Is it time to raise the gasoline tax by at least $2?

[JawZ]

...and cut payroll taxes by at least half (FICA)?


President Carter tried this back in 1979 and it failed miserably. Are we better off now?

With the Big 3 in trouble it would generate alot of funds, save Americans money, and act as an incentive to cut consumption based on foreign oil. This could be the kick in the pants the Big 3 needs to go to alternative technologies while building more fuel (gas powered) efficient vehicles.


Right now, it's got support across the spectrum. The liberals embrace it and the neocons can justify it.

Cutting FICA would help create jobs.

http://economistsview.typepad.com/econo ... _tax_.html

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/artic ... 71,00.html



But with all that....I humbly ask;

Is this funding the functions of government or veiled government coercion to conform to a behavior standard?


What scares me about this idea is how good it sounds.

[J-high]

This would only hurt the lower class and low middle class people more.

OK counter this by saying they are cutting the FICA taxes, however they will be in actuality paying more in taxes then they were with their payroll taxes.

This wouldn't be considered a good thing if the government was not gonna make a profit from it so go figure.

example for someone making $8 hr @ 40 hrs a week

make $360 gross pay
taxes 7.65% -$27.54
net before other deductions $332.46

now with 1/2 fica taxes taken out
same hourly rate $360
taxes @ 3.825% - $13.77
net before other deductions $346.23

say this person need 10 gals of gas to go back and forth to work a week.
10 X $2 extra taxes per gal of gas
$20
$13.77 + 20 = $33.77 in taxes

How is this supposed to help the lower class and the lower middle class? All i see is it hurts them more.