Posted on 08/19/2005 7:31:12 AM PDT by Sybeck1
WASHINGTON - (KRT) - Americans are mad as heck about soaring gas prices, and Democrats hope they'll take it out on the Republicans who control the federal government in next year's midterm elections. "Bush does nothing to combat rising prices," the Democratic National Committee said this week in a new attack seeking to link President Bush, his party, gas prices and oil-company profits in the public mind. "Republicans are in the oil companies' pockets and Bush is in the oil companies' pockets." The White House responds that no one can turn around gas prices instantly, that Bush fought for years to enact an energy bill and that the new plan, signed into law earlier this month, will take years to produce results. "This is a problem that took decades to develop; it's not going to be solved overnight," Deputy White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said. Polls suggest that most Americans tend to blame oil companies and foreign oil producers more than Bush or other politicians. But if gas prices inflame inflation enough to drag down the economy, that could be the straw that breaks the Republican grip on Congress. Polls show voters are already deeply unhappy with their lawmakers. Approval ratings for Congress now rival the lows that preceded the 1994 voter revolt, which ended a 40-year Democratic House majority. The news from Iraq isn't brightening the public mood. Throw in resentment of high gasoline prices, topped perhaps by a resulting weak economy, and it could be a rough election year for incumbents of the governing party. That's exactly what Democrats want. (Excerpt) Read more at mercurynews.com ...
(Excerpt) Read more at mercurynews.com ...
But they won't... they'll just complain and say it's Bush's fault and the 'simps & suckers will believe'm.
Here is a list of the state's current gas taxes: http://www.virginiagasprices.com/tax_info.aspx
After crude oil costs, taxes are the second largest contributor to the price paid at the pump. Together Federal and State excise taxes on fuel account for an average cost of approximately 62 cents per gallon.
Who/what is going to pay for the road maintenance and construction if you repeal the gast tax? Really, with the utter lack of new road construction in the past 30 years while US population has grown 50%, we probably need a higher gas tax to finance lots more roads.
Who/what is going to pay for the road maintenance and construction if you repeal the gast tax? Really, with the utter lack of new road construction in the past 30 years while US population has grown 50%, we probably need a higher gas tax to finance lots more roads.
Nevada 51.7
Thanks, now I know only Hawaii has highet gas taxes
> Do the Dems have a plan to bring down gas prices or is the plan the usual...just blame Bush?
This is the essence of liberally biased reporting. Let the Dems blame President Bush, but neglect to ask the obvious follow up question: "What exactly is *your* plan?"
Your previous post clearly shows taxes to range from 35-50 cents per gallon.
I don't know where you live, but they are building and rebuilding interstates all over the place here in W. Pa.... Toll Road built a few years ago, no one uses... ripping up and completely relaying large swaths of I79 that had just completeled a tear up and rebuild less than 10 years ago... putting in a Mon Fayette Expressway to connect a bunch of places no one wants to go to with a 4 lane interstate.....
No shortage of new construction or rehabilitation work at all around here.
That's not 42%, it's 42¢/gallon (about 16%).
At any rate, I too would like to know how you plan to build and maintain roads if you eliminate all gas taxes.
Plus, when you stop to consider such a move would surely increase demand, it can hardly be called a solution to the problem. In that regard, it would actually be worse than a Nixonian price freeze.
I'm not worried about this one. The time when the MSM had the monopoly on the news is over. The truth gets out. Gas prices are not high right now because of a lack of crude oil. They are high because even if we had all the crude in the World, we still could not possibly refine enough to meet the gasoline demand in this country.
As for tax reform, it IS the agenda for next year. Rove saved it for the 2006 election cycle for a reason. He lead with Social Security because he knew it would be difficult, but the Republicans would have a year to recover. Next year, tax reform and what a better thing to tie tax reform to than. . . .gasoline taxes.
Finally, the last election showed something. It is not enough just to blame the party in charge (anybody but ___). You have to stand for something or put forth a plan. Telling people to vote for us because we are not them just doesn't work.
Quote: "This is the essence of liberally biased reporting. Let the Dems blame President Bush, but neglect to ask the obvious follow up question: "What exactly is *your* plan?"
A question that most voters, fortunately, don't fail to ask.
I can't speak for other states, but here in PA, I'd cut back on, oh, I dunno, maybe...
Departments of Aging, Agriculture, Community development, Conservation and Natural Resources, Education, Environmental Protection, Health, Labor, Public Welfare? How about the Fish and Boat Commission, Higher Education Assistance Agency, Historical and Museum Commission, Infrastructure Investment Authority, the Public Television Network Commision, or the Housing Finance Agency? Come to think of it, we could probably lower the 6% sales tax and the 2% income tax too. We could still afford prisons, cops and roads.
Owl_Eagle
(If what I just wrote makes you sad or angry,
Quote: "As much as I hate to say it, this article is extremely accurate. The Rats played the role perfectly. Pass the energy bill and avoid being the spoiler. When prices fail to lower, the Rats can take the high road and make all the claims against the Republicans they want. There is still probably 50% of the people that vote with their pocketbooks but doesn't research who or what is to really blame for some issues in relations to the economy."
I disagree. First, the Rats are about to have the whacko environmental movement hung around their necks ala an albatross. Sencond, the Rats blocked the ANWR provision. Oh sure, ANWR would not have done much to lower prices, but as you said, perception.
A quick look @ Al. & Ky. says the math doesn't work
"Bush does nothing to combat rising prices,"
It kills me when I hear people spout this crap. What kind of idiot thinks that bush somehow controls the price of oil? Wait, let me answer that: The same kind who thought somehow we were going to war "for oil".
Don't people even bother to perform the most perfunctory analysis of any issue before swallowing it wholesale?
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
who cares? i drive jeeps, i'll still get around fine :)
They should it's their wacko greenie wing that's got us in this fix to start with.
The dirty secret is the wacko greenies LOVE higher energy prices.
In fact they would probably love a worldwide pandemic that would kill off a large part of the human race even better, after all the earth would be pristine without us EVIL humans.
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