Stein on Gas Tax to pay for SS

[elroy]

A couple of nights ago I was watching O'reily Factor with Ben Stein. He actually proposed increasing federal tax on gasoline to pay for the shortfall ahead in SS. His reasoning was that increased revenue must be raised for SS and by raising it with an increased gasoline tax it would force us to conserve more and decrease our dependancy on imported oil. Maybe not the only answer but I don't see a down side to this logic. I wonder what amout of tax increase on a gallon of gasoline it would take to keep SS solvent?

 

[Nords]

A couple of nights ago I was watching O'reily Factor with Ben Stein.  He actually proposed increasing federal tax on gasoline to pay for the shortfall ahead in SS.   His reasoning was that increased revenue must be raised for SS and by raising it with an increased gasoline tax it would force us to conserve more and decrease our dependancy on imported oil.   Maybe not the only answer but I don't see a down side to this logic.  I wonder what amout of tax increase on a gallon of gasoline it would take to keep SS solvent? 

Darn, I was hoping to do it by taxing cigarettes & hard liquor... and anyone driving a car bigger than mine or with lower gas mileage, and anyone living in a house bigger than mine. Especially those people in Hawaii Kai & Aina Haina-- because they must be rich if they're living there!

 

[youbet]

Darn, I was hoping to do it by taxing cigarettes & hard liquor...

Naw.........  tax cigarettes and wine over $5 a bottle.  Leave the single malts, sour mash and clear spirits alone.  There're expensive enough as it is for us downtrodden blue collar types.  The uppity, elite expensive wine drinkers can well afford additional tax on their wines!   

 

[elroy]

If we tax our vices we all may live longer further burdening our poor SS system. But it may help reduce our medicare funding issue!

 

[LOL!]

Does Andrew Tobias have dibs on the gas tax? He was going to use it to pay for auto insurance.

 

[Rustic23]

Downsize is as people use less gas, there will be less funds available for SS and the National Highway Fund, you know the fund that is where the money is suppose to go now. There is already schemes to tax you by the mile driven instead of the gas tax. Government is well aware of hybrid cars and trucks and the drop in taxes is expected. So we bring in ethanol, hybrids, fuel cells, solar and who knows what else and what are you going to tax to pay for SS. Don’t worry government will find a way to tax someone just not you and I. You know like business or corporations or rich people!

 

[youbet]

Don’t worry government will find a way to tax someone just not you and I. You know like business or corporations or rich people!

Government will find a way to confiscate and redistribute wealth from downtrodden blue collar Americans to rich, elitist liberals.  Then, they'll find a way to redistribute it some other way.  But they'll always be redistributing.  It's what they do, their job description.

 

[retire@40]

A couple of nights ago I was watching O'reily Factor with Ben Stein.  He actually proposed increasing federal tax on gasoline to pay for the shortfall ahead in SS.

Same idea, different person.  Ross Perot proposed a 50 cent/gallon increase back in 1992.  And that's when gasoline prices were much lower.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Government will find a way to confiscate and redistribute wealth from downtrodden blue collar Americans to rich, elitist liberals.  Then, they'll find a way to redistribute it some other way.  But they'll always be redistributing.  It's what they do, their job description.

Huh? I've heard liberals called alot of names among stereotypers, but now the rich are the liberals? Like the oil barons, Microsoft millionaires, Buffett etc. ? And will my less financially blessed friends start assuming I am liberal because I'm "rich" in their eyes?  And now all these millionaire ERs around here are automatically liberal?

I'd better go back and check Wikipedia. I always thought the rich were the corporate friends of W and Dick, and the downtrodden were advocated for by the liberals.

Getting hard to follow without a playbill . Maybe, just maybe, glib sterotyping just doesn't work any more...

 

[Coach]

Same idea, different person. Ross Perot proposed a 50 cent/gallon increase back in 1992. And that's when gasoline prices were much lower.

And well before that, John Anderson in the 1980 presidential election supported a 50 cent per gallon gasoline tax to bolster SS.

Coach

 

[youbet]

Huh? I've heard liberals called alot of names among stereotypers, but now the rich are the liberals?
Getting hard to follow without a playbill . Maybe, just maybe, glib sterotyping just doesn't work any more...

Rich, lots of liberals have money.  And those with money seem to have developed elitist attitudes looking down their noses at the work-a-day lower middle class and speaking of them with great distain.  The stereotype is to automatically assume someone who labels him/herself liberal as an advocate of the working class. Not necessarily true.  They're more likely to view blue collar types with disgust and mock their culture and their heritage.

But I promised myself less political discussion on this board, so that's all I have to say about that.

 

 

[razztazz]

They're more likely to view blue collar types with disgust and mock their culture and their heritage.

Just like Rich Conservatives. These "elitist rich" types have a whole lot more in common with each other than they'll ever admit. They're both just jerking around the Lesser-Thans on an as-needed basis for political reasons. NOT social, economic, or moral reasons.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Rich, lots of liberals have money. And those with money seem to have developed elitist attitudes looking down their noses at the work-a-day lower middle class and speaking of them with great distain. The stereotype is to automatically assume someone who labels him/herself liberal as an advocate of the working class. Not necessarily true. They're more likely to view blue collar types with disgust and mock their culture and their heritage.

Well, OK.

I just try to keep an open mind.

 

[Martha]

Rich, lots of liberals have money. And those with money seem to have developed elitist attitudes looking down their noses at the work-a-day lower middle class and speaking of them with great distain. The stereotype is to automatically assume someone who labels him/herself liberal as an advocate of the working class. Not necessarily true. They're more likely to view blue collar types with disgust and mock their culture and their heritage.

But I promised myself less political discussion on this board, so that's all I have to say about that.

I wonder about this elistist attitude issue. I have heard this several times but I don't know any liberals like that. I am a liberal.

Webster's dictionary defintion of liberal:
Liberal
(lib'er el, lib'rel), adj 1. favorable to progress or reform, as in political or religious affairs. 2. (often cap.) noting or pertaining to a political party advocating measures of progressive political reform. 3. of, pertaining to, based on, or advocating liberalism. 4. Favorable to or in accord with concepts of maximum individual freedom possible, esp. as guaranteed by law and secured by governmental protection of civil liberties 5. favoring of permitting freedom of action, esp. with respect to matters of personal belief or expression: a liberal policy toward dissident artists and writers. 6. of or pertaining to representational forms of government rather than aristocracies and monarchies. 7. Free from prejudice or bigotry; tolerant: a liberal attitude toward foreigners. 8. open-minded or tolerant, esp. free of or not bound by traditional or conventional ideas, values, etc. 9. characterized by generosity and willingness to give in large amounts: A liberal donor 10. given freely or abundantly; generous: a liberal donation. 11. not strict or rigorous; free; not literal: a liberal interpretation of a rule. 12. of, pertaining to, or based on the liberal arts. 13. of, or pertaining to, or befitting a freeman. -n 14. a person of liberal principles or views, esp. in politics or religion. 15. (often cap.) a member of a liberal party in politics, esp. of the Liberal party in Great Britain. [1325-75; ME < L liberalis of freedom, befitting the free, equiv. to liber free + -alis -al] –lib'er-al-ly, adv –lib'er›al›ness, n

These definitions are inconsistent with being elitist.

Rich says he tries to have an open mind. I find that attitude very liberal.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

I am a liberal....Rich says he tries to have an open mind. I find that attitude very liberal.

Pssst... I support national health care. I come from Wisconsin - Peoples Republic of Madison, no less. Own two pair of Birkenstocks (OK, they're ancient and I don't wear them with socks) .

 

[HFWR]

Birkenstocks... Pffft... I have some Earth shoes... O0

 

[Martha]

I have seven pairs of Birkenstocks. Don't tell Greg. Or HaHa.

I must be part of the liberal elite.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

I have seven pairs of Birkenstocks. Don't tell Greg. Or HaHa.
I must be part of the liberal elite.

Or the liberal effete - Spiro Agnew (pun intended).

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Birkenstocks... Pffft... I have some Earth shoes... O0

Ya know, they are making a comeback. I saw them in a shoe store in DC last week. Same deal: heels lower than the toes, still look weird. Not sure my aging feet can handle those any more.

 

[astromeria]

Elitists buy shoes imported from EU countries. Real Americans buy shoes imported from Asia and Latin America. Get the difference? I thought so!

 

[HFWR]

Hey, my New Balance were made in the good ol' US of A (from imported materials)...

 

[youbet]

Hey, my New Balance were made in the good ol' US of A (from imported materials)... 

In a union shop I hope!

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

...staffed by illegal immigrants

 

[youbet]

Whatever, as long as they're carrying their union card and paying their dues and we get to help 'em vote!  And they agree to the right definition of CPI and don't try to sell annuities to unsuspecting citizens. I hate those annuity selling illegals!

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I wonder if you can buy an educational savings annuity that helps defer your social security with benefits paid out only to illegal aliens who dont use housing, energy or eat food.