Gas Tax Increase Rumblings... - Page 3

X5rolls · #21 01-05-2009, 03:16 PM

Creative.

It's an interesting idea to raise then lower taxes when the prices go up. If there was some type of guarantee that they would lower them it might make sense.

Once taxes go up though, they are not going to come down. I don't see that happening, especially with the huge deficits we have and even bigger ones on the way.

Quote:

Originally Posted by B-Line

Personally, I think they should raise the gas tax. When gas was $4.50 a gallon everyone and their mother was talking about green energy. Now that gas is cheap again, everyone has conveniently forgotten about the environment.

I personally think, even in a recession, gas prices are too cheap now to foster real world encouragement of alternative fuels. They should raise the gas tax until it effect the pocket book, therefor bringing alternative fuels back onto the conversation table. Make it hurt a little to buy gas and we can reduce our dependency on Middle East oil. Maybe people will continue to buy scooters and motorcycles and smart cars again.

And then if gas prices do go up naturally, they can adjust taxes to keep the gas moderately affordable.

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Wagner · #22 01-05-2009, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by motordavid

Speaking of cannibis, maybe the geniuses will wake up, make that
legal, sell "gov't inspected", and tax it. Worth billions, I bet...

It allows for ATF/DEA to chase real bad stuff, frees up cops, etc.
Make it illegal to DUI with it, just like alcohol, etc.

Wait...that is way too logical and progressive; the do-gooders and
"moralists" would shout it down and it would never happen.

I'm with you on this one. There is absolutely hands down NO reason for it to be illegal aside from some crazed religious zealots of old.

B-Line · #23 01-05-2009, 03:44 PM

The alcohol lobby is so strong in the United States, it's hard to imagine that marijuana will ever be legalized.

There is a direct correlation, more marijuana means less alcohol. And it's the alcohol lobbyists that really keep marijuana illegal..

Cause most pot heads don't like to drink.

AzNMpower32 · #24 01-05-2009, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wagner

Taxing tobacco is senseless and pointless, tax hard liquor FAR more. (nobody ever smoked a cig, got in a car and killed your family) So much of state budget is captured by tobacco taxes, the states and thus their citizens VERY MUCH need that product. Just ask your local Interior person how the "road budget" is going

Another failed item dependent on consumer usage of a product that your "government" wants you to cut back on

FYI: Maryland taxes add $2.00 to every pack of cigarettes. That is called using your tax code as a legislative body to force your citizens in a direction regardless of votes. If you don't want tobacco product, vote on it, since they KNOW that wouldn't pass...they tax the crap out of it and line their pocket on the side

That's why folks buy their cigarettes in VA, where it's much, much cheaper.

I would rather tax things like hard liquor more. Perhaps make lotto tickets cost more as well. And raise the vehicle registration fees.

B-Line · #25 01-05-2009, 05:00 PM

Azn,

As a former smoker and smokers right advocate, you have to crazy not to think that cigs should not be taxed out the wazoo. I do believe in peoples rights to smoke but cigarattes are a blithe on the public health system. Lung cancer and smoking related medical issues are astronomical to the pocketbook of health care and than passed onto the rest of society.

(p.s. if you want to put a huge tax on twinkies, I'd be for that also.)

Why should Liquor be taxed more than cigarettes? There are some health benefits to moderate amounts of liquor. I've never read a health benefit regarding tobacco, EVER..

Tobacco, while enjoyable to smoke, is nothing but pure evil. And the tobacco industry is the absolute worst of all the industries. Worse than Wall St. Worse than alcohol, worse than predatory lenders, worse than health care...

Again, I believe in people's right to smoke... But TAX THOSE PUPPIES..

We should be encouraging people to quit smoking, not encouraging more people to start..

If you can name me one great thing that tobacco does, I might think differently..

Actually, I should say, CIGARETTES... Rather than "tobacco"..

B-Line · #26 01-05-2009, 05:03 PM

Alcohol linked to 75,000 U.S. deaths a year
Third leading cause of mortality, government study finds

Death rate extrapolations for USA for Smoking: 440,000 per year, 36,666 per month, 8,461 per week, 1,205 per day, 50 per hour, 0 per minute, 0 per second.

Wagner · #27 01-05-2009, 05:15 PM

B-Line...sorry but taxing tobacco is the dumbest method of product removal, which is what YOU want. And sorry, drinking results in more fights/murders/direct problems to society..I guarantee it. And since this topic has moved completely off of "gas tax", I'd say if you want to remove tobacco all together...good luck getting that law passed

B-Line · #28 01-05-2009, 05:45 PM

Wagner,

I think you have to re-read my posts. As a former smoker, I'm not a hypocrite. I do believe in people's rights to smoke. But it is a luxury, not a necessity. It is also a public health nuisance.

Making cigarettes cheaper certainly is not going to influence people to cut or quit smoking.

And while alcohol vs. tobacco argument, the lesser of the two evils, they both have their evils, for sure. But I know plenty of casual drinkers, don't know any casual smokers. You either smoke or you don't. And the whole industry is predicated on the addiction. Whereas with alcohol, you don't need to be addicted to enjoy it.

With tobacco, it's the satisfaction of the addiction that derives the pleasure.

Truth is, I don't smoke tobacco anymore, I don't drink alcohol but on occasion and I don't smoke weed anymore either. But I do think that all of them should be heavily taxed (and of course legalized). If not just to pay for the health crisis the particular product is responsible for.

I don't expect taxing to remove the product of tobacco, but it certainly is a deterrent. I know that I enjoy the extra $2k-$3k a year that I don't spend on cigarettes anymore.

I don't want to remove tobacco all together. There are people that love it. god knows, I loved my smoking. But with cost increases also comes the rationality "why am I spending money on these stupid things?" I have lots of friends that quit when I lived in New York and cigs went from $4 a pack to $8.50.. Did everyone quit? NO. But many did.

Wagner · #29 01-05-2009, 06:10 PM

Come on, yes you want to remove it

I'm sorry, I like ya B-Line, but every former smoker I've ever known is the biggest hypocrite about smoking. Now that "they're reformed" they think the others need punished..and yes.raising the taxes is punishing them (would you have liked taxes raised on you when you smoked? How would YOU have viewed that?). IMO of course. Same as the "we found God" people. Or the recovered drunks.

Like selling all your cars to buy a bike, then saying "you all shouldn't drive cars, and if you do we'll tax them more".

X5rolls · #30 01-05-2009, 06:38 PM

As a former smoker and someone who hates smoke now I'd be happy to see them taxed out.

I don't want to punish though, at least I dont' think that is what I'd be doing. The people that smoke them should not be punished. However, I can see the point that taxing them much more is punishing the smokers.

One of the arguments is that 2nd & 3rd hand smoke hurt others as well and ultimately this all costs everyone more either in insurance costs or gov't provided medical coverage.

Doesn't that hurt the majority?

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