Time to raise the gas tax

Puppycow

Penultimate Amazing
Puppycow
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Yes, BP needs to be squeezed for every penny we can get from them to compensate everyone who has been injured by this oil spill, which is probably going to continue all summer, or even longer.

But there was already a great case for raising gas taxes before the current disaster, and that case has only gotten stronger.

Don't waste the crisis.
 
Better idea: give Obama the boot. This is his hurricane Katrina.

And let's not forget there's more natural seepage than what's come out of this oil well. A ******** more in any given year (see the reports from geologist Brit Hume). What are some other talking points? You know what limits seepage? Drilling for oil.

A gas tax?? What are you -- a Marxist? That's watermelon environmentalism for ya -- green on the outside, a soft red in the center. The reason why the Left has always loathed the automobile is because it represents progress, freedom and individuality.

Don't waste the crisis.
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Way to play politics. I know, let's have Democrat trial lawyers file dozens of frivolous lawsuits against an "evil" corporation. Then maybe we can increase job-killing government regulation, and allow companies to incur limitless liability.0
 
Cain said:
Better idea: give Obama the boot. This is his hurricane Katrina.

And let's not forget there's more natural seepage than what's come out of this oil well. A ******** more in any given year (see the reports from geologist Brit Hume). What are some other talking points? You know what limits seepage? Drilling for oil.

A gas tax?? What are you -- a Marxist? That's watermelon environmentalism for ya -- green on the outside, a soft red in the center. The reason why the Left has always loathed the automobile is because it represents progress, freedom and individuality.



Way to play politics. I know, let's have Democrat trial lawyers file dozens of frivolous lawsuits against an "evil" corporation. Then maybe we can increase job-killing government regulation, and allow companies to incur limitless liability.0
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Someone tell me this is a Poe.
 
Puppycow said:
Yes, BP every consumer who buys any product which is derived from petroleum, or which depends on petroleum-based products for its manufacture and/or distribution needs to be squeezed for every penny we can get from them to compensate everyone who has been injured by this oil spill, which is probably going to continue all summer, or even longer.
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There. Fixed it for you.
 
You'll note BP's long-term plan is to drill in a second well, 2 miles down and then right turn, then like 3-5 miles more or something. (Using good old powerful new tech that escapes oil shortage gloom-and-doomers, btw. But not Julian Simon.) And that this is scheduled to relieve the pressure in August, just before midterm elections.

BP will, of course, have to pump it as fast as possible to keep as little leaking, and then they must, of course, sell it. What else to do with it, after all? And this should cause oil price pressure drops in time for the election, so the Democrats won't lose their seats.

Conspiracy! The oil companies are in bed with Obama!
 
Puppycow said:
Yes, BP needs to be squeezed for every penny we can get from them to compensate everyone who has been injured by this oil spill, which is probably going to continue all summer, or even longer.
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That's what the courts are for. BP will get raked over the coals with torts. The problem with that is there is expense associated with suing for damages, and it takes a substantial amount of time. The benefit is that a court of law actually attempts to determine an appropriate amount of damages the defendent ends up paying based on the actual damage caused as opposed to political considerations.

But there was already a great case for raising gas taxes before the current disaster, and that case has only gotten stronger.
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That depends on multiple different factors, many of which are very hard to accurately quantify. Suffice it to say that I believe high gas taxes are more detrimental than beneficial, in the long term. Gas taxes also happen to be highly regressive.

Don't waste the crisis.
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Ends justify the means, eh? Can't persuade people using evidence and reason, so just go straight to emotion.
 
Bob Blaylock said:
There. Fixed it for you.
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Taxes should fall most heavily on those who cause the most pronlems for government. Tax plastic bags and single-use plastic bottles and fast food containers, as well as gasoline over a certain amount per week per adult in a household. (Give tax credits for the minim,um ration to each adult.) That's hitting the people who cause the most problems.
 
Beerina said:
BP will, of course, have to pump it as fast as possible to keep as little leaking, and then they must, of course, sell it. What else to do with it, after all? And this should cause oil price pressure drops in time for the election, so the Democrats won't lose their seats.
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Or it could be put into the Naval Petroleum Reserve until such time as BP is finished cleaning all the dispersant and oil out of the ocean and off the beaches. If the oil shieks want to jack up prices, just remindthem that we have quite enough of our own that we could throw on the market and make theirs worth less.
 
leftysergeant said:
Taxes should fall most heavily on those who cause the most pronlems [sic] for government. Tax…gasoline over a certain amount per week per adult in a household. (Give tax credits for the minim,um [sic] ration to each adult.) That's hitting the people who cause the most problems.
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For example, those who drive old, inefficient cars, because they cannot afford newer, more efficient cars. Or those who drive long distances to get to their jobs, because they can't afford to live in more expensive communities closer to their places of employment.
 
Bob Blaylock said:
For example, those who drive old, inefficient cars, because they cannot afford newer, more efficient cars. Or those who drive long distances to get to their jobs, because they can't afford to live in more expensive communities closer to their places of employment.
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Well gosh, it almost seems as though we should find ways to incentivize driving more fuel efficient cars, and getting people to live closer to where they work. How on earth can we accomplish such a feat?

Gas tax proposals are typically accompanied with offsets in the form of cuts in payroll taxes. The idea has support all across the political spectrum, see for instance the popular writings of Greg Mankiw, chairman of Bush's council of economic advisers.
 
Bob Blaylock said:
For example, those who drive old, inefficient cars, because they cannot afford newer, more efficient cars. Or those who drive long distances to get to their jobs, because they can't afford to live in more expensive communities closer to their places of employment.
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You might have noticed that I said to tax palstic bottle. Slap the bottled water barons silly. They are about to become a serious problem in other ways as well. Might as well take a bite out of them now to head off the problems they cause.

And did you miss the part about a tax credit for the minimum ration per household? Adult heads of households get the credit, not the wild-eyed teens tearing up the highway for no particular reason.
 
dudalb said:
If you think Cain is a conservative, you have not followed his career at JREF closely.
If anything, Obama is WAY too conservative for Cain.
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It is really hard to tell the difference with Cain. This is the third recent thread I've seen where people are confused about his positions.
 
So, it's settled, then? Time to lower the gas tax?
 
Beerina said:
So, it's settled, then? Time to lower the gas tax?
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When the smell of crude is gone from the Gulf.

In the meantime, those who use and provide the gasoline need to pay for the damage done feeding their addictions.
 
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