Michigan Congressman Wants 50-Cent Tax Hike on Every Gallon of Gas
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
A Michigan congressman wants to put a 50-cent tax on every gallon of gasoline to try to cut back on Americans' consumption.
Polls show that a majority of Americans support policies that would reduce greenhouse gases. But when it comes to paying for it, it's a different story.
Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., wants to help cut consumption with a gas tax but some don't agree with the idea, according to a new poll by the National Center for Public Policy Research.
The poll, scheduled to be released on Thursday, shows 48 percent don't support paying even a penny more, 28 percent would pay up to 50 cents more, 10 percent would pay more than 50 cents and 8 percent would pay more than a dollar.
"I don't want to pay more, I don't think anyone wants to," said Karen Deacon, a motorist.
"I think that wouldn't make any sense," said Frankie Hoe, a motorist. "Ugh ... who's making the money from all this and where is that money going? Is it going to go green? I don't see any green things anywhere."
The automobile is the nation's biggest polluter; Americans use more gas than the next 20 countries combined.
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Some environmentalists and economists say pain at the pump may be bad for Americans, but good medicine for a sick planet.
But others say it wouldn't change much. Even if Americans abandoned their cars, global emissions would fall by less than one percent.
"A tax on gas is a way to reduce dependence on import oil, reduce traffic congrestion and reduce carbon emissions," said Lester Brown, president of the Earth Policy Institute.
The Earth Policy Institute proposes raising the gas tax 30 cents per gallon each year over a decade and offset with a reduction of income taxes, Brown said.
David Ridenour, vice president of the National Center for Public Policy Research, said the proposal wouldn't help long term.
"I think when you are talking about raising gas prices, there may be short-term reduction, put off vacations, but bottom line is over long term, that isn't going to have much of an effect," Ridenour said.
While Dingell's idea will likely lie dormant until after the 2008 election, the idea of carbon taxes is not. Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John McCain all support some type of system that either directly or indirectly will raise prices to penalize polluters.
FOX News' William La Jeunesse contributed to this report.
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Fifty Cent Gas Hike Desired by Michigan Congressman
7 posts • Page 1 of 1
Fifty Cent Gas Hike Desired by Michigan Congressman
by SoldiersMum on 03/20/08, 12:11 pm
Plutarch warned, "The real destroyer of the liberties of the people is he who spreads among them bounties, donations and benefits."
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SoldiersMum - Moderator
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Re: Fifty Cent Gas Hike Desired by Michigan Congressman
by Taylor on 03/20/08, 3:18 pm
TAX CUTS WORK EVERY TIME YOU TRY THEM!!HUMAN LIFE MATTERS!!AMERICA ISWORTH DEFENDING!!WE WIN. THEY LOSE!!THE BEST GOVERNMENT IS THE SMALLERGOVERNMENT!!THE TAXPAYER CAN SPEND HIS MONEY BETTER THAN THE GOVERNMENTCAN!!GET GOVERNMENT OUT OF BUSINESS!! - Ronald Reagan
Need I say more?
- Taylor
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Re: Fifty Cent Gas Hike Desired by Michigan Congressman
by Eyas on 03/21/08, 11:27 pm
Every time the gov't raises the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards; what ends up happening it that Vehicle Miles Travelled (VMT) increases. In other words, when people are enabled to drive farther for the same price in gas, they end up driving more. This is only ONE reason why CAFE standards are stupid and counterproductive.
There's a thing called Price Flexibility. Luxuries are very Price Flexible - meaning that when the price goes up, fewer luxuries get bought; and when the price goes down, more of those luxuries are bought. Essentials, like food & some clothing are Price INFlexible - meaning that regardless of whether the price goes up or down, people are generally going to buy the same amount, no matter what it costs, because it is a necessity.
Above a certain price, gas is Price Flexible. That is, people won't take as many driving vacations, they go to the store or to the movies less often. BUT, below a certain price, gas becomes totaly INFlexible. People still need to get to work, school, etc., so they're going to buy enough gas to get them to work, almost no matter what the price goes up to.
Because gas prices are already so high, people have mostly already curtailed any unnecessary driving. Now people are buying gas just to get to work.
In other words, raising gas taxes at this point will do nothing to reduce Vehicle Miles Travelled, because folks are already limiting their gas purchases to only what is essential. Thus, the tax cannot be effective in reducing emissions. It can only be effective in hurting the Michigan economy even further. If only people would pay closer attention to the damage that massive taxation has done to Michigan, they might realize that doing the same on a National level would be disastrous.
Hah! Yeah right. What are the chances of liberals realizing the stupidity of massive taxation?
There's a thing called Price Flexibility. Luxuries are very Price Flexible - meaning that when the price goes up, fewer luxuries get bought; and when the price goes down, more of those luxuries are bought. Essentials, like food & some clothing are Price INFlexible - meaning that regardless of whether the price goes up or down, people are generally going to buy the same amount, no matter what it costs, because it is a necessity.
Above a certain price, gas is Price Flexible. That is, people won't take as many driving vacations, they go to the store or to the movies less often. BUT, below a certain price, gas becomes totaly INFlexible. People still need to get to work, school, etc., so they're going to buy enough gas to get them to work, almost no matter what the price goes up to.
Because gas prices are already so high, people have mostly already curtailed any unnecessary driving. Now people are buying gas just to get to work.
In other words, raising gas taxes at this point will do nothing to reduce Vehicle Miles Travelled, because folks are already limiting their gas purchases to only what is essential. Thus, the tax cannot be effective in reducing emissions. It can only be effective in hurting the Michigan economy even further. If only people would pay closer attention to the damage that massive taxation has done to Michigan, they might realize that doing the same on a National level would be disastrous.
Hah! Yeah right. What are the chances of liberals realizing the stupidity of massive taxation?
Public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it nothing can succeed. -Abraham Lincoln
Every generation needs a new revolution. -Thomas Jefferson
Every generation needs a new revolution. -Thomas Jefferson
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Eyas - Posts: 1258
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Re: Fifty Cent Gas Hike Desired by Michigan Congressman
by paleocon on 03/22/08, 1:03 pm
Eyas,
Wait, you expect a liberal Congressman to know about, much less understand, elasticity? Come, my good man, you know the clod has never taken an economics course.
But, then again, according to liberal logic such tax hikes are regressive! A proper tax hike should be proportionate! A flat tax like this will unduly impact lower income families. He should have demanded that we all show our current 1040 returns at the pump prior to determining what our progressively determined gas price would be on that day. Illegal immigrants living on welfare would actually be paid for any gasoline they received. Taylor, would pay 15 cents per gallon. I would have to pay approximately $75 per gallon. Then, according to this esteemed liberal Congressman, the price of gasoline would be "fair."
You also failed to note that increasing the CAFE standard tends to cause more deaths in auto accidents. We are supposed to over look that dirty little secret but "fuel efficient" cars are small cars and small cars lead to a greater likelihood of injury or death in automobile accidents.
Wait, you expect a liberal Congressman to know about, much less understand, elasticity? Come, my good man, you know the clod has never taken an economics course.
But, then again, according to liberal logic such tax hikes are regressive! A proper tax hike should be proportionate! A flat tax like this will unduly impact lower income families. He should have demanded that we all show our current 1040 returns at the pump prior to determining what our progressively determined gas price would be on that day. Illegal immigrants living on welfare would actually be paid for any gasoline they received. Taylor, would pay 15 cents per gallon. I would have to pay approximately $75 per gallon. Then, according to this esteemed liberal Congressman, the price of gasoline would be "fair."
You also failed to note that increasing the CAFE standard tends to cause more deaths in auto accidents. We are supposed to over look that dirty little secret but "fuel efficient" cars are small cars and small cars lead to a greater likelihood of injury or death in automobile accidents.
He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire.
"The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of the blessings. The inherent blessing of socialism is the equal sharing of misery."
(http://www.myspace.com/paleocon)
"The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of the blessings. The inherent blessing of socialism is the equal sharing of misery."
(http://www.myspace.com/paleocon)
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paleocon - Posts: 1973
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Re: Fifty Cent Gas Hike Desired by Michigan Congressman
by Eyas on 03/29/08, 9:56 pm
But the real question is: "What does the Congressman have against this guy?"
a.k.a. Curtis Jackson
a.k.a. Curtis Jackson
Public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it nothing can succeed. -Abraham Lincoln
Every generation needs a new revolution. -Thomas Jefferson
Every generation needs a new revolution. -Thomas Jefferson
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Eyas - Posts: 1258
- Joined: 09/06/07, 1:45 am
Re: Fifty Cent Gas Hike Desired by Michigan Congressman
by Eyas on 03/31/08, 4:49 pm
See what I mean? This is important stuff.
The very first link on Drudge today:
The very first link on Drudge today:
50 Cent Flip-Flops: From Hillary To Obama To 'Don't Know'Views
Just weeks ago, America knew where 50 Cent stood in this year's presidential race: solidly in Camp Hillary.
"I just think she'd do a good job," the MC said in a widely circulated Fox News video. "There's nothing bad about Obama in my eyes either, but I just think Hillary would be my choice.
"I'm not sure America is ready to have a black president," he continued. "I think they might kill him."
However, after hearing Obama's stunning speech on race in America earlier this month, the rapper pulled what is now commonly known in political circles as a "Bill Richardson." In other words, he changed his mind after the speech and switched to Obama's side.
"I heard Obama speak," the rapper told the MTV News crew assembled at his Connecticut mansion to hear the new G-Unit LP and talk about his upcoming video game. "He hit me with that he-just-got-done-watching-'Malcolm X,' and I swear to God, I'm like, 'Yo, Obama!' " He threw his fist in the air. "I'm Obama to the end now, baby!"
However, he said he's now not certain which side he's on. "To be honest, I haven't been following that anymore. I lost my interest," he said. "I listened to some of the debate and things that they were saying, and I just got lost in everything that was going on. ... Don't look for my vote, for me to determine nothing on that. Just say, '50 Cent, he don't know, so don't ask Fiddy.'
"I just think there's people that might not be ready for an African-American president," he continued. "It'll be an issue, believe it or not."
The MC said that as a black man, "You've got to be conscious of racism, period. And it's still there. We don't deal with it as often as my grandparents did. My grandparents grew up in South Carolina, so they experienced the heart of that."
Never one to mince words, 50 doesn't mind that his comments get people talking.
"There's a lot of people that agree with me that may not voice their opinions, and I don't blame them for not voicing their opinions, but you need me."
It remains to be seen if losing 50's support will rattle Hillary's campaign, but it's safe to say it hasn't been the best week for the New York senator. Along with the loss of Richardson, the press — and the Obama campaign — has continued to hit her over her "misspoken" claim to have landed in Bosnia under dangerous sniper fire back in 1996. She has since disavowed the statement, which angered many of the veterans featured in MTV's "Choose or Lose Presents: Clinton & Obama Answer Young Veterans," among others. (Former MTV News correspondent Tabitha Soren recently published her own account of flying to Bosnia fifteen days before Hillary. No sniper fire for her either.)
While Governor Richardson has begun to speak out on behalf of Obama at campaign stops and on television, it was unclear at press time whether 50 will receive similar requests from the Obama team.
Public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it nothing can succeed. -Abraham Lincoln
Every generation needs a new revolution. -Thomas Jefferson
Every generation needs a new revolution. -Thomas Jefferson
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Eyas - Posts: 1258
- Joined: 09/06/07, 1:45 am
Re: Fifty Cent Gas Hike Desired by Michigan Congressman
by paleocon on 03/31/08, 4:55 pm
WOW! A 50 Cent difference can make a big deal. I have decided to base all my critical decisions on the whims of hip-hop/gangsta rappers from now on. It sure beats thinking.
He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire.
"The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of the blessings. The inherent blessing of socialism is the equal sharing of misery."
(http://www.myspace.com/paleocon)
"The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of the blessings. The inherent blessing of socialism is the equal sharing of misery."
(http://www.myspace.com/paleocon)
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paleocon - Posts: 1973
- Joined: 12/01/07, 6:02 pm
- Location: Virginia
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