[LordOpie]

Much of the exchange Monday centered on proposals Clinton has embraced to give drivers some relief from soaring gas prices. Clinton pushed her plan for a summer suspension of the gasoline tax, which she said she would pay for with a windfall profit tax on oil companies. McCain has embraced a similar idea.

"I want to the oil companies to pay that $8 billion (euro5.17 billion) this summer instead of having the money come out of the pockets of consumers and drivers."
...
Obama, who argues the proposal would save American drivers just pennies a day, said Sunday that oil companies would simply pass the costs of such a plan to consumers.

link

How can Clinton and McCain call this anything but a fockin' stupid attempt at buying votes? One that will likely yield no positive results.

That said, this should be implemented... ceterus paribus, why not collect all the tax in few places and sooner?

 

[$tinkle]

bloody awful idea. all the 3-ton SUVs will come out of hibernation w/ a vengeance, making short work of the roads, putting them in unavoidable disrepair. does no one in favor of this plan realize what gas taxes go toward?

 

[LordOpie]

does no one in favor of this plan realize what gas taxes go toward?

I'm assuming that the legislation still allocates the taxes -- whether collected at the pump or through distributors or manufacturers -- to the original destinations?

 

[eaterofdog]

A stupid, manipulative idea. But we Merkin's have a real thing for stupidity and being manipulated.

I love the implication that the price of gas is due to the evil oil companies. They sell a product and take a % cut just like everyone else. So, if the market price is higher, that % is more money.

 

[jimmydean]

Every time I hear about it, I can't help but feel that it is in fact a horrible idea. Almost as bad as making the Bush tax cuts permanent.

 

[$tinkle]

I'm assuming that the legislation still allocates the taxes -- whether collected at the pump or through distributors or manufacturers -- to the original destinations?

http://www.nemw.org/HWtrustfund.htm

sorta kinda straight fwd:

How is the HTF funded?

Tax revenues directed to the HTF are derived from excise taxes on highway motor fuel and truck-related taxes on truck tires, sales of trucks and trailers, and heavy vehicle use. The Mass Transit Account receives a portion of the motor fuel taxes, usually 2.86 cents per gallon, as does the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund, usually 0.1 cent per gallon. The General Fund receives 2.5 cents per gallon of the tax on gasohol and some other alcohol fuels plus an additional 0.6 cent per gallon for fuels that are at least 10 percent ethanol. The Highway Account receives the remaining portion of the fuel tax proceeds.

How are the Taxes Collected?

Most excise taxes credited to the trust fund are not collected directly by the federal government from the consumer. They are, instead, paid to the Internal Revenue Service by the producer or importer of the taxable product (except for the tax on trucks and trailers, which is paid by the retailer, and for the heavy vehicle use tax, which is paid by the heavy vehicle owner.). Hence, the 18.3-cent federal gasoline tax and the 24.3-cent diesel tax included in the price at the pump are, in effect, a reimbursement to the producers and distributors for taxes they have already paid.

 

[skinny mike]

wouldn't oil companies just raise prices then if they were the ones being taxed?

i feel like putting a cap on the cost of gas would be more effective, yet that is still probably a very dumb idea.

 

[Toshi]

a gas price cap would be as anti-capitalist as things come. thumbs down.

i think the gas tax "vacation" is a horrible idea, the lowest form of pandering. the days of bread and circus are here.

 

[LordOpie]

i think the gas tax "vacation" is a horrible idea, the lowest form of pandering. the days of bread and circus are here.

I can't think of a more obvious and desperate attempt in recent years.

Can you?

 

[$tinkle]

I can't think of a more obvious and desperate attempt [at pandering] in recent years.

Can you?

besides the DNC front-runner?

 

[dante]

worthless, worthless idea, and seems just like political pandering of the worst sort.

1. It's $30. For me it's closer to $18. For the entire summer. If I ride my bike to work 3 days, I'll save more than $18.
2. Hillary's idea is the worst, oil companies will raise prices to cover the tax.
3. McCain's idea isn't far behind, he'll either put us deeper in debt (by borrowing to cover this) or he'll neglect our pathetic infrastructure and put thousands of construction workers out of jobs.


lthumbsdown:

 

[Secret Squirrel]

a gas price cap would be as anti-capitalist as things come. thumbs down.

i think the gas tax "vacation" is a horrible idea, the lowest form of pandering. the days of bread and circus are here.

 

[$tinkle]

pandering to the harbl thread author?

damn, dood.

 

[skinny mike]

a gas price cap would be as anti-capitalist as things come. thumbs down.

which is exactly why i know it's a bad idea. it's just the only way i can think of that the government could actually cause gas prices to go down without cutting out the gas tax.

 

[LordOpie]

which is exactly why i know it's a bad idea. it's just the only way i can think of that the government could actually cause gas prices to go down without cutting out the gas tax.

They can lower prices by releasing reserves.

 

[jimmydean]

which is exactly why i know it's a bad idea. it's just the only way i can think of that the government could actually cause gas prices to go down without cutting out the gas tax.

People should look for alternative/better mileage vehicles.

Prices won't go down as there is little to no "new" oil to be found. It's a finite source, deal with it.

 

[Dartman]

I was watching Meet the Press with Barak and he said that they tried to suspend the gas tax in Illinois and the retailers just kept the difference and the consumers benefitted not a penny. It sounded like a good idea at the time but in reality greed won out.

 

[Defenestrated]

can that be considered a form of price gouging?