Gas Prices

[S_A_Longhorn]

There's talk about suspending the Fed's tax on gas for a 60-day period... now that's a start!

How much is that tax??  In dollars??

Read that Bush will suspend deposits in the National Petroloum fund AFTER the summer season. 

[Rob]

Collecting fewer taxes is a bad idea - we're running so far over budget at the moment it's beyond belief.

I'm almost to the point where I'd like to see the prices go up so people would actually cut back even more and push for alternate fuels even more - the problems though are that people with lower incomes can't get by and that the money is lining CEO's pockets instead of doing something worthwhile.

[Jayson]

That's what sux about the whole situation we can't give $100.00 back to the tax payers  and cut the tax on gas (which would help lower income families) because of the rising deficit. And we can't raise price on gas (which would hurt lower income families).

But, what's funny is that generally those same lower income people, throw cash away on beer, cigarettes, pull tabs, powerball tickets etc. and yet they bitch that about gas. 

[ruiner]

Read that Bush will suspend deposits in the National Petroloum fund AFTER the summer season. 

Edit - misread.

[Jesse James]

But, what's funny is that generally those same lower income people, throw cash away on beer, cigarettes, pull tabs, powerball tickets etc. and yet they bitch that about gas. 

That's a pretty HUGE generlization there jaybird...  Not all poor are drunks, gambling addicted, wasteful douches...  I'd say quite the opposite, but it's the minority that are cited as the "general" behavior.

Personally...  It's the wastefulness of those with, rather than those without, that bothers me...  People who drive across the street in their Humvee to pick up a loaf of bread they forgot to get on the way home because they're too lazy to make a list...  Then run their kids to soccer and home, but forgot to pick up detergent so they go BACK out... 

Call me crazy but those are the people I see using a LOT of gas in things that use a lot of gas as it is, and not the guy who can barely keep his car running making a trip to 7-11 to buy scratch-offs and cancersticks.

[Jayson]

That's a pretty HUGE generlization there jaybird...  Not all poor are drunks, gambling addicted, wasteful douches...  I'd say quite the opposite, but it's the minority that are cited as the "general" behavior.

True, I'll rephrase. Generally a "portion" of those whose have lower incomes...etc. 

Personally...  It's the wastefulness of those with, rather than those without, that bothers me...  People who drive across the street in their Humvee to pick up a loaf of bread they forgot to get on the way home because they're too lazy to make a list...  Then run their kids to soccer and home, but forgot to pick up detergent so they go BACK out... 

Like these poor bastards, on both sides of the aisle.... 

[Morgbug]

I'm almost to the point where I'd like to see the prices go up so people would actually cut back even more and push for alternate fuels even more - the problems though are that people with lower incomes can't get by and that the money is lining CEO's pockets instead of doing something worthwhile.

What about those of us that really only commute to work and back and not much else?  Yet I go through two tanks of gas a week because of the length of drive.  And my length of drive is directly related to a government initiative to decentralize, with precisely zero concern for where my wife works and that there is NO alternative in the butt **** town they shipped me out to?  Is that fair or reasonable? 

[MetalJedi]

Saw regular going for 3.19 this afternoon.

[Famine]

I have an anual trip I take each year on memorial day camping. Right now I'm filling up a few 5 Galon gas cans just to be on the safe side when I need fuel on Memorial day weekend.

I offered rides to people, so I didn't think it would be fair to ask for gas money, know what I mean? And it sucks because it's when I could use it the most.

Kevin

[Jesse James]

Like these poor bastards, on both sides of the aisle.... 

Exactly...  Of course, watching Senators and Congresspeople walking across the street in droves daily would be comical. 

Maybe they need secret air tubes to shoot them around underground to the places they need to be...  Like the tubes at drive-in banks.  Those things are cool, so it's high time our politicians got stuffed in them and whooshed away to wherever it is they go rather than driving SUV's back and forth around the block.

[Ben]

All they'll do is posture, and when the fervor dies down, the same thing will continue to happen with this issue-- nothing.

[Darth_Anton]

Well, if you look at it in the context of Wal-Mart business practices, volume may be the key.

That has actually proven wrong. Costco's profits aproach WM's levels. The difference is that WM earns more money because they have a lower emplyee cost over head AND the resulting wallstreet investments which makes the overall earning between the two night and day. Costco is not invested in like WM specificaly because they spent too much on their employee.

I'm dissapointed, but not surprised that the windfall tax was shot down yesterday.

[Dressel Rebel]

All they'll do is posture, and when the fervor dies down, the same thing will continue to happen with this issue-- nothing.

Yup.

Congress is just a bunch of millionaires arguing with each other as a hobby.  Republicans are hideous and Democrats are even worse than that.

I already put this issue to rest, because I already know what I am going to do about high gas prices...

Pay them.

[Rob]

I already put this issue to rest, because I already know what I am going to do about high gas prices...

Bend over.

[Dressel Rebel]

Exactly Rob.

The sooner everyone just realizes that this government is your 50-50 partner, the better.

You go to work, take all the risk for whatever expenses you have, in my case $250,000 in educational loans and another $600,000 for a business, and if you fail, you're screwed.  The government does nothing to help you.

But if you succeed, then they have their hand in your wallet.  If you bring home $100,000 a year, right off the bat in income tax they are taking 33%.  Then, you go to the store and buy something, and they take another 5-10% in sales tax depending on where you live.  In my case 9%.  Now we're up to 42% tax on my buck so far.  Then, an average house in my area, which is very middle class, is $8,000 in property and school tax (or 8% on $100K) and now you're up to 50% of your income that has been taxed, before you even take out your checkbook to pay your first bill of the month.  And then in NY you've got .20/gallon gas tax, phone bill taxes and line surcharges, etc. etc. and now you are looking at actually giving back more than half of your income.

This is really going on as we live and breathe, we give back over half the money we earn to the government.  And you've got no say in how it's spent, or who they redistribute it to.

Now I'm not really complaining, I do fine and I'm happy, and this is the greatest country in the world.  But you do eat a lot of **** here.

So when I pull up to the gas pump and see $3.20/gallon, it is irritating, yes, but at this point it's like being gang raped by 50 people, and before it's over a 51st comes by just to give you one more for the road.

Gas prices.  See them.  Pay them.  Move on.