Max
Try to respond with out calling me a redneck again, it's not helping your argument. Sorry Redneck.
Let's say we raise gas prices to $9/gallon as you stated via taxes. I will argue the high MARKET price of gas is already doing what YOU want and driving people to live closer and/or drive smaller vehicles. So it's kinda moot, but we'll argue it anyway.
Soooo overnight the gas price doubles to $9/gallon. Let's say we live in Southern California. Who does this doubling of fuel prices hurt the most? Well you wouldn't raise the tax overnight but you would inform people that over the next 15 years it will happen. Giving them time to make adjustments that what the Europeans did - worked great.
Let's use an example of a guy who makes $30,000 per year working at LAX cleaning the toilets in Terminal 1. Because he wanted a better life for his family, he chose to move to Palmdale, CA, drives a 1995 Toyota Corolla (which gets pretty good gas mileage). He moved to "the Burbs" cause the schools were better and his wife has family who can watch the younglings while he works doubles M-Th so he can have Fridays off with the kids. He can't afford hollywood, he can't afford van nyes, he could afford Santa Clarita, but his wife would have to double her shifts and the extended family can't help with the kids. OVERNIGHT your solution has doubled his fuel price. It's an absolute crushing blow to him. He is not happy. There will always be the naw sayers. The corolla gets about 40 miles to a gallon pretty dooable but when he buys his turbo diesel hybrid he will get about 60-70 miles to a gallon so he can drive pretty much anywhere. Or he can vote to increase mass-transit via new tax initiatives and take the light rail into work. There is always a way people are resourceful!!!
At the same time a movie producer lives in West Hollywood. He walks to the studio, 'cause he can afford it. Hates the traffic on the 405 and won't touch it with his Mercedes SUV or Dodge Viper he owns. He only takes those out on weekends anyway. He supported the tax hike, cause he thinks to big SUVs are destroying the environment. He figures paying the extra taxes is "patriotic" and doesn't mind it. Shoot, he makes so much you could quadruple the taxes and he wouldn't feel it. He's thinkin' of buying an electric Tesla anyway...they are only 100k..... Driving it will make him FEEL great about his contribution.....he generally feels pretty guilty for the money he makes....Your examples are just priceless and make such a good point of how poor you are at problem solving. I'd love to see how you work with a tough gate agent on a quick turn.
I ask you MAX, who is hurt more by these proposed taxes? Do you really think the wealthy will feel it? I propose the poorest of this nation would be the most hurt and their standard of living greatly impacted.
