people thinking you have stalled your car?

[rocket]

Define "subsidize," because if you are talking about tax breaks, who do you think ultimalty benifits from thoes? You and me. Both in lower prices at the pump (ALL taxes on ALL busnesses are passed to the consumer) and in higher stock values (any one own an IRA/401K/mutual fund that does NOT invest in energy?). Higher taxes lead to less money in low and middle-income families, both from paying at the pump and at retail stores. the top 10% of income earners pay 70% of the tax, so these "subsidies" are paid for by the rich (not that i'm for the current unfair tax system). In CT taxes are over $0.44/gal!! Oil companies on average make 8% on the sale of gas. Most retail stores have a markup of up to 40%!! Do we need to raise taxes on these small businesses because they have a high profit margine? The oil companies have huge profits because they produce a product that you and I desire, and we buy lots of it! Its called capitalism and it is what makes America GREAT! You are complaining about a "war over oil"?? what war? what county's producton have we taken over? what additional oil supplies do we have from OIF? NONE! You better educate yourself before posting

[Clev]

Originally Posted by rocket

Define "subsidize," because if you are talking about tax breaks, who do you think ultimalty benifits from thoes? You and me. Both in lower prices at the pump (ALL taxes on ALL busnesses are passed to the consumer) and in higher stock values (any one own an IRA/401K/mutual fund that does NOT invest in energy?).

Subsidies benefit the executives and investors. The only place subsidies make sense is where an emerging technology needs investment to build more infrastructure. The oil companies are not using that subsidy to build infrastructure (why would they? More infrastructure would just lower prices, and thus, profit), and they're certainly not passing it on to consumers.

Originally Posted by rocket

Higher taxes lead to less money in low and middle-income families, both from paying at the pump and at retail stores.

Too bad we didn't think about low and middle-income families before we started spending $300 billion a year in Iraq.

Originally Posted by rocket

the top 10% of income earners pay 70% of the tax, so these "subsidies" are paid for by the rich (not that i'm for the current unfair tax system).

The top 10% of income earners also rake in 48.5% of all "reported" income. Average yearly income increased for the top 10%, and decreased for the bottom 90%. And specific to gas taxes, the top 10% pay the same measly 4.6% federal gas tax as everyone else, but only pay more because they use much more, so I'm not crying for them.

Originally Posted by rocket

In CT taxes are over $0.44/gal!! Oil companies on average make 8% on the sale of gas. Most retail stores have a markup of up to 40%!!

Oil companies make 8% on the artificially inflated prices THEY created by shutting down refineries (especially in the 90's) to, according to internal memos from Texaco and others, increase profits.

I don't know what retail operations you're referring to that have a 40% profit margin, but Walmart's margin is 3.38%, and they haven't colluded with all other retailers to keep newcomers from opening new stores and artificially keep prices high.

Originally Posted by rocket

The oil companies have huge profits because they produce a product that you and I desire, and we buy lots of it! Its called capitalism and it is what makes America GREAT!

Really? I thought it was called an oligopoly, cronyism and anti-competitive behavior.

Originally Posted by rocket

You are complaining about a "war over oil"?? what war? what county's producton have we taken over? what additional oil supplies do we have from OIF? NONE! You better educate yourself before posting

You better educate yourself. One of the talking points when Bush was trying to sell us this war was that the "New Iraq(tm)" would be able to pay for the war and reconstruction using profits from its oil sales. Obviously that's not going to happen now.

[Tango Charlie]

Whoa. Did this thread take an ugly bounce.
modmonster; I usually go ahead and bump start at the last second when coasting up to a stoplight. I've heard that key starting shoots a squirt of gas. I don't know if it makes much difference.
Bump starting saves the wear and tear on the ignition switch.

[Clev]

Originally Posted by Tango Charlie

Whoa. Did this thread take an ugly bounce.

Sorry about that. I'll try to keep my off-topic posts to the Lounge. :-)

[ROFL Box]

whats great is with the larger exhaust that I have on the xB, when I use the clutch to start the car (if im coming to a light that just changed) I always tend to scare those around me...

[trikkonceptz]

Originally Posted by ROFL Box

whats great is with the larger exhaust that I have on the xB, when I use the clutch to start the car (if im coming to a light that just changed) I always tend to scare those around me...

Um you're in Iowa now, it's not your exhaust ... LOL

[adrive7]

Bumper Sticker Idea: "I didn't stall, I shut it down about 1/2 mile back! - ecomodder.com"

[ankit]

A couple of times I've gotten a really wierd look. This is because the car is shiny and doesn't look like one that would stall out. But most of the time people don't know (usually only EOC in my neighborhood), especially since my music & tire noise is usually louder then my engine would be.

Originally Posted by adrive7

Bumper Sticker Idea: "I didn't stall, I shut it down about 1/2 mile back! - ecomodder.com"

Nice idea.

[OfficeLinebacker]

LOL @ this turning into a debate on gas prices.

Sounds like I am inline with most posters here--and I consider it an honor to have my personal feelings shared by members on this board.

Not too worried about what others think when we know we're doing something right.

[Sean T.]

i saw a good bumper sticker today:

I drive like this
to piss you off!