Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Politics and Other Controversies
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 01-16-2008, 09:43 PM
 
Location: Marshall-Shadeland, Pittsburgh, PA
32,606 posts, read 77,321,639 times
Reputation: 19072

Advertisements

Quote:
Originally Posted by saganista View Post
By scuttling all on-going efforts toward development and implementation of a national energy policy and encouraging his new-morning-in-America, rape-the-land alternative, Reagan set us directly on a path toward such things as a national vehicle fleet that is half as fuel-efficient as that in Europe. Half.


Think of it this way: The combined cost of all the gas wasted by SUV's and other fuel-inefficient vehicles in this country is about $1,500 per second. That's half our consumption of 1,000 gallons per second at $3 per gallon. That's in excess of $45 billion per year. And you want to gripe over government waste.
You and I are like two peas in a pod amid a sea of lettuce, my friend. I likewise see how gasoline overconsumption continues to drive prices into formerly-unfathomable levels, and instead of either attempting to reduce consumption in hopes that a lower demand will result in a lower price or, even better yet, diverting more funds away from this quagmire in Iraq and investing it into alternative fuels research and development, these folks would rather say "My Hummer is big and shiny, and I can pay for it so shut up."

I made the same arguments in another thread in regards to overconsumption in the housing market, but I finally decided to bow out when nobody would back me up. What people fail to realize is that as our nation becomes increasingly fuel-inefficient and reliant upon foreign oil, prices have nowhere to go but up. If we want to see them decline, we're going to have to reduce our consumption either by driving vehicles that are PRACTICAL instead of flashy or transitioning towards renewable fuels.

If and when they devise a way to make Hummers run on cow dung, I say knock yourselves out! As long as there is a rapidly-depleting natural resource on which we ALL rely upon for transportation, heating/cooling, etc., then we should ALL have a say in seeing that it is consumed wisely and effectively. Buying a Hummer "cuz I can and I wanna" isn't an efficient use of this nonrenewable resource, in my opinion.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 01-16-2008, 09:57 PM
 
Location: The Lakes Region
3,074 posts, read 4,710,226 times
Reputation: 2377
Quote:
Originally Posted by sukwoo View Post
A federal transportation commission recommends raising the federal gas tax 40 cents over the next five years.

Transit panel urges gas tax increase - Yahoo! News (broken link)

www.kansascity.com | 01/15/2008 | Federal commission seeks up to 40 cent-a-gallon increase in gas tax (broken link)

The gas tax has not been raised since 1993, and revenue has not kept up with every increasing expenses for road construction, maintenance, and transit.

Although raising the tax will be costly for everyone, I like it when bridges don't collapse while I am driving over them. Additionally, the tax should encourage fuel efficiency and transit use, which will cut our reliance on foreign oil.
Sure let's just give them billions more to pillage...Hey were the slaves..Wake up America...

Carrie
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-17-2008, 09:33 AM
 
Location: Oak Park, IL
5,523 posts, read 13,896,978 times
Reputation: 3906
Default Until then

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pawporri View Post
Sure let's just give them billions more to pillage...Hey were the slaves..Wake up America...

Carrie
After the revolution we'll abolish all taxes, eliminate all government waste, and give everyone a pony. Until then we need to find a way to fix our transportation system. Allowing our highways, bridges, and transit to collapse is not in anyone's interest. Either we pay for it out of the general revenue pot or we pay with user fees (taxes and/or tolls). User fees are better because they will incentivize conservation, decreased reliance on Middle East oil, and raise revenue.

Obiously, if you think its okay for our transportation network to collapse, then there's no need to fix it, but be prepared for more bridge collapses, highway closures, gridlock, and economic paralysis.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-17-2008, 11:43 AM
 
1,573 posts, read 4,052,198 times
Reputation: 527
Thas gas tax is an excellent idea, but unfortunately politically difficult. We need higher gas taxes because many of our roads and bridges are in bad condition. The Minnesota disaster is just one disaster too many. Responsible countries don't let their infrastructure fall apart, and yet about almost half our roads and bridges are considered in "poor" condition. This costs us all. Things like potholes and damaged roads incur costs onto you when you drive over them. You may not think about them, but it happens. A gas tax is pretty fair too, since the people who use the gas are paying for the infrastructure to support their activities. Plus the taxes need to be raised since cars are getting more fuel efficient, it is possible that in the future the taxes won't reflect the usage costs to government and society.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-17-2008, 12:11 PM
 
Location: Pinal County, Arizona
25,100 posts, read 39,147,378 times
Reputation: 4937
First off, SUV's are not the nations problem! Get over it

As for an increase in CAFE standards - what good will it do? Answer? Nothing. It will merely mean that people will buy fuel efficient cars and drive more - thereby cutting any savings

As for an increase in the gas tax - you have got to be kidding? Who is going to get hurt the most here? The "poor" - those who can least afford to pay it!

If you increase the gas tax - it will cost you more to put gas in your car.

If you increase the gas tax - your food, clothes - everything that is transported by truck will cost more

If you increase the gas tax - the cost of flying will increase and thereby (probably) price the tourist our of some market and end up hurting tourism thereby costing jobs.

ETC

No, the gas tax does not need to be raised.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-17-2008, 12:14 PM
 
Location: Jonquil City (aka Smyrna) Georgia- by Atlanta
16,259 posts, read 24,676,769 times
Reputation: 3587
It should have been raised YEARS ago. It should be raised 60 cents a gallon and the proceeds should go 1/3rd for highways, airports and bridges, 1/3 towards building a national electric rail system with super fast trains such as France has and 1/3 towards rebuilding and building subways and buying new city busses that run off CNG fuel.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-17-2008, 12:19 PM
 
Location: Jonquil City (aka Smyrna) Georgia- by Atlanta
16,259 posts, read 24,676,769 times
Reputation: 3587
Quote:
Originally Posted by Greatday View Post
First off, SUV's are not the nations problem! Get over it

As for an increase in CAFE standards - what good will it do? Answer? Nothing. It will merely mean that people will buy fuel efficient cars and drive more - thereby cutting any savings

As for an increase in the gas tax - you have got to be kidding? Who is going to get hurt the most here? The "poor" - those who can least afford to pay it!

If you increase the gas tax - it will cost you more to put gas in your car.

If you increase the gas tax - your food, clothes - everything that is transported by truck will cost more

If you increase the gas tax - the cost of flying will increase and thereby (probably) price the tourist our of some market and end up hurting tourism thereby costing jobs.

ETC

No, the gas tax does not need to be raised.
SUVs ARE the problem. When I drive to work and see MANY people in large SUVs alone, you can only wonder how much fuel these folks are gobbling up. I agree with you- I would not ban them but the worst ones in MPG should have to pay a big guzzler tax just like cars do and, if gas were in the $3.50 to $4.00 range where it should be, folks would really think twice about buying such an automobile and if enough folks think twice about buying them, GM and Ford will quit making them which would have the same effect as banning them. So there is no need to ban them.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-17-2008, 12:23 PM
 
Location: Oak Park, IL
5,523 posts, read 13,896,978 times
Reputation: 3906
Again, for those not in favor of raising the gas tax, how do you propose to pay for our highway and transit system? Roads, bridges, and trains don't magically repair themselves. It takes money. Where is the money going to come from?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-17-2008, 12:24 PM
 
Location: Pinal County, Arizona
25,100 posts, read 39,147,378 times
Reputation: 4937
Quote:
Originally Posted by KevK View Post
SUVs ARE the problem.
You are aware that the PT Cruiser and Chrysler Pacifica are listed as SUV's?????
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 01-17-2008, 12:27 PM
 
Location: Bike to Surf!
3,080 posts, read 11,035,326 times
Reputation: 3022
Quote:
Originally Posted by Greatday View Post
First off, SUV's are not the nations problem! Get over it

As for an increase in CAFE standards - what good will it do? Answer? Nothing. It will merely mean that people will buy fuel efficient cars and drive more - thereby cutting any savings
Where's the logic in this statement?
You don't drive more because your car is smaller.

Quote:
As for an increase in the gas tax - you have got to be kidding? Who is going to get hurt the most here? The "poor" - those who can least afford to pay it!
Incorrect/Simple to solve:
- Increasing mass transit will relieve the burden of buying an automobile and paying insurance/gas for everyone. Most of the lower-wage workers already use mass transit or carpool because of high gas/car ownership prices, anyway.
- The rural poor with no commuting alternatives could be easily exempted from the tax.

Quote:
If you increase the gas tax - it will cost you more to put gas in your car.
Thus encouraging efficiency through walking/biking/mass transit.

Quote:
If you increase the gas tax - your food, clothes - everything that is transported by truck will cost more
Shipping firms could also easily be exempted from the tax, thus keeping the cost of consumer goods from being artificially inflated.

Quote:
If you increase the gas tax - the cost of flying will increase and thereby (probably) price the tourist our of some market and end up hurting tourism thereby costing jobs.
Aircraft do not operate on gasoline, but rather Jet-A. If you want to tax all fuels (probably the best idea) then, again, exemptions could be issued to keep from inflating airline ticket prices.

ETC


I submit that a gas tax should be levied in the manner of a "luxury tax" with exemptions made to vital industries, whereupon those who want the luxury of operating an inefficient vehicle should pay their fair share of infrastructure upkeep as well as for expanded mass transit opportunities to allow the economy to better deal with the eventual depletion of fossil fuels that they are causing.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Politics and Other Controversies
Similar Threads

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top