Posted by
Cary Wesberry on Sunday, July 20, 2008 1:36:57 AM
Unbelievably, the lunatics in Congress are debating whether or not to raise the gasoline tax. With an approval rating at 9%, perhaps now is not the best time. Is Congress attempting to literally send the American People into uncontrollable rage and madness? If that is indeed the case; they will have achieved success with this one.
WASHINGTON — The political vision of a summer gas tax holiday died a quick death in Congress, losing to a view that federal excise taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel — far from dropping — will have to go up if they go anywhere.
Despite calls from the presidential campaign trail for a Memorial Day-to-Labor Day tax freeze, lawmakers quickly concluded — with a prod from the construction industry — that having $9 billion less to spend on highways could create a pre-election specter of thousands of lost jobs.
Now, lawmakers quietly are talking about raising fuel taxes by a dime from the current 18.4 cents a gallon on gasoline and 24.3 cents on diesel fuel.
The fuel taxes go into the Highway Trust Fund, which is used for road construction and repair and mass transit. Depriving the 52-year-old Highway Trust Fund of $9 billion at a time when it is heading into the red doomed the notion of a gas tax holiday in Congress.
[...]
Senate Democrats in May tried to add $5 billion to an aviation overhaul bill to replenish the highway trust fund next year; Republicans objected. Democrats tried again in June, but this time for $8 billion; Republicans objected to that, too.
Congress should first reduce spending on pet projects, known as earmarks, argued Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C. "I'm not going to let the Senate spend all this money when nobody is looking, especially when we refuse to stop wasting billions of taxpayer dollars on earmarks."
[...]
Among other revenue-raising possibilities, the commission recommended gradually increasing the current federal fuel taxes to 40 cents a gallon.
Other ideas that will be on the table when lawmakers write a bill next year including more toll roads and public-private partnerships, congestion pricing and user fees where drivers pay a tax based on how many miles they drive.
I don't even know how to respond to this other than to say, "No!" It appears our Congress is so depressed over 91% of Americans wanting to terminate their employment that they are attempting mass political suicide. After two years of Speaker Pelosi, this blubbering hysterical insanity is what the Democrats concoct instead of doing their jobs. Our representatives cannot possibly believe the American People will accept higher gasoline taxes. Can they?
At first I was shocked. Now I am outraged! This Congress has to be the most out-of-touch group of complete imbeciles ever to stink up the Capital. It feels like blood and flames are about to shoot out of every hole in my head! That's not good considering all the extra holes in my head already blown into existence thanks to previous infuriated tantrums set off by our politicians. I suppose from Congress' standpoint, if we haven't thrown the bums out after polling at 9% then we never will.
I wrote an article recently comparing the 9% approval rating of our Congress today, with the 15%-20% approval Americans gave King George III during The Revolution. Our Founding Fathers, along with the Continental Army led by General George Washington, forcibly removed the British Empire from America and created the United States because of a mounting loss of freedom due to taxation without representation. Our Founding Fathers did this while anywhere from 15%-20% of Americans approved of our oppressors and their king. So I ask you: How exactly is it our Congress can raise gasoline taxes knowing the majority of their constituents are not represented by such an action? When did it become acceptable for our representatives to make broad and sweeping decisions adversely affecting the entire country while having the approval of only 9%? Where is the representation of the American People when every day of our lives 91% of us are not represented at all?