addicted to oil
 

This week our Federal Goverment here in the good ole' US has started crying about funds for the repair of our roads, bridges, etc. It seems that after squeezing the last drop of blood out of hard working Americans by the price of gas, groceries, services, etc, the people just can't afford to buy much of anything anymore. I know that the $4+ gal gas really affected how my wife & I live. So we conserved & conserved till it hurt. And so did alot of the rest of the country. Now the price of gas has dropped to all time lows. We don't use as much, & personally since finding this site I never will. Being fuel is lower now, we can afford a few luxuries once in awhile like a candy bar. So since we all use less fuel, big brother says it doesn't receive enough revenue to keep up the roads. So they want to add another fuel tax on us. A 50% increase at that. And they're also encouraging the states to do that same thing. My county in our state is one of the poorest. It's one of the largest, but mostly farm land with one of the least population per capita. So our roads aren't the greatest. And about half of them are gravel at that. those higher taxes would never benefit us in any kind of way. About a year ago, we were accused my the Bush Administration as being "addicted to oil." Ha, ha, what a joke. Since breaking my so called addition, the govt is crying the blues now. Just for their information, commodities still haven't lowered & groceries are still high. Everything was fine until the greedy ones started raising the prices of fuels just over speculation or what "could" happen. Such as hurricanes, etc. But when some speculations fell thru, the cost of fuel remained high to add to the pocket books. Things were OK before, so why add taxes. When it's ever going to end?

The oil addiction isn't the problem. It is the government's addiction to taxes.

An increase in fuel taxes would only be acceptable if income taxes were reduced equally.

America is as the ragged edge of tolerance of taxation. Anybody who advocates tax increases is headed out of public office.

"The oil addiction isn't the problem. It is the government's addiction to taxes."

Nope. They are BOTH problems.

The govt will always find an excuse to not maintain roads and bridges. This was an easy excuse for now.

anyone else hear they're great new plan? Since hybrids are killing their revenues, tax based on road usage (miles) rather than gas usage. What this means? A. they want GPS in everycar recording when and how far they drive, but they promise not to use the information in a "big brotherish" way, haha yeah, right. and B. Hybrids pay the same amount per mile usage in taxes as a 3 ton truck. Hmm that seems fair since hybrids low rolling coeffieceint tires and light weight cause the same amount of wear and tear as an escalade... oh waaaaiiiiittt........

Sorry to all the patriots out there, but I'im suck of the bull, I'm out of this country ASAP

Yeah, and Fargoans are subjected to police roadblocks on a regular basis, the stated purpose being to nab drunks. :mad: And while they inconvenience many and nab very few drunks, they keep on doing it, the ******* commie *******. :mad: Land of the Free my ***.

Welcome to the police state future.

They can track your movements via a cellphone anyway. In car GPS is so cheap now too....

One day I'll take a dump and I'll hear a beeping sound getting flushed away.

One CCTV camera per 9 people in the UK....

Oh well...just as well I'm not doing anything wrong huh?

Best let them all do their thing, give Caesar his due, and be not of this world.

Hey GasGuage,

Are you really working on breaking the addiction? Or do you simply mean that you've worked to reduce your gasoline use? (Please, it's an honest question, I mean NO disrespect. Please see what I am trying to do to kick the addiction.

Also, nice economy on your S10. I was getting almost the exact same economy this summer when the weather was good. Not doing nearly so well now with the cold and the snow.

I agree with Blueflame. I don't agree with many ways that my tax dollars are spent, including bad foreign policy, military use, etc, but I still pay my taxes.

A big part of the reason why the Amish live the way they do is to obey the scripture about "being no part of the world". You gotta respect anyone willing to work that hard to follow through on their beliefs. Ironically, most of the business dealings the Amish have with the "English" is to earn money to pay for *guess what?* Taxes!

Yesh, we have the road blocks inspired by Hitlers third reeich, but ya ever notice that even during the day there is atleast one popo per block? Serioously, crimes NOT a problem in this town, wasting money on bacon sure is though. BOOOO ****ikng fargo booo!!!

I guess i woudnl't mind all them piggies if they would help citizens in need, but I've seen (and helped) 3 cars in the ditch this month, and every single one, a piggy drove by with out helping. Serve and protect, **** that. Harrass and generate revenue? Fo' sho!

Speaking of which, has anyone else noticed the proliferation of signs, lights, and gates for roads? Such that when the lights are going and the gates are closed, there is no access to the road? WTF is up with that?

You Americams aint got welfare!

We got some welfare families where no one has worked for 3 generations...

Tahiti has this family benefit where you get around $120 per week per child, even if your working, so, many families have 5 children.

I hear those marxists are gaining hold in the pacific.

Oh yes we do!

Ben,

here is where I'm coming from. When the price of gasoline was around $4.19-.29 a gal, I simply despised & hated buying it. After watching it go higher & higher over the years in price, I also hated making greedy people more wealthy when my wife & I had to struggle. So some type of alternative was due. I started searching for ways to reduce our consumption. Bio-diesel seemed like a good alternative. After watching a show on TV & learning of a machine to produce bio-diesel I was almost sold on it. But what seemed good to me, would also seem good to someone else in my shoes, so acquiring the french fry oil from local fast food places would become scarce sooner or later, & for one I didn't own a diesel vehicle. I also said that the next "new" car I buy would be all electric. That's not an affordable option at the present time. but more of a dream of a future time. I read with great enthusiasm your article on the electric MC, being a biker for years myself & still licensed to ride. I could almost invest in that myself but I don't know if the osteo in my wrist would allow me to handle two wheels anymore. At this time I can't lift more the 10lbs with them. So manuevering might get tricky for me. and I'd need something with some range & speed for hwys I have to travel in the rural area that we live in. So I ran across this site on MSN's homepage where someone was talking about getting over 100mpg. that got my attention, & here I am. I've learned a wealth of things that make great gains out of little or no expense. I'm disabled with a fix income, so every little bit helps. I'm getting the best mpg I've ever had when everyone else seems to be complaining about the colder weather. Apparantly summer is going to be a real joy for added increases. As for my ambitions? I'll just leave that up to whatever you want to think.

I bought that S-10 new in '97 purposely like it is. I needed someting easier on gas then my Silverado. It had to be a truck for my trade. The 2.2L was alot better on gas then the 350V8. I opted for the 5sp over the auto for peppiness. The auto's seemed kinda slouchy espescially with the air on. But the 5sp is better for FE. I also bought one with a 3rd door. After driving the Silverado for years, behind the seat just wasn't enough room to keep things when you needed to lock them up. Also great for groceries & haulling around a 100lb Malamute. But I also added the ARE fiberglass tonneau, which is lockable too.

"no man knows another mans heart"

Sounds like you're really working it.

For me, a big part of Ecomodder is people helping other people, with encouragement, support, and technical advise.

Keep up the good work.