Ace of Spades HQ

May 05, 2011

Obama Administration Considers Plan to Tax Cars by the Mile
— Dave in Texas

Which we already do, by the way. It's called the Federal Fuel Excise Tax. And it's currently 18.4 cents/gal (24.4 cents/gal for diesel.)

But wherever there's a will to tax more, there's a way.

Obama's proposal seems to follow up on that idea in section 2218 of the draft bill. That section would create, within the Federal Highway Administration, a Surface Transportation Revenue Alternatives Office. It would be tasked with creating a "study framework that defines the functionality of a mileage-based user fee system and other systems."

The hell?

By the way, the states and even some municipalities pile on too. Taxes per gallon average 41.1 cents nationwide (CA sets the bar).

Why would they consider this? (I mean, besides the obvious "hey, it's another tax yippee!). I'm guessing somebody put a pencil to the offsets in revenue from increased CAFE standards and hybrids, and got a little nervous. You could add in concerns about suppressed demand as a result of vastly higher prices.

It doesn't matter really. When it comes to developing new and more creative ways to take your money, Democrats never sleep.

via Instapundit and adamsbaldwin on Twitter.

UPDATE: Slublog has a suggestion:

Posted by: Dave in Texas at 05:38 AM | Comments (149)
Post contains 216 words, total size 2 kb.

1 increased CAFE standards and hybrids

Come on, Dave, you're lying. They said if we did this stuff, we'd save money.

Posted by: FUBAR at May 05, 2011 05:39 AM (1fanL)

2 This is going to be sooo popular with the middle class. I think we should encourage the President to pursue this with all the powers of his office.

Posted by: Marie at May 05, 2011 05:42 AM (W7Seu)

3 Of course, this will hurt poor people the most.

Posted by: IreneFingIrene at May 05, 2011 05:42 AM (JKe0g)

4 Washington State has been trying to implement this POS for years. If they are going to do it fine, but one or the other, not both.

But I want to see some real reform in how highway funds are spent. All highway taxes should exclusively go to highway projects. Not inner city buses or other crony boondogle projects.

Will the Repubs hold firm? If this year is evidence not a damn chance.

Posted by: Vic at May 05, 2011 05:42 AM (M9Ie6)

5 In other words, cars are becoming too fuel efficient, which cuts into the government's tax revenue. So the government has to nail drivers, regardless of what their car's MPG is.

And once again, the administration plans to implement two contradictory policies - each of which increases their control over our lives.

Posted by: Brown Line at May 05, 2011 05:42 AM (VrNoa)

Hi and welcome to this episode of "and there goes the Bin Laden bump."

Epic idiocy.

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at May 05, 2011 05:42 AM (B+qrE)

7 BTW, Washington State slowed down on this when they figured out it would be impossible to implement w/o wide spread cheating.

Posted by: Vic at May 05, 2011 05:43 AM (M9Ie6)

8 For every stupid proposal that will never pass time is being wasted and we are getting closer to the Day of No Return.

Posted by: ParisParamus at May 05, 2011 05:43 AM (bgSjf)

9 Obama should be given a pass on this one. He just came off a kill mission and is experiencing PTSD.

Posted by: The Fog Of War at May 05, 2011 05:43 AM (EL+OC)

10 I should add that if the electric car takes off, there goes all those sweet, sweet fuel-tax revenues. So the government changes the rules to get its pound of flesh.

Posted by: Brown Line at May 05, 2011 05:44 AM (VrNoa)

11 Why not tax condoms/diaphragms/BC pills. Ya know a TOF "tax on fucks"?

Posted by: nevergiveup at May 05, 2011 05:46 AM (i6RpT)

12 of course, there will be exemptions for us important folk that are working for mother gaia

Posted by: Al Gore at May 05, 2011 05:47 AM (27KAF)

Purple Avenger (I think) told me a story like this about water rates, the city putting in restrictions and crap to conserve water, to the point where people actually did, and it impacted revenues, so they naturally raised the rates to offset those.

Getting less for more. I like it.

Posted by: Dave in Texas at May 05, 2011 05:48 AM (WvXvd)

14 Abortion Tax.

Posted by: FlaviusJulius at May 05, 2011 05:48 AM (qIHlG)

So, a Federally monitored GPS/cellphone in every car, then. Hey, don't the administration's good pals at GM already have that handy OnStar system?

Posted by: Galos Gann at May 05, 2011 05:48 AM (T3KlW)

16 Flavius beat me to it.

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at May 05, 2011 05:48 AM (B+qrE)

17 Remember when Obama said the middle class wouldn't see its taxes raised by a single dime?

And just how much would installing GPS mileage trackers cost us? How many of those trackers would end up being tampered with?

Posted by: EC at May 05, 2011 05:49 AM (GQ8sn)

when they figured out it would be impossible to implement w/o wide spread cheating.

Tht's just crazy talk.

BRB, I have to check the fire under the still.

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at May 05, 2011 05:50 AM (B+qrE)

Remember when Obama said the middle class wouldn't see its taxes raised by a single dime?

He did not say anything about multiple dimes, however.

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at May 05, 2011 05:50 AM (B+qrE)

20 How many of those trackers would end up being tampered with?

I'm guessing about 90% of them.

Posted by: Brandon In Baton Rouge at May 05, 2011 05:51 AM (UvFnc)

21 hahahahahahahahahahahahaha what a douche bag!

Posted by: phoenixgirl at May 05, 2011 05:52 AM (eOXTH)

22 This plan makes my head hurt.

Posted by: Osama Bin Burnin at May 05, 2011 05:52 AM (IXLvN)

23 One other thing to look out for on this POS idea. Currently the fuel tax is like a "sales tax". ALL who buy fuel pay it, including people running lawn mowers not on the road.

When this other thing is implemented look for "means testing" and "low income subsidies". No Dem/commie program can ever be implemented w/o those things.

Posted by: Vic at May 05, 2011 05:52 AM (M9Ie6)

24 Purple Avenger (I think) told me a story like this about water rates, the city putting in restrictions and crap to conserve water, to the point where people actually did, and it impacted revenues, so they naturally raised the rates to offset those.

Dave, that in my town of Raleigh. Mayor Charles Meeker, during a particularly bad summer drought, asked everyone to conserve as much water as they could, forbid restaurants from serving water unless the customer asked for it, and set up tiered rates for water utilities. When people seemed to go along with it, the city noticed it wasn't making as much tax revenue from water, so Meeker proposed hiking the existing rate by 50%. He got his ass beat down for that, yet he is still mayor.

Posted by: EC at May 05, 2011 05:52 AM (GQ8sn)

25 It's like there's a socialist in the WH or something.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at May 05, 2011 05:54 AM (UOM48)

26 15

Getting less for more. I like it.

Posted by: Dave in Texas at May 05, 2011 09:48 AM (WvXvd)

Not unlike the Clinton's basically paying people to quit smoking followed by taxing cigaretts up the pipe because they were not getting enough tobacco revenue after the peeps quit.

Posted by: rightzilla at May 05, 2011 05:55 AM (SPVfc)

27 Barry's trip to NYC today will at least be green. I hear he's flying in a hot air balloon.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at May 05, 2011 05:55 AM (UOM48)

28 Atlanta is also raising water rates after years of riding everyone's asses to conserve.

Posted by: negentropy at May 05, 2011 05:57 AM (27KAF)

29 i think we've gotten enough mileage out of this president......NEXT!!!!!!!!

Posted by: phoenixgirl at May 05, 2011 05:57 AM (eOXTH)

How many of those trackers would end up being tampered with?

I'm guessing about 90% of them.

Leading, of course, to a massive bureaucratic fight among Tansportation, Commerce, and Energy to see who gets to host the Bureau of GPS Device Enforcement.

AND ALL THREE WILL GET ONE. And then the vehicle use tax will rise AGAIN to finance the enforcement. (Note: All three agencies will unionize.)

Prophecy: Sometimes, it's easy.

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at May 05, 2011 05:58 AM (B+qrE)

31 Yeah, screw the poor, people that live in rural areas, people that don't have access to public transportation, people with jobs- who don't sit at home all day collecting government checks. Who thinks up these idiotic ideas?

Posted by: Just Sam at May 05, 2011 05:58 AM (pKDDq)

Is this Surface Transportation Revenue Alternatives Office part of a Surface Transportation Revenue Alternatives Program? Can we just call it STRAP for short? And can we say that we're STRAP'ed as we pay this tax?

Posted by: FireHorse at May 05, 2011 05:58 AM (uUo97)

33 Demand for gasoline is down already. It's almost as if there is some relationship between price and demand.

Oh. ever mind. Obama canceled those laws.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo (NJConservative) at May 05, 2011 05:59 AM (LH6ir)

How are they going to make up for the lost revenue from cigarettes when people stop or cut back on smoking?

A tax per drag?

Posted by: Ben at May 05, 2011 06:00 AM (wuv1c)

35 And just how much would installing GPS mileage trackers cost us? How many of those trackers would end up being tampered with?

My guess is that the gov't will figure that the best way to deal with that is to make the trackers federal property, with the appropriate felony provisions for tampering and/or removal.

Just imagine the bureaucratic nightmare of selling or buying a used car ...

Posted by: mrp at May 05, 2011 06:00 AM (HjPtV)

36 negentropy... amazing....they force you to conserve.... telling you it's good for the environment and your pocket book......realize they didn't make as much money....so they punish you by raising your rates....

Posted by: phoenixgirl at May 05, 2011 06:00 AM (eOXTH)

37 "When people seemed to go along with it, the city noticed it wasn't making as much tax revenue from water, so Meeker proposed hiking the existing rate by 50%.Â He got his ass beat down for that, yet he is still mayor." This entire nation suffers from battered wife syndrome. Don't be surprised if a proposals like this only increase the chance of President John Wayne Hussein's re-coronation next year.

Posted by: George Orwell at May 05, 2011 06:01 AM (AZGON)

38 34 Yeah, screw the poor, people that live in rural areas, people that don't have access to public transportation, people with jobs- who don't sit at home all day collecting government checks.

You mouth-breathing knuckle-draggers in the red states need to STFU.

Posted by: Your Urban Betters at May 05, 2011 06:01 AM (UOM48)

39 "Nobody who makes under 200K will see their taxes raised by one dime."

Posted by: Candidate Obama at May 05, 2011 06:01 AM (sOtz/)

40 our country's new motto......pay more for less!

Posted by: phoenixgirl at May 05, 2011 06:01 AM (eOXTH)

@42

Muhahahahahahahaha!

Posted by: President Obama at May 05, 2011 06:02 AM (sOtz/)

42 Question, how will this work for us illegals? We are not really here and all. Just sayin. I'm Swiss.

Posted by: Goober at May 05, 2011 06:02 AM (Q5+Og)

43 goober maybe they'll install separate pumps......../

Posted by: phoenixgirl at May 05, 2011 06:04 AM (eOXTH)

44 @25, it is possible to purchase "agricultural fuel" that has no road tax in its price. It is dyed a different color than regular fuel, though, and if you get caught cheating, you'll have trouble buying hay for your team.

I buy ag diesel for my tractor. It's seven miles to the outlet though, and so far that has proven inconvenient for the Gravelys. On a similar note, in neighboring Michigan you should not be seen with beer in the cupholder of a riding mower: state police will turn in off the highway to cite you. Truth be told, it being Michigan, there have been cases of influenced mower operators somehow causing accidents on those highways. State motto, Vinum Potest, "Alcohol may have been a factor."

Posted by: comatus at May 05, 2011 06:04 AM (W5ilH)

Yeah, screw the poor, people that live in rural areas, people that don't have access to public transportation, people with jobs- who don't sit at home all day collecting government checks. Who thinks up these idiotic ideas?

The white guy that goes to work, feeds him family, pays his bills, and goes to church on sunday is the enemy. They are not afraid of muslim terrorists. But the working guy scares the shit out of them. This is the guy that is going to finance their utopian dream. Obama is going to put his boot on the neck of the working white guy.

Posted by: Marie at May 05, 2011 06:04 AM (W7Seu)

46 I'll just take the high speed rail.

Posted by: FlaviusJulius at May 05, 2011 06:05 AM (qIHlG)

47 Fuck Obama

Posted by: Zakn at May 05, 2011 06:05 AM (zyaZ1)

48 when high speed rail has to stop every 1/2 mile to load and unload passengers...is it still high speed?

Posted by: phoenixgirl at May 05, 2011 06:06 AM (eOXTH)

49 Just imagine the bureaucratic nightmare of selling or buying a used car ...

They'll deal with that by reinstituting Cash For Clunkers and changing the rules to where you have to buy a GM or Chrysler car since the feds own a chunk of both companies.

Posted by: Brandon In Baton Rouge at May 05, 2011 06:06 AM (UvFnc)

50 amazing....they force you to conserve.... telling you it's good for the environment and your pocket book......realize they didn't make as much money....so they punish you by raising your rates....

Posted by: phoenixgirl at May 05, 2011 10:00 AM (eOXTH)

well, we also had to subsidize the 'wireless' meters that don't work half the time. wonder if anyone has hacked those yet.

Posted by: negentropy at May 05, 2011 06:07 AM (27KAF)

51 Obumbles McFuckstick wants more taxes? He should tax Moochelle by the pound, lots of revenue in that.

Posted by: Killerdog at May 05, 2011 06:07 AM (V6yRL)

52 Hey I crunched the numbers and we can pay off the national debt in one year if we just tax RPM's on cars! Just a penny per revolution and we are there.

Posted by: typical dem idea at May 05, 2011 06:07 AM (IXLvN)

53 they are going to attach a black box to my moped ?
Illegal Alien vehicles Exempt
City vehicles Exempt
Muslim vehicles Exempt
Public service employee vehicles Exempt
Teachers vehicles Exempt
Union members vehicles Exempt
All non Union General Motors employees vehicles Exempt
Town of Lockport vehicles Exempt
Teamsters members Union local 35 vehicles Exempt
City of Chicago residents vehicles Exempt

Posted by: melvin at May 05, 2011 06:07 AM (3OCZw)

54 Originally I thought this was just going to be some new federal toll system. But: Among other things, CBO suggested that a vehicle miles traveled (VMT) tax could be tracked by installing electronic equipment on each car to determine how many miles were driven; payment could take place electronically at filling stations. Yeah, they should run on this. And on a universal ankle bracelet tracking system. Sidewalks get worn out too.

Posted by: Average Joe at May 05, 2011 06:08 AM (bN5ZU)

55 So the Democrats in 2012 will be running on a platform of broad tax increases?

Hell, why don't we run Palin? Barack "The Taxman" Obama isn't getting re-elected on that platform.

Posted by: 18-1 at May 05, 2011 06:08 AM (7BU4a)

56 Yes We Can raise your taxes and invent new ones.

Posted by: TheQuietMan at May 05, 2011 06:09 AM (1Jaio)

57 Well they can't very tax income when Osama has killed millions of jobs.

Posted by: FlaviusJulius at May 05, 2011 06:09 AM (qIHlG)

58 46 goober

maybe they'll install separate pumps......../ Mucho Gracias phoenixgirl. That will make my life easier. Will they change the instructions into spanish, wait, austrian to acommodate my speaking needs?

Posted by: Goober at May 05, 2011 06:09 AM (Q5+Og)

59 Obama Administration Considers Plan to Tax Cars by the Mile

You know damn well that even if the feds were to implement such a plan, the federal tax on gasoline per gallon sold wouldn't be eliminated...

Posted by: Blacque Jacques Shellacque at May 05, 2011 06:09 AM (gvBdW)

60 51 when high speed rail has to stop every 1/2 mile to load and unload passengers...is it still high speed?

Posted by: phoenixgirl at May 05, 2011 10:06 AM (eOXTH)

Trains can stop?

Posted by: Engineer Joey Biden at May 05, 2011 06:09 AM (c45xH)

61 My question is who will manufacture these trackers and how much did the donate to Obama?

Posted by: Buzzsaw at May 05, 2011 06:09 AM (tf9Ne)

62 I was trying to explain this to my mother the other day. She couldn't believe that the government would be that stupid. I reassured her that yes; yes they canÂ™.

Posted by: MWR at May 05, 2011 06:09 AM (4df7R)

63 Mitch Daniels phoned to say he's not ready to debate issues of fuel taxation, but avers that the climate is changing. NRO swooned when it heard his voice on the line, and texted all its friends to say "he called, he called!"

Posted by: George Orwell at May 05, 2011 06:10 AM (AZGON)

64 what 30 minutes and i'm first?

Posted by: Racefan at May 05, 2011 06:10 AM (PepOk)

65 The unemployed don't really need to travel far or often.

Posted by: FlaviusJulius at May 05, 2011 06:11 AM (qIHlG)

66 wtf.......... there were no comments.

Posted by: Racefan at May 05, 2011 06:11 AM (PepOk)

67 67 Back from the dispensary I see.

Posted by: FlaviusJulius at May 05, 2011 06:12 AM (qIHlG)

68 18.4 cents is fair. What gets me is those evil oil companies make about 3 cents a gallon profit. We must put a stop to that! That reminds me on a non sarcastic point. Remember that our most important conservative pundit, former democrat, Krauthammer, is for an increased gas tax. Okay that was sarcastic also.

Posted by: polynikes at May 05, 2011 06:12 AM (Tl9uk)

69 We need to tax all of these health freaks that are into that whole cardio thing, like exercise, or line, tuttie-fruttie, or dougie dancing.

Yeah, stop polluting my air!

Posted by: Fritz at May 05, 2011 06:13 AM (GwPRU)

Semi-related: Exactly how bad are the finance types thinking inflation is going to be if the stock market is only marginally off today following that horrific unmployment claims report?

The Obama Economy: WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE in every possible direction.

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at May 05, 2011 06:14 AM (B+qrE)

71 Be more than a mileage tracker. It'll be a full GPS, and will track your every move. Like your smartphone does now. Electronic sensors will enable the cops to be able to instantly flag cars with missing, altered, or disabled devices. Fines for not complying will be heavy, and will be levied on the owners of the vehicles, not the drivers. With such a program in place, who would drive a car anyplace they should not go?

Posted by: Post It Noter at May 05, 2011 06:14 AM (xhNbo)

Even silently wondering whether there might be a socialist in the WH is racist.

Anti-Russian or anti-Chinese?

Ya know, I think the proper response to racism claims re el Prez. is to loudly declare you have nothing against Hawaiians.

Posted by: Mama AJ at May 05, 2011 06:15 AM (XdlcF)

I love how liberal solution to every problem is more government, especially problems caused by too much government.

Especially when solutions like "lower taxes" and "less regulation"--i.e. conservative solutions-- are the ones that actually *work*.

Posted by: Lance McCormick at May 05, 2011 06:15 AM (zgHLA)

74 I don't see why people need to drive cars. They should just car-pool in rented limos, like me (the draft-dodger) and my draft-dodging friends.

Posted by: Draft-dodging Larry O'Donnell, who dodged the draft at May 05, 2011 06:16 AM (65RBP)

75 74 It is hard for commodities to tank and the stock market to collapse on the same day. Monday.

Posted by: FlaviusJulius at May 05, 2011 06:16 AM (qIHlG)

76 I'm sure some young staffer in the WH is feverishly working on a way to tax bicycle riders.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at May 05, 2011 06:16 AM (UOM48)

Trains can stop?

Quite suddenly at the bottom of the cliff, it turns out.

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at May 05, 2011 06:18 AM (B+qrE)

78 @48 - Some of us black folks work, too, and are not thrilled at the prospect of stupid new taxes.

Posted by: chique d'afrique (the artist formerly known as african chick) at May 05, 2011 06:18 AM (sG+Bw)

79 2 Marie,

I agree....go Barry GO!

75 PiN,
indeed....remember it is the GOP that wants to control your life....they want in your bedroom and stuff.....

(even though the people saying that want to play tonsil hockey and hide the meat pole in public)

//moonbat

Posted by: sven10077 at May 05, 2011 06:20 AM (kq1lG)

I love how liberals also won't consider reducing spending, or even the rate of spending.

And by "liberals" I mean "liberals and Republicans in office."

(Third time trying to post, hope it gets through. Do the hamsters need to be fed or something?)

Posted by: Lance McCormick at May 05, 2011 06:21 AM (zgHLA)

81 Only a gov't employee or politician could fail to understand that reducing the taxed consumption of anything by 20% results in tax revenues falling at the same rate. We should be cheering on the shrinking of government combined with increased productivity. Instead, we mourn "lost revenues". God.Help.Us.

Posted by: mark c at May 05, 2011 06:22 AM (SBIko)

82 Will the Repubs hold firm? If this year is evidence not a damn chance. It depends. There are normal cowardly Republicans and there are ultra-cowardly Republicans. Normal cowardly Republicans avoid fights on issues where they are against the vast majority of the American people, or against huge special interest groups like the AARP. Ultra-cowardly Republicans run screaming from every fight, including when they have the public solidly on their side. (Case in point: gun control, where Peter King was ready to throw in the towel over the murders in Tucson). It seems to me that normal cowardly Republicans could be persuaded to hold firm here. There isn't a lot of public support for higher gas taxes.

Posted by: Ken at May 05, 2011 06:22 AM (65RBP)

83 I think what we need to do is "ease" into this mileage tax. Therefore, I propose decree my new mileage tax will start at $50/mile.....and go up from there as I see fit (i.e. as I need more money to buy votes).

Thank you.......oh, yes.....and god bless america

Posted by: I Got Osama Obama at May 05, 2011 06:22 AM (w2++y)

84 Mileage tax for tread mills.

Posted by: FlaviusJulius at May 05, 2011 06:23 AM (qIHlG)

85 Man, y'all are turning into a fucking communist state.

Posted by: Canada at May 05, 2011 06:24 AM (TATbF)

86 indeed....remember it is the GOP that wants to control your life....they want in your bedroom and stuff..... (even though the people saying that want to play tonsil hockey and hide the meat pole in public) They also want to go "in your bedroom" to see if you have any guns, since guns are unsafe for ATF agents who are just peacefully trying to kill your wife and children.

Posted by: Ken at May 05, 2011 06:24 AM (65RBP)

Third time trying to post, hope it gets through

Second time for me...

Posted by: Mama AJ at May 05, 2011 06:24 AM (XdlcF)

88 89: get rid of gun registration and we'll talk.

Posted by: Ken at May 05, 2011 06:25 AM (65RBP)

Second time for me...

Posted by: Mama AJ at May 05, 2011 10:24 AM (XdlcF)

I'm going to take it as a sign from various gods I don't acknowledge the existence of that I should actually get some work done.

(I bet I'll be back in thrity minutes.)

Posted by: Lance McCormick at May 05, 2011 06:26 AM (zgHLA)

90 My flying car doesn't have an odometer. Suck it, Proggies.

Posted by: Fritz, inventin' shit at May 05, 2011 06:27 AM (GwPRU)

Do the hamsters need to be fed or something?

Taxed. They need to be taxed.

Posted by: HPA (Hampster Protection Agency) at May 05, 2011 06:27 AM (XdlcF)

92 Great. Just another way to make food prices go up. The long-haul drivers pay extra money, the fees are passed down to the consumer, and wham. The $20 salad. Good luck getting this through congress.

Posted by: Joejm65 at May 05, 2011 06:28 AM (BDB5n)

93 Herman Cain is sounding better and better. You will not hear much about him in the big media since they don't like his ideas. Well are we ready to dump them and spread the word ourselves? I have to research Gary Johnson too, Cain seemed a bit naive in some of his proposals but then campaign rhetoric too.

Posted by: palerider at May 05, 2011 06:30 AM (FBj6Z)

94 what did we lose a war or something? That's not America, that's not even Mexico. The GOP should use the last 3 years as a rallying cry at every election, "you gave teh democrats power and within a year they'd spent all our money and by the end of that time, they started looking for every little nickel to tax."

Posted by: joeindc44 at May 05, 2011 06:30 AM (Du09Y)

95 82 Some of us black folks work, too Pics or it never happened

Posted by: Pat Buchanan at May 05, 2011 06:31 AM (xSuUJ)

96 That reminds me on a non sarcastic point. Remember that our most important conservative pundit, former democrat, Krauthammer, is for an increased gas tax. Okay that was sarcastic also. I'd be fine with Krauthammer if he was presented as what he is: a moderate liberal who is a hawk on national security. The problems are that (1) many Republicans are so desperate to create the impression of making progress, politically, that they will accept any convert from the Democrats, even if the convert is only switching parties on very narrow grounds and is still a Democrat on most issues; and (2) many of the people hailing him as a new "conservative" frankly aren't that conservative themselves. The average "conservative" pundit on Fox News, and even more so on the other networks, might score fairly high on a questionnaire from the America Conservative Union. However, on most issues, his support would be a mile wide and an inch deep, and given the slightest nudge, he'd be willing to compromise it away.

Posted by: Ken at May 05, 2011 06:31 AM (65RBP)

97 89: get rid of gun registration and we'll talk.<<< Oh, like Illinois and New York and California? We'll get right on that, chief, considering we've got a Conservative majority, it's more likely to happen than Illinois dropping FOID cards or New York dropping its handgun ban.

Posted by: Canada at May 05, 2011 06:32 AM (OW0nw)

98 Hot on the heels of "Project Geronimo", we get "Project Fuckawe".

Posted by: mark c at May 05, 2011 06:32 AM (SBIko)

99 Actually, EmpireofJeff, I suspect that New York will be losing its handgun ban, per court action, whether it wants to or not. Illinois is a harder case, but gun owners have been on the offensive nationwide, and right now the IL legislature is within sight of a supermajority to overrule Gov. Quinn's veto of concealed carry. So don't be so sure. As for Canada's Conservative majority, look at the history of the Progressive Conservative Party before you get too confident.

Posted by: Ken at May 05, 2011 06:36 AM (65RBP)

100 Will there be an exception for the transport of food to the coastal, liberal cities?

Posted by: t-bird at May 05, 2011 06:38 AM (FcR7P)

101
Will the federal government tax its own vehicles?

How about federal government contractors who normally get reimbursed for mileage?

Not to mention local governments/contractors.

The FUBAR possibilities are endless.

Posted by: Ed Anger at May 05, 2011 06:38 AM (7+pP9)

102 103 Actually, EmpireofJeff, I suspect that New York will be losing its handgun ban, per court action, whether it wants to or not. Illinois is a harder case, but gun owners have been on the offensive nationwide, and right now the IL legislature is within sight of a supermajority to overrule Gov. Quinn's veto of concealed carry. So don't be so sure.

As for Canada's Conservative majority, look at the history of the Progressive Conservative Party before you get too confident.

Illinois may lose theirs as part of the court rulings on Chicago's ban, especially since Daley, before he left, decided to thumb his nose at the courts and say "We're still not going to let people have guns" despite a ruling that their current plan was a violation of the 2nd Amendment.

Posted by: Brandon In Baton Rouge at May 05, 2011 06:41 AM (UvFnc)

103 103 Ken,

while I agree that historically the Conservatives in canada have been $ociali$t lite I think the new generation will be at least as Conservative as the '80s Blue Dogs.....

I am giving serious thought to migrating to Canada by the end of this decade and trying to hustle up work in the shale fields.

Posted by: sven10077 at May 05, 2011 06:42 AM (kq1lG)

104 Unemployment up, New Tax Plan, first Repub debate....

Time to change the news and spike the football at Ground Zero.

Posted by: Prez Bin Oschemer at May 05, 2011 06:43 AM (IXLvN)

105 I heard they renamed it operation drunken savage.

Posted by: FlaviusJulius at May 05, 2011 06:44 AM (qIHlG)

106 The JEF really hates working people and families doesn't he......

Posted by: NotAMolly at May 05, 2011 06:47 AM (ADJFU)

107 Just like BarryCare there will be tons of exemptions starting with the unions and anyone in government

Posted by: TheQuietMan at May 05, 2011 06:47 AM (1Jaio)

108 Day 1: fuck obama Day 2: praise obama(sort of) Day 3: fuck obama

Posted by: sTevo at May 05, 2011 06:48 AM (hiMsy)

109 Well, I'll be damned. The more rural you are, the redder your vote, the more this fucks you...

Posted by: El JEFe at May 05, 2011 06:50 AM (FcR7P)

110 What if you don't drive on the Interstate highway? At least with a gas excise tax, the feds have the interstate commerce clause to justify their taxing authority.

Posted by: toby928™ at May 05, 2011 06:54 AM (GTbGH)

111
Posted by: Post It Noter at May 05, 2011 10:14 AM (xhNbo)

It would make more sense for them to just issue travel papers, you know, internal passports. Then they could put together a massive Department of Internal Travel to check your papers at every off-ramp. Of course, these checkpoints would need to be manned.

Instant full-employment!!!!

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at May 05, 2011 06:59 AM (7YzRS)

112 The Dems really don't understand economics in the slightest, do they.

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at May 05, 2011 07:02 AM (tBDs3)

113 I think this is a great idea. Then more people will ride bicycles to do there daily tasks. People will also be healthier, less pollution, less dependence on oil, less traffic, and less people being killed by auto accidents. Once again Presadent Obama is way ahead of the rest of us when it comes to great ideas......

Posted by: Mary Clogginstein from Brattleboro, VT at May 05, 2011 07:06 AM (48wze)

114 116 The Dems really don't understand economics in the slightest, do they.

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at May 05, 2011 11:02 AM (tBDs3)

Demonomics: 1. raise taxes 2. usage/revenue goes down . 3. raise taxes

Posted by: Lemmiwinks at May 05, 2011 07:07 AM (pdRb1)

115 I recall there was a pilot program to do this sort of thing in Oregon, to tax drivers based on miles traveled, not based on gallons consumed. Of course, to do this, the drivers had to have GPS devices installed in their cars so that the state could track how many miles they could travel. And we know the state would never ever ever abuse that data.... Oh, and the explicit purpose of the program is not to raise money, but to manipulate behavior - to get you to drive less.

Posted by: chemjeff at May 05, 2011 07:13 AM (czcue)

116

Sounds like they want to punish/tax the people that live in Fly Over Country. People that walk or ride the subway would not be taxed. Only people that live in the Red States that have to drive everywhere they go woiuld pay the milage tax. They have moved beyond Class Warfare to Regional Warfare.

Posted by: PaulC at May 05, 2011 07:15 AM (q/kmn)

117 There is no more Progressive Conservative party. Hasn't been since 2003. Plus, you might want to look at new Toronto mayor Rob Ford's approval numbers: over 70%. ~$550 billion federal debt vs. ~$14.5 trillion federal debt. An overwhelming right majority in the House of Commons and PM's office, the only two bodies that mean a fucking thing up here. That means the NDP and Liberals have NO say. None. A currency that isn't getting more worthless by the second. I'm more confident about the direction of this country than my own.

Posted by: Empire of Jeff at May 05, 2011 07:17 AM (TATbF)

118

May 5 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. consumer confidence dropped to a five-week low as the highest gasoline prices in almost three years soured AmericansÂ’ views of the buying climate.

The Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index decreased to minus 46.2 in the week ended May 1, the lowest level since the end of March, from minus 45.1 the prior period. The buying climate gauge slumped to its second-lowest level in 15 months.

Gasoline that on May 3 reached $3.98 a gallon, its highest since July 2008, may prompt Americans to cut back on the spending that makes up 70 percent of the economy.

Now is the time for a new tax on driving!!!!!

Posted by: TheQuietMan at May 05, 2011 07:24 AM (1Jaio)

119 Speaking of driving if we taxed Barry for every hole of golf he plays the country would be swimming in money

Posted by: TheQuietMan at May 05, 2011 07:25 AM (1Jaio)

120 Come on Mr. Empire. The same thing occured in the 30s. Canada was spared the depression. The fact is that Canada is a ten speed bike while the USA is a finicky Ferrari. It's easier to maintain and repair but it ain't a Ferrari.

Posted by: polynikes at May 05, 2011 07:26 AM (Tl9uk)

121 120Sounds like they want to punish/tax the people that live in Fly Over Country. People that walk or ride the subway would not be taxed. Only people that live in the Red States that have to drive everywhere they go woiuld pay the milage tax. They have moved beyond Class Warfare to Regional Warfare.

This.

Posted by: Hey.Wheres.Barry at May 05, 2011 07:28 AM (gQLr2)

122

Hmmm... this is not a Tax on Income... it will not be a capitated Tax... its not even a tax on an Item....

So, just where will Congress get the CONSTITUTIONAL authority to tax our movement?

Posted by: Romeo13 at May 05, 2011 07:29 AM (NtXW4)

123

Then more people will ride bicycles to do there daily tasks.

Like plowing or interstate trucking for instance.

Yes, yes, I know it was a sock.

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at May 05, 2011 07:49 AM (B+qrE)

124 #117 Tongue firmly in cheek, right?

Posted by: mueller at May 05, 2011 08:04 AM (QO+2f)

125 121 EoJ,

a nation of conservationalists who understand that you have to harvest cheap energy and balance that harvesting with decent enviro stewardship where it does not impede economic growth.....

yeah I am thinking if canada wanted to and was willing to accept the changes that would come there would be a MASSIVE American exodus up there next week if they'd let us have on the spot dual-citizenship like existed prior to WW1.

Posted by: sven10077 at May 05, 2011 08:13 AM (kq1lG)

126 128 #117 Tongue firmly in cheek, right? Posted by: mueller at May 05, 2011 12:04 PM (QO+2f) I'm pretty sure ol' Mary is a sock, but sometimes I wonder. If it's a sock, whoever the sockpuppeteer is really knows his lefties.

Posted by: joncelli at May 05, 2011 08:24 AM (RD7QR)

127 It has been said before and it will be said again: Fuck Obama

Posted by: Killerdog at May 05, 2011 08:34 AM (lwdIV)

128 Well the first casualty of all this will be the Democratic Inner Cities. Office jobs will move to the burbs if the cost of the 2 hour commutes becomes prohibited.

Posted by: Oldcat at May 05, 2011 08:37 AM (z1N6a)

129 Illinois may lose theirs as part of the court rulings on Chicago's ban, especially since Daley, before he left, decided to thumb his nose at the courts and say "We're still not going to let people have guns" despite a ruling that their current plan was a violation of the 2nd Amendment.

Posted by: Brandon In Baton Rouge at May 05, 2011 10:41 AM (UvFnc)

Funny, when I lived in Chicago I could hear 'happy gunfire' every holiday from those guns that aren't there.

Posted by: Oldcat at May 05, 2011 08:41 AM (z1N6a)

130 Per-mile taxes based on GPS receivers give them all sorts of other ways to meddle in your life and tell you what to do. For example, "congestion pricing" if you drive downtown. That would be the start. You can imagine the rest: being a suburban resident pricing. Long, aimless road trip pricing. Extra pricing for not having a vehicle from a government-owned company. They like the telling-you-what-you-should-do part a lot.

Posted by: Ernst Blofeld at May 05, 2011 08:49 AM (XZWie)

131 How about they stop diverting gas tax funds to subsidize light rail and urban buses? That would take the strain off of the highway budgets.

Posted by: Vashta Nerada at May 05, 2011 08:52 AM (CpbrP)

132 Surely the only way this idea could be put into practice would be if every vehicle in america was fitted with a tracking system to judge the mileage actually driven. The infrastructure cost of this would be huge, as would the intrusion upon everyones daily life.

Posted by: digdeep at May 05, 2011 09:18 AM (V62Oc)

133 I did the math.

For an average passenger car, using regular unleaded gas, for every 100 miles driven:- about $2.12 is paid to local/state/federal governments.- about $0.81 of that figure goes to the federal excise tax.
"Not enough", says Obama!

Calculations are based on national averages for taxes, etc..

Posted by: KG at May 05, 2011 09:21 AM (Hu5B6)

134 >> "increase public awareness regarding the need for an alternative funding source for surface transportation programs" In other words, this is exactly the same bullshit a lot of cities pull when they're hurting for money: identify the services that most people agree are necessary and legitimate, like road repairs and cops and firemen, and hold a knife to their necks, while never budging an inch on any of the non-essential programs they have no business funding in the first place. Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Posted by: The Chap in the Deerstalker Cap at May 05, 2011 09:25 AM (qndXR)

135 I have 10 5 gallon army surplus gas cans. try to tax me, shitface. It ain't rocket science.

Posted by: tangonine at May 05, 2011 09:39 AM (x3YFz)

136 How to lose an election, brought to you by Barak (dumbass) Obama.

Posted by: tangonine at May 05, 2011 09:42 AM (x3YFz)

137 I hope he pursues this with vigor. I hope he just keeps doubling down on stupid till fall 2012. This idiot could fuck up an anvil.

Posted by: tangonine at May 05, 2011 09:43 AM (x3YFz)

138 I just paid 70 bucks to fill up the tank on a mid size sedan. Henry Ford was the guy who put the automobile into the hands of the working man. President Obama is acting like he wants to be the guy who takes it back.

Posted by: WHTAFT at May 05, 2011 10:04 AM (6AUfb)

139 If you're driving an all-electric car powered by your own private solar farm and wind turbines, you're spitting out zero carbon emissions, reversing global warming, justifying electric car subsidies, improving our balance of payments and defunding Islamist oil regimes. At an aggregate marginal cost per mile of about $1.20.

And now, golly, you're the hardest hit by Barry's new miles-traveled tax.

No ecofriendly nonsense goes unpunished.

Posted by: Little Miss Spellcheck at May 05, 2011 10:12 AM (xqhoO)

140 This is nothing new. Ray LaHood floated this dog of a bill back in 2009. Google" LaHood mileage tax".

Posted by: soozer at May 05, 2011 10:36 AM (OnRdm)

141 (If you drive a car), IÂ’ll tax the street,
(If you try to sit), IÂ’ll tax your seat,
(If you get too cold), IÂ’ll tax the heat,
(If you take a walk ), IÂ’ll tax your feet.

Posted by: George Obama Harrison at May 05, 2011 11:09 AM (k8LtX)

142 Uuuh, I think he stole this from Governor Moonbeam in Kaleeforni-a. Seriously. Brilliant psychos think alike and all that.

Posted by: Mrs. Spank at May 05, 2011 12:04 PM (8DdAv)

143 All drivers use the road, so all should pay some taxes, but the Feds need to refocus the federal gas tax to highway-only projects, and not siphon off money for rail projects, bike or hiking paths, etc. As we move to a time when more and more vehicles are powered by alternative fuels, we need to figure out a way to tax the alternative-fueled vehicles so the drivers pay for their share of road use, but mileage driven is overkill and reeks of "big brother-ism" I would propose the following: Pure gasoline, diesel, bio-diesel, E85, or CNG powered cars can be taxed at the pump, as usual, at a certain dollar value per gallon. In effect, you are paying taxes for the energy you consume. Hybrids and pure-electrics, with their heavy use of computers, could easily calculate energy consumed since last "fill up", and that energy consumption could be converted to the equivalent number of "gallons" of gas, and the "gas tax" could be applied to that. In the case of hybrids, this information could be calculated during every fill-up, with the driver having an additional penny or two of tax per gallon added (or whatever is the difference between "equivalent gallons" and "actual" gallons). For pure electrics, the charging stations at home or in public places could do this calculation, with the tax added to the household electric bill if charged at home, or to the "energy charge" at a public facility. This type of system would not require the mileage to be disclosed, only the amount of energy used.

Posted by: Reno_Dave at May 05, 2011 12:35 PM (Ioz69)

144 The more I think about it, in the case of pure electrics, all the charging station would have to know was that the electricity was going into a car, and that energy input could be converted into equivalent gallons, and then the appropriate gas tax applied. This would require an electric car owner to have a smart charging station installed at their home, but something like that is practically required in order to get charge times down to a reasonable amount of time.

Posted by: Reno_Dave at May 05, 2011 12:55 PM (Ioz69)

145 It seems to me that they will remove the biggest motivation for alt energy transportation. Ever meet a Prius or Mini Cooper owner that didn't brag about how much money they save driving a car the size of an SUV's dump? Next up would be a "sin tax" on hydrocarbon powered cars. Pit the Volt and Prius owners against the evil gas guzzlers. It worked with cigs and booze.

Posted by: mark c at May 05, 2011 02:17 PM (SBIko)

146 Shame what happened to my odometer. Never seen nothing like it. And fourteen black boxes in a row...go figure.

Posted by: Ken at May 05, 2011 02:53 PM (fFh95)

147 I don't even know why President Mad a Poopie even BOTHERS with this insanity. The House is NOT going to pass any manner of gasoline tax - EVER. Does Obama really think he is scoring points by threatening to raise everyone's taxes ? Pretty sure you LOSE points doing that.

Posted by: deadrody at May 05, 2011 03:36 PM (GJhuj)

148 How about "fuck you?" How does "fuck you" sound as an answer?

Because I think I'm gonna go with "fuck you."

Posted by: Merovign, Dark Lord of the Sith at May 05, 2011 04:38 PM (WOjmd)

149 Leave it to a liberal demacrat to come up with even more stupid and rediclous taxes to enrich his royal vualts i mean remember it was a tax on tea that triggered the AMERICAN REVOLUTION whats needed is a HOT AIR TAX on GORE,STRONG,SUZUKI,GREEN PEACE, and the rest of the eco-wackos

Posted by: Spurwing Plover at May 05, 2011 08:34 PM (vA9ld)

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