in your pocket and then consumers decide if they want to keep it there (decrease individual fuel consumption) or spend it (buy/keep a gas guzzler.) As the problems facing us mount many of us have come to believe that we can get something for no sacrifice. Our leaders trying to do that is how we find ourselves with a $11 trillion debt and none of those problems are fixed.

Raise taxes on gas. So what now I am sppose to quit my job, stay home and walk to the nearest welfare line. Take the money for roads from some of those bailouts. The Feds have billions stashed away. In the meantime I still work at 72 to pay my mortgage. So do I stop working and go for foreclosure. Who is ever going to help the average person. The whole world is crazy, so glad I am getting close to leaving it.

Let them raise our taxes. The end result will be a Republican in the White house in 2012….guarnteed.

Elen – fear not. The One will see to your needs.

Stop complaining! The gas tax is the cheapest on planet earth. $0.18 cents per gallon. Europerans have been paying $3.00 or more per gallon on tax alone. Will a couple of cents brake your bank account? We are in winter, look at the roads and bridges, pot holes. We need the gas tax to pay for therepairs of our infrastructure. It is the fairest tax, only those who actually drive on the road, pay for it. If you don’t drive, you don’t pay.

The ole Bait and Switch scam….. …. yup…. BO and Democrats’ say they’re going to lower middle income taxes… then they raise or create other “HIDDEN” taxes to get our money for their PORK Barrel projects…………. Americans who actually work for a living just can’t win…………

Everyone on this site who thought BHO was on your side (stupid liberals) – raise your hands. Now that we know who you are – do these three things: ball up your fist. now look at your balled up fist. now thrust your face forward and tell yourself that you are stupid.
There is no “Gas Tax.” No “Carbon-Tax.” It’s just another way to send more money to Washington and then they parcel it out in 100 different directions. (ie Your SS tax of 12.5% doesn’t go to the SS Trust Fund – it goes into the General Fund.)Liberals, keep punching yourselves.

You liberals will hopefully wake up after this and see that 50% of America was right that the dems would just raise taxes. That is so smart to do with the economy in termoil. WOW!! What a bunch of smart people. How about we keep tax cuts and offer larger companies a tax break if they will come back to America and help create jobs instead of going to other countries and leaving Americans jobless. The next thing to do is regulate the union criminals. A person on an assembly line does not need 18 dollars an hour for assembling a part. If they want to make more money then go to college and get a degree. Not everyone can have that great job and that is understandable but dont complain about where you work and what you do. Get off your but and do it.

One more.
These people in Washington have given us a 10-12 Trillion National Debt. The programs they created and fund – Medicare and SS – will soon be running deficits in the next 10-15 years and then officially go bankrupt . . .and we shoud give them more money to manage.
-(Hand to foreheads) Why didn’t we think of that?

Wanting to raise the gas tax is further proof that there are those in Congress and state legislatures are not the smartest people in the world. If the incoming president goes along with them, he ain’t so bright either. High fuel costs are the reason we are where we are economically at the present time. People spending more on fuel means people spending less on food, clothing, medicine, appliances, automobiles, homes, etc.
They pushed and ordered the automotive industry to build more fuel efficient vehicles. They complied and less fuel caused the coffers to have less money so, they raised fuel taxes. Fuel costs went up, as the envirowackos hoped it would, people drove less. Less money in the coffers. Their solution, raise taxes and drive the costs up again. People drive less and guess what? Less money in the coffers.
The same thing with other things the government thinks it has the right to control. Tobacco is taxed and people use less so, they raise taxes on tobacco to attempt to gain more money, they get less.

I really hope our new government will look to cutting wasteful spending, eliminating unnecessary government jobs and offices, and reduce tax burdens on all of us so we can turn this economy around and create jobs here in the U.S.

No problems for the bailouts, but when it comes time to pay for them, “not I said the little red hen….”

Good grief you republican paranoids. You talk like Obama has already raised the federal gas tax. GET OVER IT!!!! Bush is still in charge. If, after Obama takes over and then does raise the federal gas tax, THEN raise heck. Good grief man, chill out and quit acting like it’s all his fault even before he’s in office.

Here’s your extra gas taxes, property taxes, consumption taxes, State, local taxes, breathing taxes, going to the bathroom taxes, looking at a cute baby taxes….
Born free – taxed to damn death!

Obama promised not to raise taxes on the middle working class………….but a gas tax targets and hits this class the hardest. Welcome to the world of how politicians lie. Carbon tax likewise that obama wants to give the power to the UN to tax Americans will also hurt the working middle class the hardest. Brace yourselves, its coming……..

Correct me if I’m wrong but O wouldn’t be breaking a promise, he promised to cut taxes to 95% of people, payroll taxes, he didn’t promise to cut any other taxes. So the way you get around tax cut for payroll is raise taxes on everything else…no promises broken. Simple really.
As for that 10cents, it means the cost of everything that you use and consume will go up in price, from the basics to the luxury, increased due to the cost of gas. So I wonder…will it be worth it to those of you who voted the dems a free ride, when you get your payroll tax cut (if you still have a job) but pay extra EVERY time you go to the store?

Hey samhiguchi – Correct me if I’m wrong but O wouldn’t be breaking a promise, he promised to cut taxes to 95% of people, payroll taxes, he didn’t promise to cut any other taxes. So the way you get around tax cut for payroll is raise taxes on everything else…no promises broken. Simple really.
So this is another “Read my lips! No NEW taxes” right? The Demy’s crucified Bush one for that remark – can the GOP now do the same to ‘The One’?

Well, I don’t know about anyone else, but I don’t need a tobacco tax to tell me I shouldn’t smoke, or a soda tax to tell be I shouldn’t consume carbonated drinks. I don’t need a tax on plastic bags to tell me I should use reusable bags and not litter. I don’t need a gas tax to tell me I should either drive less or use alternative fuels. Why should I, a frugal and reasonable person, have to pay even a nickel more in gas just because my SUV-driving neighbor refuses to change her own driving habits?

T – Just how did Bush and his family make ‘TRILLIONS’ off of gas when prices were so high?

If they actually use the money to FIX the roads I’m all for it. I drive up to a thousand miles a week chasing the almighty dollar,
I’ll gladly pay an extra 30/40 cents a day to get the potholes filled. Its much cheaper than tires and alignments!

Sevresblue – since when did we start allowing drilling along our coasts and formerly protected areas? Didn’t you know that the Wall Street bailout bill pushed the drilling offshore out to 100 miles thanks to the Demy’s?
It helps to verify your facts THEN post.

Perhaps its time for the States and the Feds to come clean and tell us how much of our gas taxes go into the general fund and not to fix roads and bridges. We might just find out that the reason the roads and bridges are so far behind is that they have used the money collected somewhere else.

taxedtodeath—um the bush family owns zapata corp.and they are a huge oil company so guess what idiot they make money on oil…..duh! and everybody knows cheneny has mad emilliona dna billions from haliburton.if the proof was so easy had him and bush would have been impeached already the truth will coem out and bush and cheney will do time in rpison and for sure in hell when they die

T- Dude, you really need to get your facts straight…just how the hell does the Bush family ‘own’ Zapata Corp? It’s a publicly traded company? Zapata Corporation is a holding company whose primary asset is its 98% stake in Zap.Com whose principal activity is developing a global network of independently owned websites to provide a platform for advertising. (All this is from NYSE filings and the company’s website).
So I’ll ask you again, how does GW Bush or ANY Bush, make BILLIONS from oil via Zapata? Like you said, if the proof was so easy he’d already have been impeached.
Anyone who knows anything about the US GOV knows the US President has no way of influencing the price of oil the way in which it increased this past year.
Verify your facts THEN post!

samhiguchi : “As for that 10cents, it means the cost of everything that you use and consume will go up in price, from the basics to the luxury, increased due to the cost of gas. So I wonder…will it be worth it to those of you who voted the dems a free ride, when you get your payroll tax cut (if you still have a job) but pay extra EVERY time you go to the store?”
The price of gas has almost halved over the past year with no discernible impact on prices at my local grocery store. Do you ever check your bumpersticker logic against the reality we live in? The one where the price of a six pack really doesn’t follow the price of gas? When I have to chose between believing my own lying eyes and a partisan rant on the internet, well…

Bruce: “Perhaps its time for the States and the Feds to come clean and tell us how much of our gas taxes go into the general fund and not to fix roads and bridges.”
This is all a matter of public record. Perhaps some research is in order – if you want to waste your time. The federal gas tax (and a portion of income tax) is fully sucked up slowing the delay of our national infrastructure. It has not been raised in 15 years, and the cost of cement and steel sure as hell has skyrocketed in that time (even with the last half-year of steel price drops). But if you really care, do the research and prove it to yourself. Just as Rush, Hannity, etc have had been told by their staffs, the federal gas tax goes to roads so if they want to demagogue they’ll need to harp on the Big Dig and Bridges to Nowhere or just flat out lie.

ellsbells930: “Those are NOT the only choices. How about cutting out wasteful spending of our tax dollars and allocating that money toward infrastructure? Stop subsidizing toy bow & arrows. Stop ridiculous studies like the flow rate of ketchup. Stop paying farmers to NOT grow crops. Stop all of the special interest funding. ”
So you want to spend income tax to fund roads. That is option 1. The federal gas tax DOES NOT PROVIDE ENOUGH MONEY TO MAINTAIN OUR CURRENT ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE. Read that again. All the gas tax is used to fund roads – not a penny goes to crops, ketchup, or toy arrows.
You want to cut from the general budget* so my income taxes can subsidize the cost of road maintenance not paid by users via gas taxes. I prefer a capitalist approach where the users pay the true cost of the infrastructure so the market can optimize resource allocation.
*You should look up some of the actual numbers – you’re suggesting cutting pennies to pay a bill of a hundred dollars.

This tax is just the start of the “change you can believe in”. So if you voted for Obama don’t cry foul, just enjoy this first tax as more will follow.

All of the rhetoric and discussion above would be totally unnecessary if all of you people posting here would instead put your blogging efforts into e-mailing your Congressmen and Senators, and urging them to support the “Fair Tax Act of 2007″. Passing this legislation would not only raise needed capital for infrastructure improvements, but would also spread the burden equitably across all income spectrum’s. E-mail President Obama as well by going to change.gov and urge him to support this legislation.

Raise taxes? People drove less because gasoline was too high, people are driving somewhat less now, even though gasoline is cheap because there are many who are becoming unemployed. Less fuel bought=less tax revenues. If our congress had not stood and allowed fannie and freddie to help kill what would have been a decent economy then a tax increase could have been handled ok. Right now, even suggesting an increase, is pure stupidity. I would suggest congress get off their rears and not only investigate who fell asleep at the fannie and freddie “switch” but look at how highway transportation funds are funneled to other projects, non road and infrastructure projects, in each state.
Corruption is not exclusive to the jeckles on wall street but is a trait that is increasingly shared by politicians from both political parties and until this mess is corrected no amount of money will solve our problems.

You don’t honestly believe that there is NO waste in the federal budget? Who is the one living in a fantasy land? It certainly isn’t me. And I would have no problem cutting ALL entitlements. Medicare is the reason this country’s healthcare system is such a mess – but that is a subject for another day & far too complicated to discuss here. (Too bad you still have a mortgage…. we paid ours off years ago.)

I propose congress and and other top level government worker making over $75,000 a year take a 10% pay cut.

Great way to stimulate the economy, make sure we pay more for fuel! This kind of “change” we don’t need.

Tom Friedman – A New York Times Collumnist – Who is not on the new incoming Cabinet – Who is not a member of the soon to be administration – is the one who in his own New York Times collumn called on Obama to raise a tax.
Now where is the beef? Just how much ‘say so’ with the new incoming administration will Tom Friedman have? Oh, yeah that’s right, NONE!
Nothing begins yet! At least not from someone who is not a member of the ‘Soon-to-be-Administration’.
Get a life.

ellsbells930: “You don’t honestly believe that there is NO waste in the federal budget?”
No I do not believe there is no waste in government, I never said there was none. I will say it once more before giving up: The amount of waste that can be easily cut will not save enough money to even start paying our infrastructure backlog.
It hardly matters – you want to use income tax to fund roads, while I want road users to fund them through a gas tax. Your approach is the ‘government knows best what to subsidize’ while I favor ‘make the market pay the true cost.” Beyond your refusal to accept that saving a few hundred million will not pay a bill of tens of billions, you just fundamentally do not trust (or understand) the market to support a national road system through a users-pay approach (the gas tax).

i hate taxes but king george put us 10 trillion in debt and stuck us with a 10 billion a month war. so guess what we all have to kick in a little more i dont like it but someone has to pay for all the debt teh republicans stuck us with.

Who would you all rather receive our hard earned money….an ignorant/impotent government…..or our oil-money drunk enemies??
Irrational as it may be, broaden your scope a bit and then maybe you might change your tunes

an additional .10 tax on gasoline is not as bad for the economy as the crumbling road infrastructure. if the people in minnesota had the choice of paying an additional $.10 on their gas or having a bridge collapse which would they prefer? You can also think about the time wasted in traffic and the additional fuel consumed.

Birds fly, fish swim, politicians lie and Democrats raise taxes. Is this where we are suppose to act surprised? This is only the first of many tax increases on the agenda. Of course it’s only a tax on the rich. The poor and middle class won’t be able to afford cars much longer.

He’s my issue. When the oil companies made a killing during the oil crisis our government made a killing as well. Where’s that money? Shouldn’t it be earmark for roads? We have had an ever increasing traffic load, more cars, trucks, planes and buses. That means we have not had a decrease in gas revenue as this article suggest but a significant increase. Obama has promised 221 billion dollars to states for road improvements. That money will be made available in 2009. So why do we need to pay even more money? It just comes across to me as gouging. Nickel-ling and dime-ing

Oonogil – YES!! You are absolutely correct! But the problem is it will never happen with the LIBERAL leaders we have now and for the next 2 years. Nazi Pelosi, Harry ‘The Body’ Reed, and that idiot Barney Frank will tax and spend this country into depression.

T – I’d say you are a little bitter & angry…. that’s not too good for your health & it’s very mean spirited to wish ALL Republicans to burn in Hell. With a wish like that, I’m afraid that is where you will end up. I’ll pray for you.

Is there anyone who can honestly say they are surprised by a proposed tax increase?
Obama proposed a tax increase on those making $300k and above then lowered it to $250k. That was lowered to $200k then $120K, $97 was the last figure before Obama repeated the $250k figure. Now they talk about an additional fuel tax which will hurt poor and middle class Americans much more than it will hit the wealthy elite.
Plan on more tax increases where you never expected it. Some will be used to circumvent the Constitution. Military spending will be cut to dangerously low level which has always led to attack by some foreign power. Taxes will continue to increase to pay for social programs and welfare. The rich will continue to employ lawyers to avoid taxes.
Feds will continue to spend money on worthwhile projects like a Woodstock Concert Museum. Local governments will build stadiums for entertainment while ignoring roads and schools.
I’ll sit up on the mountain monitoring the computer news and hoping you people will just leave me alone.
I’m not a prophet, I just pay attention.

taxed2death—-i am done with idiots like you…oh and the dems that last 2 years couldnt do anything they had nothing to do with this collapse,bush blocked them at every turn… just like i hear republicans say the do nothing congress and thats right they have done nothing absolutely nothing. and any smart person would see that the kind of h*** this nation is suffering couldnt have been done in two short years it was something done over a 6 year period in which the republicans had complete control. so to all republicans go to h***————–ellsbells—–if you support any republican or there ideals then you will be in hell. i dont really wish you there or any evil republican there i hope you see the light and become a democrat.

dear al-obama,
i’m glad to find out that you are God and can decide that all Republicans go to hell. Now that I’ve found you do you have a few moments to discuss the creation of the universe with me?