(PV) Michigan Congressman Wants 50-Cent Tax Hike on Every Gallon of Gas

[XDConvert9mm]

So, here we go. A Congressman in the country's Automotive Capitol wants to help the current pain at the pump by...adding $.50 in taxes to each gallon of gas to reduce consumption. And apparently this idea has some attraction to each of the 3 viable Presidential candidates. If they want to put a nail in the coffin of the economy at this time this a great way to about it.

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.

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.

FOXNews.com - Michigan Congressman Wants 50-Cent Tax Hike on Every Gallon of Gas - Politics | Republican Party | Democratic Party | Political Spectrum

[AZXD]

Let him!
But also let him know I won't be driving anything remotely associated with Detroit.

The guys an idiot, and it will get shot down at the Federal level. As for Michigan .... it's not my state, if he pushes it there, oh well. Get rid of him

[FrankRizzoXD40]

Not the first time Dingell has tried this....

The democrats try to use taxes to cool the planet??? (PV)

Last time he tried this, he has this to say...

Some of the revenue would be used to reduce payroll taxes, but most would go elsewhere including for highway construction, mass transit, paying for Social Security and health programs and to help the poor pay energy bills.

Great....more socialism. Helping the poor pay energy bills does a lot to help "global warming"

Frank

[XDConvert9mm]

Originally Posted by AZXD

Let him!
But also let him know I won't be driving anything remotely associated with Detroit.

The guys an idiot, and it will get shot down at the Federal level. As for Michigan .... it's not my state, if he pushes it there, oh well. Get rid of him

He's not trying to implement this just in Michigan. Nationwide is the goal here. I'm sure this won't go through but it does lend a little insight into the rather scary thought processes of some elected representatives. I found the worst part to be the support of all three candidates for some type of tax on "polluters". That's each and every person in this country. Yowwwza.

[Etta Place]

Most proponents of a carbon tax support offsetting cuts in payroll taxes. This would give people more discretion as to how they want to spend their money.

[FrankRizzoXD40]

Originally Posted by Etta Place

Most proponents of a carbon tax support offsetting cuts in payroll taxes. This would give people more discretion as to how they want to spend their money.

They could do this even more if they dropped using the money to help the poor buy oil, using it to fund "health programs" (notice he's not being specific), and social security (we wouldn't need to steal more taxpayer money to fund that if we stopped robbing from the SS fund).

Frank

[Etta Place]

Originally Posted by FrankRizzoXD40

Not the first time Dingell has tried this....

The democrats try to use taxes to cool the planet??? (PV)

Last time he tried this, he has this to say...

"Some of the revenue would be used to reduce payroll taxes, but most would go elsewhere including for highway construction, mass transit, paying for Social Security and health programs and to help the poor pay energy bills."

Great....more socialism. Helping the poor pay energy bills does a lot to help "global warming"

Frank

I don't necessarily agree with the allocation that Dingell recommends, but there's nothing wrong with using carbon taxes to build mass transit and wind farms and solar panel farms. One of the executives I work with says the government should just go ahead and build these solar farms. It just makes sense. He saves 70% off his electric bill with solar panels on his home.

[FrankRizzoXD40]

Originally Posted by Etta Place

I don't necessarily agree with the allocation that Dingell recommends, but there's nothing wrong with using carbon taxes to build mass transit and wind farms and solar panel farms.

Sure there is. Why do we need higher taxes? If we want these things (which I agree with you would be a good idea) we should cut a wasteful program to pay for it instead.

The government takes enough of our money. They don't deserve any more until they can demonstrate that they are efficient and non wastefull.

Frank

[XDConvert9mm]

Originally Posted by Etta Place

Most proponents of a carbon tax support offsetting cuts in payroll taxes. This would give people more discretion as to how they want to spend their money.

Oil prices have already been coming down this week due to a decrease in demand at the higher price levels. I would like to think that the market is efficient enough to take care of this issue without any Government intervention like a Gas tax increase that will go into the Spending coffers and ultimately be used for something like another Earmark project.

I haven't read enough about the Carbon tax/Payroll tax offset to have an opinion one way or the other as to whether this could be a good idea.

I am aware though that a payroll tax decrease in and of itself would not be enough to level things out unless there was a reduction in the taxes owed on income. Just reducing the amount pulled out every check without reducing the amount ultimately due at years end does not make a neutral offset.

[AZXD]

Originally Posted by XDConvert9mm

He's not trying to implement this just in Michigan. Nationwide is the goal here. I'm sure this won't go through but it does lend a little insight into the rather scary thought processes of some elected representatives. I found the worst part to be the support of all three candidates for some type of tax on "polluters". That's each and every person in this country. Yowwwza.

Yea, I know.
It still won't pass!

But the way our debt ratio is you're trying really hard to fool yourself if you think our tax rate will not go up regardless of who is elected
They've spent to much money to leave things alone, andall three of them want to continue to spend at the same rate, or greater. They just want to do so in different ways.