Hybrids could pay more gas tax

Sounds like the thinking I encountered years ago in the military. During the gas crunch, Pres. Carter sent out a message to all military facilities to do everything to encourage conservation of energy, particularly gasoline.

The base commander then issued an order that the gas station at the BX would ration gasoline, with cars having the worst milage being allowed to have more gas than fuel-efficient models.

:BangHead:

 

Just wait until we get cars that run on alcohol. The "good" Baptists won't be able to drive at all...

 

In other words...

"We need alternative and more economical transportation."
then...
"Uh-oh--revenue has gone down. We need our money to buy more votes!"

and how will they know how much to tax us?

More oversight and monitorng of the citizenry.

 

Do we REALLY want the government tracking us??

Yikes, this is absolutely ridiculous!

 

Barbarian observes:
Sounds like the thinking I encountered years ago in the military. During the gas crunch, Pres. Carter sent out a message to all military facilities to do everything to encourage conservation of energy, particularly gasoline.

The base commander then issued an order that the gas station at the BX would ration gasoline, with cars having the worst milage being allowed to have more gas than fuel-efficient models.

:BangHead:

Of course. The brass all drove gas hogs. So to the commander's mind, he was just following orders. I had a big van myself, so it benefitted me personally,(at least until the station ran out of unleaded) but it was completely contrary to common sense.

 

You are just wrong.

Just because you are at a loss for words there is no reason to insult those that you disagree with.

 

What exactly is Galatian wrong about?

 

Just look at government programs funded by cigarette taxes while the government tries to cajole people to stop smoking. As the number of smokers dwindle how will the politicians pay for the government programs that they based on collecting cigarette taxes?

 

There is no reason to call someone names when you disagree . . .

 

The stupidity, of course, was not only in taking action that directly violated the order, the commander also assured that the base BX would run out of gas.

And then nobody had any.

Dumb. But a beautiful example of bureaucratic reasoning.

 

Do people seem to be quitting smoking? I live in the land of the $55 carton, and I see plenty of people smoking.

 

Fewer people are smoking, but not that many. Who quits an addiction because it becomes more expensive? Not many.

 

You're right.

It really doesn't matter what the vice is...our government (and many of our citizens) become "hooked" on the handouts/spending/programs that are paid for by these taxes...if revenue goes down because people quit smoking, there will be a crisis.

Don't get me wrong--there is such a thing as a worthwhile expenditure. Gas taxes help pay for road maintenance--a very worthwhile thing. But our government is growing at an ever-increasing rate, and much of these expenditures are very unnecessary.

 

That's why we need to invest cigarette taxes in health programs to deal with smoking's negative effects, IMO. If we spend it for something else, we have the perverse incentive for people to continue smoking.

If we spend the money on the very problems the cigarettes create, as the problems go down, so does the need for the money.

 

Wayne,

Galatian calls himself "Barbarian." Was that the problem?

 

Yes. My actual log-on is "The Barbarian", but someone decided that was too um, Barbaric, so I suggested "Galatian." (later they realized that Galatians were barbarians, but that's another story)

Ironically, I got the name for professing faith in God to atheists. So I'll be proud, not offended if you call me a barbarian.

 

How long before they realize that the large SUVs dammage the roads more than the compact cars. Will they raise taxes on the larger cars? :tonofbricks:

 

Does that mean they will be too drunk to drive.