<p style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);">Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) says he thinks "now is the time" to raise the gas tax, which hasn't been touched by Congress in over 20 years.
"I think now is the time to do it, but we ought to do it in a thoughtful way," Durbin said on Wednesday.
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Durbin said he wasn't speaking for the entire Democratic caucus but noted two factors lawmakers should consider when opening up discussion on increasing the tax.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environ...he-gas-tax
A moron liberal strikes again. I'm sure he doesn't realize raising taxes is NOT good for the economy.
What's frustrating is you already have Republicans agreeing with him. So you know it's coming when Republicans and Democrats start talking about it being a good idea.
Quote:A moron liberal strikes again. I'm sure he doesn't realize raising taxes is NOT good for the economy.
Why don't we just get rid of all taxes? Alternatively we could lower some by cutting back on military spending significantly or would that be a moronic liberal idea?
Quote:What's frustrating is you already have Republicans agreeing with him. So you know it's coming when Republicans and Democrats start talking about it being a good idea.
You simply cannot put forth new taxes or increases that primarily effect the lower and middle class. If giving a rebate would be required to offset the new costs then why do it in the first place? Probably to replace the funds they will lose by fixing more tax break to super wealthy and bug businesses.
Quote:You simply cannot put forth new taxes or increases that primarily effect the lower and middle class. If giving a rebate would be required to offset the new costs then why do it in the first place? Probably to replace the funds they will lose by fixing more tax break to super wealthy and bug businesses.
In the article they do talk about offering a tax credit to offset the impact on the middle and lower class. But the excuse they're using is that because vehicles are more fuel efficient people are using less fuel therefor they are coming up short in their estimates of revenue generated by the gas tax.
If we don't have the funding to manage infrastructure instead of taxing people more why don't we outsource it to the private sector. Are toll roads such a horrible thing? It just drives me crazy that the consumer finally is getting ahead, by driving more fuel efficient vehicles and the private sector has developed new forms of oil production that we have finally lowered the cost of crude oil. So our federal governments brilliant idea is to raise the taxes and make it cost the private sector more once again.
Note this idea is being introduced by a Democrat but it's a completely controlled Republican house and senate, and I have no faith they'll do anything other then lip service to oppose this. I fully expect an increase in the gas tax by years end.
Quote:Why don't we just get rid of all taxes? Alternatively we could lower some by cutting back on military spending significantly or would that be a moronic liberal idea?
No that wouldn't be moronic. In fact, that's probably the best thing for our foreign policy in regards to security of our own borders. What would be moronic would be raising taxes that would only have an effect on the middle and lower classes which represent less than 40% of the wealth of the country.
I would think the main reason for this is the keystone pipeline. If that's finished, then the taxes imposed from raising the gas tax would include everything pulled from there. It would be a major revenue stream for the feds. That's why it's being pushed as a bi-partisan idea.
Quote:No that wouldn't be moronic. In fact, that's probably the best thing for our foreign policy in regards to security of our own borders. What would be moronic would be raising taxes that would only have an effect on the middle and lower classes which represent less than 40% of the wealth of the country.
I would think the main reason for this is the keystone pipeline. If that's finished, then the taxes imposed from raising the gas tax would include everything pulled from there. It would be a major revenue stream for the feds. That's why it's being pushed as a bi-partisan idea.
Obama has gone on record he will veto the keystone pipeline if it passes congress.
Quote:Obama has gone on record he will veto the keystone pipeline if it passes congress.
Honestly, I think if the gas tax increase is being pushed as a bi-partisan bill, the Senate will have the votes needed to override his veto on the pipeline bill.
Quote:Obama has gone on record he will veto the keystone pipeline if it passes congress.
The Keystone Pipeline is probably a dead deal anyway. It's being built to carry the oil from Canadian tar sands, and the price of oil needs to be north of $100 a barrel for Canadian tar sands oil extraction to be economically feasible.
The only reason I can see for people to continue to push that project is that the congresspersons who are backing it are getting money from the people who would make money building it.
Quote:The Keystone Pipeline is probably a dead deal anyway. It's being built to carry the oil from Canadian tar sands, and the price of oil needs to be north of $100 a barrel for Canadian tar sands oil extraction to be economically feasible.
The only reason I can see for people to continue to push that project is that the congresspersons who are backing it are getting money from the people who would make money building it.
That estimate of it needing to be north of $100 a barrel was before fraking
Quote:That estimate of it needing to be north of $100 a barrel was before fraking
I don't understand what you're saying there. Please elaborate.
Yeah, add it to the new cap and trade "Global Warming surcharge" that Cali has just started changing...BEFORE THE TAX.
I wonder what the earth is going to do with $0.10/gal