Posted on 05/03/2006 8:15:53 AM PDT by Crackingham
Republicans on Capitol Hill are deeply divided over how to respond to escalating gasoline prices, with some proposing new taxes on oil companies, some calling for investigations and others willing to ride out the storm on the forces of the free market.
No Republican plan has gathered as much attention as the multipronged proposal made last week by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and other Senate Republicans that would give increasingly frustrated drivers $100 rebates, use federal tax law to encourage development of refineries and hybrid vehicles and allow the president to tighten fuel-economy rules.
"The really insulting part of the whole proposal was that somebody would offer $100 to every American family over this," House Majority Leader John A. Boehner said yesterday. "This is not going to solve the problem."
Asked whether there was some tension with his Senate counterpart, the Ohio Republican replied, "No, I just think that trying to satisfy voters with a $100 voucher is insulting. I didn't know it was Frist. It doesn't make any difference who it is. I'm not referring to him. I don't like the proposal, as you can probably tell."
The proposal also ran afoul of Republican allies in the corporate world, who said a provision on how to count petroleum inventories for tax purposes would essentially amount to a multibillion-dollar tax increase on oil companies and others who maintain large reserves.
Mr. Frist was sticking to his $100 rebate, referring the proposal dealing with inventories to the Senate Budget Committee "so the pluses and minuses of the provision can become well-known." It is widely expected among Republicans that the provision will die there.
(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...
They appear to be split on a lot of issues lately, what's going on?
Bomb Iran!
Advice to congress..."Get the hell out of the way"!
Good Advice!
Sorry, but $100 doesn't satisfy anyone except those who will run out and spend it on crack.
Drop the Clinton tax for starters.
"Advice to congress..."Get the hell out of the way"!"
Their inablity to act will allow more than a few of them to get out of the way come November.
I can't understand the point of both inventory taxes and sales taxes. That is double taxation.
What, when touched by Congress, has ever been fixed? These bozos can't do anything right. All they do is sit in that three-ring circus called Capitol Hill and perform tricks for the Drive-By Media.
The feds make more money on gas taxes than exon why would anyone think they will change,but DC will still crank out tha same old BS to the press because it sounds like congress will do somthing about gas prices.
It's a sad day when you have Republicans proposing new taxes, phony and insulting $100 rebates (funded by the HUGE gas taxes already being imposed on us), or anything other than free market forces to deal with the price of oil.
Will somebody please explain the difference between Republicans and Democrats these days? I'm having a hard time seeing it right now.
1) drill
2) build refineries
3) make elevated bike roads, so you don't risk maiming or death to ride a bike to work
4) promote hybrids
5) tax vehicle weight
What's $100 going to do? Just give them more taxes later to slap in their pockets? They need to cut down on other taxes and fees they grab on: fuel, telephones/cell phones, electricity, and a number of other utilities. We end up paying triple taxes on some ites. $100 barely pays the taxes/extra fees on those things for one month.
Much of Congress is SO out of touch.
Course there could be a shadow government.. directing all this confusion to appear like confusion..
Unbelievable. This is a no brainer.
Repeal the gas taxes.
This is really okay.
I've accepted it.
It's quite clear that Republicans don't know how to govern as a Majority. It's quite clear when they attempt to do so their default position is liberalism. So I'd rather they remain divided and absolutely do nothing so that we minimize damage.
Just go home Republicans.
Close up shop, admit you are failures at leadership, and spend time with ordinary Americans in your districts/states. Maybe if your lucky some of them will agree to mentor you on areas in which you are weak. It's quite clear to me given the state of the economy that it is Americans that know how to govern. In the end, good for us. That's something WE can be proud of at least.
BTW, just to throw out suggestions they'll never follow.
ANWR
Gas Tax rescinded
Environmental restrictions eased
Nuclear power
Refineries
Take out the Hitler wannabe in Iran & North Korea so the skittish speculators will stop driving up the prices everytime they spout off.
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