Dem congress jumps to action on oil spill............Will quadruple gas tax

[HappyTexan]

Originally Posted by EinsteinsGhost

(Skipping 30 or so posts...)
So, who should pay for the mess?

Well there's $1.6 billion sitting in a Trust Fund specifically for cleanups.
Does anyone even have an estimate yet ? The oil is just starting to wash up on the shores.

BP is paying people who's businesses are impacted now out of their pocket.

[roysoldboy]

Originally Posted by le roi

Easy. Tax oil and coal until solar, wind, and nuclear are cheaper alternatives.

It ain't rocket science.

You should run for Congress since you think like the Dems in Congress do.

[roysoldboy]

Originally Posted by le roi

Well, you see, we got this thing called the "market".

In this market, you have "prices". Are you familiar with prices? It is sort of like a measure of value.

And when you can raise the price with a hidden tax that will get you what you want? Surely that is what you think.

[roysoldboy]

Originally Posted by le roi

I take that as a "no".

These prices have a relationship with supply and demand. A marginal tax on consumption will shift the demand curve to the left; when other things remain equal, this will increase the price paid by consumers and decrease the price received by sellers. When you increase these prices, the consumer (whether this is the driver of an automobile or the CEO of an energy company) will seek out alternatives (substitutions) to whatever is being taxed.

Which brings me to my next question: Have you ever heard of "alternative energy" ? Not all energy is derived from fossil fuels. Some countries even have big turbines that turn in the wind, and large panels that convert energy from the sun into electricity. This electricity can even be stored, for use in automotive transportation. You will learn more about it when you reach the eighth grade.

I own several vehicles but not one of them could haul one of those wind generators around. Start thinking with your brain.

[roysoldboy]

Originally Posted by le roi

Agreed. The goal is to make fossil fuels more expensive.

What the hell is Crap and Tax for? I thought that was its purpose.

[roysoldboy]

Originally Posted by le roi

Agreed. The goal is to make fossil fuels more expensive.

You won't mind when the price of food skyrockets because it is fossil fuel that powers the diesel trucks that haul that food, will you? Get your head back on your shoulders and start thinking.

[roysoldboy]

Originally Posted by le roi

so streamline the process; screw an environmental assessment, we don't need one. we did it in oil rig drilling, it oughta work in nuclear, right?

bottom line is, this BP disaster is a perfect example of unforeseen environmental costs that neoconservative geniuses never did work into their little mental models of how the world is supposed to work.

straining the environment, whether you own a parking lot and are discharging chemically-laden stormwater runoff, or you're a major corporation spewing oil into public waters, has a cost. we just choose to ignore it via legislation, and we let the costs "drift downstream" to whomever has the fewest lawyers and lobbyists -- cities, states, federal taxpayers, nearby landowners, gulf fishermen, other nations.

Can you quote me the number of serious spills that have taken place from the thousands of underwater oil wells up to now? Don't bother since you will find the number to be zero. You are trying to use one tragedy to destroy our nation and it can be done as long as Democrats remain in power.

[HappyTexan]

Not just food as roy pointed out..the price of everything will go up except for your salaries.

We are an oil based society..like it or not. Look beyond your cars..almost everything around you is the result (direct/indirect) of petroleum.

[le roi]

Originally Posted by roysoldboy

You won't mind when the price of food skyrockets because it is fossil fuel that powers the diesel trucks that haul that food, will you?

Nope. That'll cure America's obesity problem, too -- no more cheap corn.

Kill two birds with one stone.

I own several vehicles but not one of them could haul one of those wind generators around.

See, roy, we have this technology that will store electricity.

You should run for Congress since you think like the Dems in Congress do.

That's cool, Roy. I think you should be cleaning toliets for a living.

And when you can raise the price with a hidden tax that will get you what you want? Surely that is what you think.

Yes, basically. Excessive oil consumption is not a god-given right. It is slowly driving our species to extinction, for the sake of comfortable living.

Taxing the hell out of it is fine with me. Y'all act like taxes on oil will cause armageddon or something. "Destroy our country" Oh please. ... did you really say that?