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How does gas at $4 and higher impact you?

2183 messages,  Last post on Nov 21, 2009 at 5:13 PM

You are in the Automotive News & Views Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & claires

What is this discussion about? Gasoline, Fuel Efficiency (MPG)


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#1943 of 2183
by dave8697
Jan 17, 2009 (12:58 pm)
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We saw last summer that high enough gas prices influence consumer behavior. In the spring and summer when gas prices peaked, consumers dashed to small, more fuel-efficient vehicles. As soon as they subsided from their peaks, we saw consumers ease back to higher gas-consuming SUVs and trucks.
 
Is this true? Truck and larger SUV sales are climbing when December '08 is compared to Feb '08? (before run up to after run down in fuel prices).
 
When gas goes up, food does too. Tax food more? 47 million don't have health care and our biggest concern is if the carpenter driving to work to make money to feed his 8 kids in -10 degree weather in Minnesota is paying enough gas tax to be pushed into an econobox that costs 5x what his pickup is worth, and do what with his ladder and the plywood?
#1944 of 2183
silver lining by dave8697
Jan 17, 2009 (1:02 pm)
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We wouldn't want the new Civic factory to not be running at full capacity. They do it right in Japan. Shouldn't we maximize how much profits we send there?
#1945 of 2183
Re: [dave8697] by oldfarmer50
Jan 17, 2009 (3:21 pm)
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Replying to: dave8697 (Jan 17, 2009 12:58 pm)

"...The carpenter driving to work to make money to feed his 8 kids in -10 degree weather..."
 
You don't understand, the proponents of these taxing schemes could care less what happens to these "little people". they would gladly sacrifice you, me and your little dog too. The motivation may be personal greed, desire for power or some misguided notion of saving the planet, but make no mistake, they will walk over anyone to achieve their goals.
#1946 of 2183
Re: [oldfarmer50] by gagrice
Jan 17, 2009 (4:10 pm)
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Replying to: oldfarmer50 (Jan 17, 2009 3:21 pm)

This whole misconception about the "common good" is a horrible. Just reading John Adams. He was appalled at the results of the French Revolution where the Common Good was used to chop off anyone's head that did not agree with what they were doing.
 
There is little difference with taxation to control behavior. Once they tax fuel out of the reach of the masses, they will find out what rebellion is.
#1947 of 2183
Re: [oldfarmer50] by boaz47
Jan 17, 2009 (4:48 pm)
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Replying to: oldfarmer50 (Jan 17, 2009 3:21 pm)

I have to agree it is cold hearted to believe that you have to hurt the income of others to force them into habits you already ascribe to. The strongest people pushing for increased gas tax are the ones that ran out and bought small cars and are disappointed when not"enough" people followed their example. Because they can't be the "leader" they want to punish anyone who doesn't see things their way. They know higher fuel taxes will not benefit the working man or the person working at the local Taco Bell but so what? When the code words are used, "everyone may have to suffer for a better tomorrow", it translates to, the other people that didn't follow my example have to be made to pay for ignoring my wisdom. Think about what isn't being done with your tax money now. In California they are telling us they may give us IOUs rather than tax refunds because they are so over worked they can't agree on a budget.
 
what would we gain by higher fuel taxes? We gave a trillion dollars to the banks and they aren't lending money anyway. They are using the money to buy out other banks but that was a trillion of our tax dollars they tossed down the drain. To top it off their corporate fuel expenses and tax deductible so raising fuel taxes isn't going to effect then one little bit. "Fire up the Lear George I want to fly to Atlanta for dinner." These are the people that we should want to give more of our taxes to? What are we missing? If people can't afford to drive to work with a car they already have because gas costs $2.00 a gallon what good is it going to do if they have to pay $3.00 or $3.50? And if they can't afford the $3.50 a gallon how in Gods green earth are they going to afford 20K for a new car that gets a bit better fuel mileage but now takes more expensive fuel?
 
I saw again, the incoming president said this week we need tax relief and stimulus packages and we need them now. Where does that leave increasing fuel taxes? Give to the right hand and take from the left? The very idea of increasing fuel taxes at this time is cruel.
#1948 of 2183
Re: [boaz47] by gagrice
Jan 17, 2009 (8:45 pm)
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Replying to: boaz47 (Jan 17, 2009 4:48 pm)

they want to punish anyone who doesn't see things their way.
 
They would accept the punishment of higher gas taxes themselves for the sick pleasure they get watching the guy in a Hummer filling up with $100 worth of gas. My response to those that want higher gas tax. Catch the next flight to London. There are plenty each day. You can waste money on gas tax till your heart is satisfied then come home to the good ole USA and keep your stupid ideas to yourself. Our politicians do not need help thinking of ways to screw US out of our hard earned money.
#1949 of 2183
Re: [gagrice] by larsb
Jan 19, 2009 (5:57 am)
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Replying to: gagrice (Jan 17, 2009 4:10 pm)

Gary says, "This whole misconception about the "common good" is a horrible....."
 
A horrible what?
 
Anyway, here are two worlds. Which would you rather live in?
 
1. World where every man fends for himself. No laws, no guvmints, no organizations. Ultimate freedom. Anyone can kill or be killed at random.
 
2. World where the people work together, share in the bounty and the work and are protected from killing one another by laws.
 
If you think #1 is best, then you were born about 5,000 years too late.
 
As far as how expensive gas affects me? Without high prices I tend to waste money and gas more freely and successfully rationalize it based on "at least it's not $4 a gallon anymore!"
#1950 of 2183
Re: [larsb] by kernick
Jan 19, 2009 (6:39 am)
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Replying to: larsb (Jan 19, 2009 5:57 am)

If you think #1 is best,...
 
Come on larsb; if you want us to think you intelligent use proper grammar - "Better" for a comparision of 2 things; "best" is for 3 or more.
 
Also you should know what you list are just the extremes on a pendulum. There are a lot of options in-between. This country was founded on being slightly closer to 1 than 2. There are basic laws set, with a multitude of rights for individual freedom - which don't necessarily mean people act for the greater-good, or for everyone's incomes to be the same.
 
Now I and everyone else who is not wealthy, and heat with oil do not want high prices. Personally I use as much or more oil for heating, than transportation. Also my electric company was looking for a 10% rate hike due to the high cost of oil, but have since reduced that to 3%. This leads me to believe that some of our electric power generation is coming from burning oil.
#1951 of 2183
Re: [kernick] by larsb
Jan 19, 2009 (6:49 am)
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Replying to: kernick (Jan 19, 2009 6:39 am)

I was making the point to Gary that his "horrible" is a bad word to use when describing a world where the common good is IMPORTANT.
 
Not PRIORITY #1, but very IMPORTANT.
#1952 of 2183
Re: [larsb] by gagrice
Jan 19, 2009 (7:03 am)
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Replying to: larsb (Jan 19, 2009 6:49 am)

Lenin, Marx and Mao all formed their government ideas on that grounds, THE COMMON GOOD. Just like a pure Democracy, it takes the rights of the individual for the common good. I prefer a Republic which we are, that is supposed to protect the individual from the common mob rule. Common Good is not necessarily a good thing. A bus wasting fossil fuel running around town with 3 or 4 people was conceived for the Common Good. The bus comes through our town several times a day. I have NEVER seen more than 4 people on that bus. They have cut back service recently which is a step in the right direction. The transit companies should consolidate their routes and eliminate the ones that are not filling the buses. It will come to that. Just as air service into small cities has all but been eliminated. We have too much waste in public transportation across the country. And it really kills the local budgets when the price of fuel goes higher. So you can take that Common Good experiment and toss it out the window. It is a failure in all but the largest cities in the USA.

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