Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Charles Krauthhammer: The Case for a Revenue-Neutral Gas Tax (. . . and a Social Security-tax cut)
National Review ^ | 01/09/2015 | Charles Krauthhammer

Posted on 01/09/2015 8:10:11 AM PST by SeekAndFind

For 32 years I’ve been advocating a major tax on petroleum. I’ve got as much chance this time around as did Don Quixote with windmills. But I shall tilt my lance once more.

The only time you can even think of proposing a gas-tax increase is when oil prices are at rock bottom. When I last suggested the idea six years ago, oil was selling at $40 a barrel. It eventually rose back to $110. It’s now around $48. Correspondingly, the price at the pump has fallen in the last three months by more than a dollar to about $2.20 per gallon.

As a result, some in Congress are talking about a ten- or 20-cent hike in the federal tax to use for infrastructure spending. Right idea, wrong policy. The hike should not be 10 cents but $1. And the proceeds should not be spent by, or even entrusted to, the government. They should be immediately and entirely returned to the consumer by means of a cut in the Social Security tax.

The average American buys about twelve gallons of gas a week. Washington would be soaking him for $12 in extra taxes. Washington should therefore simultaneously reduce everyone’s FICA tax by $12 a week. Thus the average driver is left harmless. He receives a $12 per week FICA bonus that he can spend on gasoline if he wants — or anything else. If he chooses to drive less, it puts money in his pocket. (The unemployed would have the $12 added to their unemployment insurance; the elderly, added to their Social Security check.)

(Excerpt) Read more at nationalreview.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: energy; gasoline; gastax; socialsecurity; tax
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-47 last
To: Gideon7
"They have become little more than government tax collectors. The excise taxes and gas taxes swamp their profit margins by almost an order of magnitude."

Illinois not only has an excise tax (greater than the fed's), but also applies a state sales tax. Chicago then tacks on more.

At a pump price of $2 per gallon, total taxes eat up 30-40% of the price. And the politicians are talking about a tax hike?

41 posted on 01/09/2015 9:40:53 AM PST by offwhite
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

can we say “eat shi’ite and die libtard scum” or is that over the top?


42 posted on 01/09/2015 10:38:33 AM PST by rrrod (at home in Medellin Colombia)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: drellberg

Actually my post wasn’t directed at you even though you were in the To: column. It was a general post about the amount of taxes we are inundated with. IOW, we don’t need more taxes. It’s a spending problem that unfortunately they will never try to fix.


43 posted on 01/09/2015 11:20:48 AM PST by tenger (It's a good thing we don't get all the government we pay for. -Will Rogers)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

...because screwing with the market always works, and has no negative consequences...right?


44 posted on 01/09/2015 12:44:47 PM PST by gogeo (If you are Tea Party, the Republican Party does not want you.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: yefragetuwrabrumuy

A nice thought, but anything that gives them more interest in gaining control over prices is a very very very bad thing.


45 posted on 01/09/2015 12:55:26 PM PST by Teacher317 (We have now sunk to a depth at which restatement of the obvious is the first duty of intelligent men)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: JimRed

Libs just love taxes.


46 posted on 01/09/2015 1:01:14 PM PST by jersey117
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Once an idiot Mondale Democrat....


47 posted on 01/09/2015 1:02:44 PM PST by Fightin Whitey
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-47 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson