DAVIS SIGNALS PLAN TO SIGN SUV LEGISLATION

THE RUSH LIMBAUGH SHOW | M. Garrett

[MattGarrett]

Rush Limbaugh read a story today which states that Gray Davis plans to sign the SUV Tax Bill. AB 1493 (formerly known as AB 1058) will give California Air Resources Board the go ahead to work on ways to reduce "greenhouse gases." In one report CARB authored, they suggested the per mile tax, gas tax increase and SUV tax. Proponents of the bill are quick to argue that this bill does not raise taxes and CARB does not have the authority to enact any of their suggestions.

The bill will affix a tax of 2 cents for every mile driven in an SUV, MiniVan or truck, 50 extra cents per gallon of gasoline, and $3500 on all SUV, Minivan, or truck purchases.

Politicians pulled a dirty trick and changed the bill number, reinstating AB 1058 as AB 1493 late on a Friday night. They ran it through the legislature and passed it a Monday afternoon - with no comment from the public.

Stating that the bill creates the perfect balance between driver choice and responsible environmental policy, Davis indicated his intention to sign the bill.

[GSWarrior]

I'm not laughing. This is serious. Davis will do this because he can.

[Charles Martel]

No, he is purportedly signing the bill by gambling that he can get the environmental voters back without alienating the soccer moms, who are notoriously stupid.

If this bill covers light trucks as well (pickups), Davis is toast. Soccer Moms are one thing, blue-collar types who have to drive from the only homes they can afford (very distant from limousine-liberal land) are quite another.

Sock 'em with a mileage tax too? That's really begging the lightning to strike.

If signed into law, when do these taxes take effect? After the election, perhaps?

[Schatze]

Tampering with odometers is already a criminal offense.

California's crime statistics will skyrocket!

[Grampa Dave]

Come now, are you talking about the little bitty enviral pussy suvs that are on the road due to the envirals not a real SUV that you hate.

Post the data that the big SUVs are more dangerous to ride in than other vehicles. Show us the data!

You can't do it as you trying to muddy the water with the little enviral pussy SUV's to back up why you hate SUV's.

Lets see that Insurance data you cite about re large SUVs. You sound like a Bravo Sierra Enviralist to me! You are mixing the data re the little bitty pussy enviral SUVs versus the real SUVS!

You know real SUVs like Expeditons, Surburbans, GMC Jimmy's, the Mercedes SUVs, the big Toyota SUVs, the big Bronco's that are still on the road and not the little enviral pussy SUV's, with small car frames, bodies and an suv label on them.

[Schatze]

There was a rally against the bill at noon today on the steps of the state capitol.

[Grammy]

"Anyone who packs their kids into an SUV thinking they are "safer" suffers from some serious misconceptions."

Anyone who has more than 2 little kids needs an SUV just to hold the stupid large car seats that kids are required to use until they are over 45 pounds.

As far as the mileage tax goes, why should Californians pay a tax on miles driven outside of Cali? What if you drive to Florida for the winter and back?

[mwl1]

Davis is gambling that he has already lost most of these men so he had better get his environmentalists back... securing the base first. He is also gambling that most will forget all of this by November.

Davis has a $30 million bankroll to change the subject with a torrent of paid advertising, and he'll have all of the media with him beginning immediately following Labor Day. Media always turns hard left just before an election.

The man and his minions are scum... nothing but a bunch of scheming liars. Do not underestimate this crowd.

[Grampa Dave]

Naah, I only react when phoney conservatives review their liberal tendencies.

Decades of living in Kali with the enviral nazis and their buddies the anti SUV Nazis, you learn really quick who is an ally, an enemy or a jerk!

It is time that we start telling people who try to tell us what to drive, where to work, when to work and where to live what they are. They are the new Nazis!

We have these Rats Burton and Davis ready to screw millions of us and you are being "Light hearted about it!" Sorry it doesn't wash. That anti suv attitude is what has enabled these bastards to get this bill to Davis's desk.

[Wm Bach]

You would have to kill people in the NW corner in order
for them to give up their means of winter transport.
There has been many a time in which I would never have
made it home, except for 4WD.

[arthurus]

As a native Coloradan returning, you probably do not fall under the category of "Californians". I would only hope you have not picked up any bad habits or expectations during your sojourn in California.

[GSWarrior]

California will drive any sane person to conservatism.

[Dimensio]

I don't doubt that SUVs have legitimate uses, especially in the NW. Where I live, however, they aren't useful for much apart from large transport vehicles or status symbols.

Grampa Dave, get over yourself. I think that the proposed California law is just another example of overzealous stupid liberalism run amuck. It's a bad law, but that doesn't mean that SUV drivers are all perfect.

[Dimensio]

Somehow part of my comment vanished.

I also am aware that 4WD can be useful in heavy snowfalls, but those aren't common where I live and when they do happen most people with SUVs don't seem to realise that 4WD alone isn't enough to keep a vehicle from sliding into a ditch.

[mykdsmom]

I live in Raleigh NC where our SUV numbers have to be close to that of CA. I don't have a problem at all with them on the road, and NO I don't drive one. I do however drive a mini van which I think they are lumping together with the "evil SUV". I don't see SUV drivers being any more agressive than any other drivers in this area.

Of course I've heard about the drivers in CA and I don't think it's the SUV's that make them drive agressive, their reputation for crazy driving is notorious.

Question for you:
How do you get a normal size family, say mom, dad, 3 kids and Fido plus luggage, etc for a two week vacation in a normal size car? Lets say one or more of these kids is an infant, or at least under the age of 3. Remember that third child can't sit up front between mom and dad, that's against the law. Then you need a portable crib, stroller and multiple other supplies needed for babies.

Add to this the HUGE government mandated "safety" car seats for the children. Now you can only seat two kids in the back seat of a normal car that would usually seat 3.

What about the family that would like to tow a boat or camper? Should they use a pickup truck that is limited in seating and perhaps drive 2 vehicles thus contributing even more to the pollution?

MKM

[ASA Vet]

Chill a little Dave, your blood pressure went thru the roof that time.

Enlighten me please. What the hecks a "boxer?"

[SamBees]

Contact Gov. Davis at 1-800-988-2588 or email him at governor@governor.ca.gov to let him know this is bad tax policy plain and simple.

RUSH LIMBAUGH WAS SOOO RIGHT ON TRACK ABOUT THIS!

Radical Communistic Democrats are attacking American institutions across the land.

[Political Junkie Too]

If this bill's unstated purpose is to get the SUV's off of the road, then why isn't this being challenged as a bill of attainder?

• It is singling out SUV's, mini-vans, and trucks based on dubious claims of excessively contributing to greenhouse gases,
• it is hitting them with mileage surcharges knowing that these types of vehicles are the ones prone to higher mileage use,
• it is "double-taxation" in that it is taxing the same thing twice -- miles driven as a function of fuel purchased, then miles driven as a function of odometer reading -- the first purportedly for highway maintenance, the second for what, punative charges for driving at all?

This bill smells of punishing a class of people who otherwise would not be found guilty of anything.

-PJ

[Charles Martel]

I believe that Grandpa Dave was referring to the "low-end" offering by Porsche - the Boxster.

[SamBees]

Remember that leftists want to "equalize" all aspects of life. If you are rich, then you must be taxed at a very high rate so that your wealth can be redistributed.

If you own an SUV, it is not fair because the welfare recipient who love RED DAVIS cannot afford one, thus you're SUV must be taken away from you and you must be forced to drive something similar to the welfare recip.