Should the U.S. raise the gas tax? Most Americans agree the U.S. needs to reduce its dependence on foreign oil; the question is how to do it.YES Now that we have lived with $3.50-a-gallon gas, $3 seems far less outrageous. That gives us an opportunity to permanently depress de·press v. 1. To lower in spirits; deject. 2. To cause to drop or sink; lower. 3. To press down. 4. To lessen the activity or force of something. demand for gas by locking in higher gas prices with a tax. Let's put a floor at $3 a gallon. Every penny under $3 that the market price goes should be recaptured in a federal gas tax so that we pay at least $3 at the pump. Why is this a good idea? Because it's the simplest way to induce conservation. Higher prices will make people alter their buying habits. It was the higher fuel prices of the 1970s and early 1980s that led to more energy-efficient cars and appliances, which so reduced the demand for oil that prices fell through the floor. By 1986, oil was $11 a barrel. Then we got complacent and resumed our old wasteful habits. Now, oil is around $60 a barrel. The worst part is that much of this $60 goes overseas to foreigners Foreigners alienage the condition of being an alien. androlepsy Law. the seizure of foreign subjects to enforce a claim for justice or other right against their nation. gypsyologist, gipsyologist Rare. who wish us no good: Saudi princes who subsidize sub·si·dize tr.v. sub·si·dized, sub·si·diz·ing, sub·si·diz·es 1. To assist or support with a subsidy. 2. To secure the assistance of by granting a subsidy. terrorists and the nuclear-hungry, death-to-America Iranian mullahs, for example. This is insanity insanity, mental disorder of such severity as to render its victim incapable of managing his affairs or of conforming to social standards. Today, the term insanity is used chiefly in criminal law, to denote mental aberrations or defects that may relieve a person from . It makes much more sense to reduce consumption, drive the world price down, and let the premium we force ourselves to pay at the pump (which begins the conservation cycle) go to the U.S. Treasury U.S. Treasury Created in 1798, the United States Department of the Treasury is the government (Cabinet) department responsible for issuing all Treasury bonds, notes and bills. Some of the government branches operating under the U.S. Treasury umbrella include the IRS, U.S. : If the price drops to $2, plow plow or plough, agricultural implement used to cut furrows in and turn up the soil, preparing it for planting. The plow is generally considered the most important tillage tool. that $1 tax right back into the U.S. economy by reducing other taxes. The beauty of a higher gas tax is that it would make fuel-efficiency standards unnecessary. Just let the market decide. Consumers are not stupid. Within weeks of Hurricane Katrina  Editing of this page by unregistered or newly registered users is currently disabled due to vandalism. , SUV sales
were already in decline and hybrids were flying off the lots.
--Charles Krauthammer Washington Post columnist NO Americans are increasingly concerned about the rising cost and availability of gasoline, a commodity that is so essential to the American way The American way of life is an expression that refers to the "life style" of people living in the United States of America. It is an example of a behavioral modality, developed from the 17th century until today. of ]fie. At a time when high prices at the gas pump are hitting consumers across the country in the pocket, the last thing we need is a hike to the federal gas tax. Though the gas tax is imposed at production, economists generally agree that the cost is essentially passed forward to the retailer--translating into higher gas prices at the pump for people like you and me. In rural places like my home state of Wyoming, long car trips are often an unavoidable part of daily routines--so much so that raising the cost of gas even a few cents a gallon adds up quickly. This is equally true in metropolitan areas, where daily commutes can mean spending long hours in grid-locked traffic. The pain at the pump is particularly stinging for America's farmers, who depend on gasoline and diesel fuels to operate equipment. Increasing the gas tax would have a dramatically negative impact on their bottom line, shrinking their already-modest profits and making it more expensive for Americans to buy food. I refuse to accept high energy prices as America's fate. The ultimate solution to lowering the price at the pump will be to reduce America's dependence on foreign oil. To achieve this, we need energy policies that encourage our ability to domestically produce and refine energy sources. Raising the gas tax isn't an answer to our energy problems. --Congresswomen Barbara Cubin Barbara Lynn Cubin (born November 30, 1946) is an American politician. She has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1994, the sole member of that body from Wyoming. Republican of Wyoming |
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