Politics: J'accuse!

[ltl/fb]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
It hurts people who drive a lot. It hurts them more if they drive fuel-inefficient cars. Cigarette taxes hurt people who smoke. Alcohol taxes hurt people who drink. And in every case, they hurt more for people less able to afford them because they're poor. (BTW, I'd be interested in a study of how much poor vs. rich drive. I'd guess that for every maid who has to drive all the way across houston, there's a rich real estate agent who does the same).

If you're really concerned about regressivity, then make it (more) income neutral, and increase by a few thousand bucks the standard deduction. Everybody pays $100 less in income taxes, and an average of $100 more in gas tax.

Besides, how much are we talking here? If you drive 15k a year (a fair amount), that's 500-750 gallons of gas, for anything but a really fuel inefficient car (tough luck to you). So even a dollar per gallon is not a huge chunk.

Duh re: alcohol and cigarettes, but those are different from fuel. And it should be obvious that I have no problem with the fuel tax hitting the real estate agent driving the Range Rover. To some extent I agree with club re: refundable tax credit (oh, he didn't say refundable? well, I say refundable) though bnb's housekeeper, lawn service and pool service people may well not be filing taxes, either because they are illegal or because they get paid under the table, or both. Which are bad things to be, but to me maybe not so bad as, like, you know, an SUV used for commuting (unless you are commuting in the unroaded wilderness).

I was just commenting that raising the fuel tax has effects other than causing higher costs for the spoiled real estate agent or white-flight suburbanite.

ETA and tax credits etc. make the tax code more complex, which is generally to me not fabulous policy.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by sgtclub
True, but gas more than others. I'd prefer an increase in the tax credit for fuel efficient/environmentally friendly cars.

Aarggh, subsidies! My running mate supports subsidies! Get off my ticket!

And how is a gas tax more harmful to the economy? Because it hits door-to-door salemen bigtime? Gas prices are very inelastic, so it doesn't shift much economic activity. It just takes money out of pockets, which any tax does. And you can solve the regressiveness problem (if any), as I described in response to fringey.

[Gattigap]

You know you're fully in to campaign season when the candidates start quoting scripture:

Kerry never mentioned Bush by name during his speech Sunday at New North Side Baptist Church, but aimed his criticism at "our present national leadership." Kerry cited Scripture in his appeal for the worshippers, including James 2:14, "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?"

"The Scriptures say, what does it profit, my brother, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?" Kerry said. "When we look at what is happening in America today, where are the works of compassion?"

The Bushies, naturally, were horrified, horrified! that someone would actually use religion to make political points:

Bush campaign spokesman Steve Schmidt said Kerry's comment "was beyond the bounds of acceptable discourse and a sad exploitation of Scripture for a political attack."

Though, personally, I thought this is yet another sad indication that Rove & Co. are still struggling through Spring Training and aren't yet in Opening Day form. (Time to get that Ephedra refill!)

If the newscycle had permitted the input of the West Wing's weekly Bible Study Class before a response, I'm sure we would've had more insightful responses, like:

(1) Hey! Off my corner, Ho

(2) Kerry's misuse of Scripture would be sad, if it weren't so funny. "He who sits in the heavens shall laugh." --Psalm 2:4

(3) "If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials become wicked." --Proverbs 29:12 [Quote cleared for use by nat'l security committee that cleared Richard Clarke's book]

Etc., etc.


Gattigap

[ltl/fb]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
Aarggh, subsidies! My running mate supports subsidies! Get off my ticket!

And how is a gas tax more harmful to the economy? Because it hits door-to-door salemen bigtime? Gas prices are very inelastic, so it doesn't shift much economic activity. It just takes money out of pockets, which any tax does. And you can solve the regressiveness problem (if any), as I described in response to fringey.

Regressiveness problem IF ANY? Hey, food prices are pretty damn inelastic too -- let's raise taxes on groceries! That'll teach those fatties to eat so much!

[Did you just call me Coltrane?]

Originally posted by bilmore
Anyone here know how to get a copy of a Los Angeles Superior Court order (from a SJ motion)?

(The theft of Pooh ratified.)

http://www.lasuperiorcourt.org/Onlin...s/CivilImages/

You have to set up an account. I don't remember it being cheap. Actually, here's the fee schedule:

Fee Schedule4

Fee for each party name search $4.75

Flat fee for each case document downloaded (up to 10 pages) $7.50

Fee for each additional document page for a document with more than 10 pages (maximum of $40.00) $0.07

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by ltl/fb
Duh re: alcohol and cigarettes, but those are different from fuel.

How? Because we have greater disdain for smokers and drinkers? If you think pollution is bad, and can be cured by less gasoline use, then I see no principled difference.

And why can't the pool man/yard guy raise prices? If they can't, then they're charging too much now.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by ltl/fb
Regressiveness problem IF ANY? Hey, food prices are pretty damn inelastic too -- let's raise taxes on groceries! That'll teach those fatties to eat so much!

It's been proposed, for junk food and mcdonalds. And, hell, adopted. See cigarette taxes.

[bilmore]

Originally posted by Gattigap
(2) Kerry's misuse of Scripture would be sad, if it weren't so funny. "He who sits in the heavens shall laugh." --Psalm 2:4

Rove is likely going to come back with that widely misinterpreted verse that so uniquely addresses Kerry's politics of envy: Thou shall not covet they neighbor, ass.

[Atticus Grinch]

Kerry never mentioned Bush by name during his speech Sunday at New North Side Baptist Church, but aimed his criticism at "our present national leadership." Kerry cited Scripture in his appeal for the worshippers, including James 2:14, "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?"

"The Scriptures say, what does it profit, my brother, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?" Kerry said.

Kerry is a Catholic, and doesn't realize that this passage doesn't resonate with the (1) Baptists in the White House or (2) Baptists in the audience he was addressing at the time. Um, hel-lo? Reformation?

Besides, we've already established today that the Devil himself can quote Sorkin to his purpose; I'm sure the same is probably true of scripture.

[bilmore]

Originally posted by Did you just call me Coltrane?
http://www.lasuperiorcourt.org/Onlin...s/CivilImages/

You have to set up an account. I don't remember it being cheap. Actually, here's the fee schedule:

Fee Schedule4

Fee for each party name search $4.75

Flat fee for each case document downloaded (up to 10 pages) $7.50

Fee for each additional document page for a document with more than 10 pages (maximum of $40.00) $0.07

Thanks!

[Say_hello_for_me]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
It hurts people who drive a lot. It hurts them more if they drive fuel-inefficient cars. Cigarette taxes hurt people who smoke. Alcohol taxes hurt people who drink. And in every case, they hurt more for people less able to afford them because they're poor. (BTW, I'd be interested in a study of how much poor vs. rich drive. I'd guess that for every maid who has to drive all the way across houston, there's a rich real estate agent who does the same).

If you're really concerned about regressivity, then make it (more) income neutral, and increase by a few thousand bucks the standard deduction. Everybody pays $100 less in income taxes, and an average of $100 more in gas tax.

Besides, how much are we talking here? If you drive 15k a year (a fair amount), that's 500-750 gallons of gas, for anything but a really fuel inefficient car (tough luck to you). So even a dollar per gallon is not a huge chunk.

Oh yay, somebody talkin my language. To add to this, I'll note that I am very much in favor of a national mileage tax on all vehicles, weighted by, ahem, the weight of the vehicle.

And yup, its the kind of unfunded mandate I'd love to impose on the state motor vehicle departments.

The result would be more fair than the "personal property" tax that *some* silly states have.

Most important, you could fairly recoup the cost of damaged roads along with some of the cost of air pollution.

I'd be even more in favor of national toll roads (not enough traffic? no repairs), but this would seem to impose additional damage on the environment with all the starting and stopping.

Hello

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
And why can't the pool man/yard guy raise prices? If they can't, then they're charging too much now.

Remind me again about who missed their econ classes?

(I think I'll go raise my rates again).

[sgtclub]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
Aarggh, subsidies! My running mate supports subsidies! Get off my ticket!

And how is a gas tax more harmful to the economy? Because it hits door-to-door salemen bigtime? Gas prices are very inelastic, so it doesn't shift much economic activity. It just takes money out of pockets, which any tax does. And you can solve the regressiveness problem (if any), as I described in response to fringey.

Relax, my friend. I said I "prefer" the credit (i.e., to the tax hike). I don't support either.

The gas tax is more harmful than the alcohol/cigarette tax simply because it effects a far greater portion of the economy. Nearly every individual and business would be adversely effected, and some industries extremely so (e.g., airline, trucking, etc.).

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy
Remind me again about who missed their econ classes?

(I think I'll go raise my rates again).

IF your costs go up and you can't raise your rates, then your clients are paying too much now.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Say_hello_for_me
To add to this, I'll note that I am very much in favor of a national mileage tax on all vehicles, weighted by, ahem, the weight of the vehicle.

Why does a gas tax not essentially accomplish this, given that ceteris paribus, a heavier car will use more fuel?