Federal Government Considering Fuel Tax Increase

[trebuchet03]

Let's see -- who has the money? Oh yeah, the Oil Companies! Let's kick the special interests in the bum and make the oil companies make up the difference.

I guarantee that anything they have to pay translates into what we're going to pay (and likely more to get back on the %tage profit).

On the subject of Anti-Trust laws.... It appears, at least on the surface, that our economy is too big for that to work properly... AT&T, for example.... the 7 or 8 RBOC (Baby Bells) spawned from the AT&T break up are being gobbled up by guess who? AT&T

CLICK THIS

Holy Crap <-- image is way to huge to view in post

Guess which one of the three is the biggest... Now guess which one is hardwired to eavesdrop on their digital network (phone, internet, etc.)? Funny thing is, the military advocated to keep ATT together during the antitrust trial (I wonders why )

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I voted yes. Why? Because effectively, we've already taxed the oil companies by removing subsidies Link and we did see an increase in fuel prices not proportionate to the increasing cost of crude... But that money went to alternative fuels AFAIK.

I would also vote for a raise on foreign oil imports (still, that translates into higher prices at the pump)...

40 cents increases my fill ups (usually 13 gallons) by $5.20... But really, I shouldn't be rationalizing it that way

If gas goes up 40 cents, and continues climbing, I'm leaving the US and living out of my Jeep.

Out of curiosity... Where would you go? Even with a 40 cent increase - we'd still have the lowest fuel prices of first world oil importing countries. I think Venezuela is the closest country with less fuel prices (I personally wouldn't want to live there though :/)...

[Gone4]

I like the idea of driving prices up in the sense that it will take higher fuel prices to change anything. I worry about industry not adapting and just passing higher prices on to consumers instead of adopting more efficient methods. Food is already suffering greatly - from many factors - and it is getting really expensive to eat now. There will be a fine line between adopting forcing new methods and technologies through prices and forcing people into suffering, or malnutrition and freezing without heating.

Trains + bicycles >> cars; but that's just my two cents.

[Lazarus]

Can anyone tell how much of the current tax goes to infrastructure and road repair now. Seem to me must goes to pork. If we don't send the money where it need to go then there will never be enough.

[metroschultz]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peak_oil
I voted yes, many of you said it, I'm repeating it. People won't drive more economically 'till you hit them in the wallet.
I don't want to force anything down any body's throat.
However if you look at Countries across the water where fuel is upwards of $5 per gallon. You see that they drove fuel prices up with heavy tax and Intelligently used the money for Infrastructure.
This is where we need to head if there is going to be any fuel left for my Grandkids. Eventually we will all be using some form of re-newable energy. I wish to be alive when that happens.
During the Gas Crisis of the 70's only 1 country in the world made a significant effort to become energy independent. Brazil. IIRC they now have in place a system to use totally re-newable sources and their cars are required to be able to run on 85% ethanol. Which they produce in-country.
Time to get off my soap box. S.

[trebuchet03]

Originally Posted by GenKreton

I like the idea of driving prices up in the sense that it will take higher fuel prices to change anything. I worry about industry not adapting and just passing higher prices on to consumers instead of adopting more efficient methods. Food is already suffering greatly - from many factors - and it is getting really expensive to eat now. There will be a fine line between adopting forcing new methods and technologies through prices and forcing people into suffering, or malnutrition and freezing without heating.

Trains + bicycles >> cars; but that's just my two cents.

When food is valuable enough (monetarily), we should see a drop in consumer food waste. I agree that the line is fine - but we're far from that line at the moment...

Similar to price gouging (for slightly different reasons) - a lot of people hate it, but it serves an important economic purpose by ensuring those that need get by preventing those that are first in line from taking excess.

[trebuchet03]

Originally Posted by metroschultz

During the Gas Crisis of the 70's only 1 country in the world made a significant effort to become energy independent. Brazil. IIRC they now have in place a system to use totally re-newable sources and their cars are required to be able to run on 85% ethanol. Which they produce in-country.
Time to get off my soap box. S.

Most of the fuel available is E20 - with E85 available in some areas... Some of the cars today can even run on E100....

[Gone4]

"gallon of fuel moves a ton of freight 60 miles by truck, 390 miles by rail, and 530 miles by ship"

I read this today and I am not sure how true it is but it really shows that one of the best things we can do is move distance travel and shipping back to rails. I'd like to see gas taxed to get rail systems running in the US.

[trebuchet03]

Originally Posted by GenKreton

"gallon of fuel moves a ton of freight 60 miles by truck, 390 miles by rail, and 530 miles by ship"

I read this today and I am not sure how true it is but it really shows that one of the best things we can do is move distance travel and shipping back to rails. I'd like to see gas taxed to get rail systems running in the US.

That's because mpg isn't the best metric for comparison The truck may get 10mpg, but is hauling 40 short tons of cargo...

[DifferentPointofView]

Originally Posted by trebuchet03

Out of curiosity... Where would you go? Even with a 40 cent increase - we'd still have the lowest fuel prices of first world oil importing countries. I think Venezuela is the closest country with less fuel prices (I personally wouldn't want to live there though :/)...

Canada lol. It seems they care more about their people than they do their money. I see tax dollars being sent from paychecks to the government everyday, but I still haven't seen any of my roads being paved, or more job opportunity, or my street lights to be fixed while they've been broken since the 20th century. But I see more money going into the military. Kinda makes me mad. I feel the worst for the truck drivers. If gas goes up, shipping goes up, and so does everything that has to be shipped.

I'd take the train if there was one within 100 miles! POS part of the country. When Some Actual Job opportunity comes in town I'm gonna buy a geo or crx and drive it everyday, but right now I'm stuck with a Jeep as a daily driver. I'd like to drive my Jeep for recreation, or when we all have to evacuate from some sort of natural disaster... or a zombie infestation "

Hmmm... Evacuation vehicle...

Geo.. or Jeep with ramming devices... I'll go for the one with ramming devices..

I've looked for a geo around here. I can't seem to find one. Anyone know where to look?

[trebuchet03]

Canada lol. It seems they care more about their people than they do their money. I see tax dollars being sent from paychecks to the government everyday, but I still haven't seen any of my roads being paved, or more job opportunity, or my street lights to be fixed while they've been broken since the 20th century.

Gotcha - I was thinking it was because of the gas price itself which, in my opinion, is totally crazy

Other than the job opportunity thing - those things are a state level deal... For all of Florida's problems, I'm quite content with the road quality and maintenance... I don't think that's necessarily enough to keep me here - just say'in

On my cross country trip - I think it was Louisiana that had the worst road quality IMO.