  The celestial, steampunk GPS |
“Sweetheart. What’s with the meat cleaver?”
“Herbert, You said you went bowling last night. That’s 11.2 miles from here. The GPS record shows you drove only 8.3 miles. That’s exactly the distance to that slut Edna’s house. Explain yourself!”
While the exact details are still being ironed out, Gov. Kulongoski’s web page gives the basics. He states, “As Oregonians drive less and demand more fuel-efficient vehicles, it is increasingly important that the state find a new way, other than the gas tax, to finance our transportation system.”
He is creating a task force “to partner with auto manufacturers to refine technology that would enable Oregonians to pay for the transportation system based on how many miles they drive.” Key studies were performed in 2006 and 2007 that indicate that such a program would indeed be possible.
In the 2007 test which lasted 10 months with 300 motorists at two service stations, drivers were taxed 1.2 cents per mile and were refunded the 24 cents a gallon state gas tax. When the motorists got to the pump, their vehicles connected to government computers informing them of the mileage (calculated via GPS tracking) and issuing tax. Equipment for the test came from Oregon State University.
[…]
Despite assurances from James Whitty, the ODOT official in charge of the project, that the new GPS system would not be used for continuous tracking of citizens’ cars, many advocacy groups are outraged and many remain fearful. The final report on the 2007 test deployment was conscious of this fear, stating, “The concept requires no transmission of vehicle travel locations, either in real time or of travel history. Accordingly, no travel location points are stored within the vehicle or transmitted elsewhere. Thus there can be no ‘tracking’ of vehicle movements.”
No back door for the Feds to track criminals? Riiiight. Next up, GPS watches to track your movements.
#30–Evil==as a general non-specific desire, we all would like the government to spend as little as possible leaving us citizens to do as we wish with our money. After this near meaningless agreement, absent special circumstance (real war for instance) taxes raised should meet expenditures and vice versa. I am a fiscal conservative.
In context, the issue is should Oregon raise taxes to meet the needs to build and maintain roads. I assume such a program is needed as we have had no recent controversy regarding an excess of roads or road maintenance–so such roads should be paid for. In such a context, the notion of cutting government means not providing the roads and road maintenance the society needs to remain vibrant and growing.
Other contexts and other issues deserves their own fact specific analysis.
#24–contempt==just a recasting so you may see yourself as others do.
#32 bobbo
It’s not required that you be a total ass every day… take a break.
Just a recasting so you may see yourself as others do.
#32 – Bobbo
>>In context, the issue is should Oregon raise taxes
>>to meet the needs to build and maintain roads.
The issue, in this context, is should Oregon be allowed to attach an electronic stalking device to every driver’s car so that they can track their every move for “benign” purposes.
Otherwise, they could just have the mechanic read your odometer at the yearly inspection, and assess you accordingly.
#24, contempt,
Gee, that is exactly what you said. Sure the words are different, but THAT WAS THE MESSAGE !!!
Actually, I think bobbo has been very well behaved lately and adding some quite insightful comments. Very unlike your own blanket condemnations and silly, paranoid accusations
#35 Mr. Fusion
Wow Fusion, It’s becoming harder to tell where your face ends and bobbo’s ass begins.
Get a room.
#31,
Poison,
This isn’t a new idea. Many states in the union are looking at selling off assets they’ve “collected” to make their budget balance. Selling major roads is one of them. Get your head out of the koolaid pitcher and you’d know that.
http://tinyurl.com/9xzxw5
Interestingly, the majority of the states considering this course of action are those with the most social programs. Gee, I wonder why that is. You would think those liberals would be willing to pay more taxes. I can’t understand why they don’t want to.
#34–Mustard==no, you have the wrong context. I was responding to a subsidiary post response, not the Original Post. In your context, I agree keeping things as simple as possible.
Context is often lost in too many of these threads–contempt for instance makes constant allusions to his private demons.
I’m glad to bring this important concept to your attention and use.
The gas tax is already one of the fairest taxes we have. Additionally, it has a built-in incentive to buy hyprids and small cars.
The only unfair part is that some very low income people pay relatively more taxes because they can only afford big-old clunkers.
To off-set that unfairness, public transportation should be heavily subsidized by the gas tax.
#36–contempt==you spark an interesting question. What would you guess are the common elements of how a majority of people see you on traits that are important to you? Of course, you may think liberals here would rank you poorly on most measures, but what would you think if most of the others did too?
Not to conform to anyone else’s opinion==but yes, to use as a point of reference. While we all like to assume a bit of a persona on line, truth is, that persona leaks out and is on display in our daily lives as well==less your personality is truly split.
So, take in the opinions, throw out the outliers and trolls, keep in mind where the criticism is. With some work, you could actually provide an added plus to the blog.
bobbo,
What? You don’t think “contempt’s” ass insults are the height of informed debate?
#37 – Liberty Loser
>>This isn’t a new idea.
Not, it’s not. It’s not a good idea either. It’s one thing to sell off zoos, golf courses, and other frippery that cities and states have no business being involved with in the first place.
Turning mandatory municipal and state services into profit centers for commercial enterprises whose only interest is squeezing every nickel out of the citizenry is quite another.
They fucked it up with prisons, they fucked it up with outsourcing the Iraq war, and they’re bound to fuck it up with highways. They surely would have fucked it up with Social Security, if Dumbya’s ridiculous privatization scam had been permitted.
Although you seem to be of the opinion that there’s no role for government except protecting the right of unregulated corporations to rape and pillage the economy, the majority of America disagrees with you.
#38 – Bobbolina
>>no, you have the wrong context. I was
>>responding to a subsidiary post response, not
>>the Original Post. Context is often lost in
>>too many of these threads…I’m glad to bring
>>this important concept to your attention and
>>use.
Jesus, Mister Bobbolina. Here’s a New Year’s reading suggestion for you:
The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition. William Strunk Jr, E. B. White.
And as additional reading
The Chicago Manual of Style, Fifteenth Edition. University of Chicago Press Staff.
#43–Mustard==your current manufactured outrage has nothing to do with style and is limited to substance.
Starting the year with a skidmark. I was hoping for more.
So we have Blagojevich bribing people into installing RFID trackers on their cars(half price tolls plus no wait). Now Oregon.
#44 – Bobbolina
>>your current manufactured outrage has
>>nothing to do with style and is limited to
>>substance.
It’s not possible to even get to the substance, having to hack away at the dense underbrush of the “style”.
#42,
Poison,
It’s one thing to sell off zoos, golf courses, and other frippery that cities and states have no business being involved with in the first place.
Agreed.
Turning mandatory municipal and state services into profit centers for commercial enterprises
Ah. You think it is mandatory. That is where you are wrong. It may be highly desirable as that is what the people who vote elect their representatives for, and thus would be appear to be mandatory as in, “If I don’t build roads they’ll boot me out of office” but it is not a law they build roads.
They fucked it up with prisons
One example and not widespread. However, overall — garbage collection, electricity, sewage, telephone service, etc., they all work just fine in private hands.
As do charities when they don’t compete with government services.
And postal service is MUCH more efficient in private hands but it is against the law to compete with them as well. However, as soon as the goobermint starts regulating those companies, I’m sure they’ll screw it up, too.
Face it, when the government keeps their noses out of private enterprise, there is efficiency and growth. When the goobermint sticks their noses in it, that’s when things turn to shit.
they fucked it up with outsourcing the Iraq war
Wars are not supposed to be private. Of course, this was a screwed up.
and they’re bound to fuck it up with highways.
Fear mongering. Every single toll road I’ve ever driven on has been one of the best maintained and safest in the area.
Wouldn’t you rather drive on a smooth road and pay as you go instead of having the highway fund stolen to pay for corrupt politicians’ jaunts to the Caribbean?
They surely would have fucked it up with Social Security, if Dumbya’s ridiculous privatization scam had been permitted.
As opposed to it being broke now? There is not any money in that fund. It is paid for out of T-Bills, which are loans from the Federal Reserve.
Although you seem to be of the opinion that there’s no role for government except protecting the right of unregulated corporations to rape and pillage the economy, the majority of America disagrees with you.
Obviously not if 44 states are considering it.
#46–Mustard==do you put your multiple skid marks on top of one another, or next to each other, or a combo?
I challenge you Mustard==indentify the incorrect style element and give the corrected version. ((Hint==I already know the item you will go for. Don’t. Think about the context, and proceed. Teach me.))
#47–Liberty Loser==you know I find your postings only a few steps above bird droppings, BUT you are contending with Mr Skidmark Mustard, so I think I am an honest broker here.
Your postings are more like bird droppings than rational thought. I’ll give the bullets and you can clean up your mess or continue to post as fractured as you do.
1. Mandatory–even you see the quibble you advance. You then ignore it and proceed as if there was a real issue.
2. Prisons. One example quite isolated from other factors showing the pro’s and con’s of privatization vs government utility. But, at least you do recognize privatization is doing a poor job.
3. Garbage. I’d like to see a good study on this. Seems to me the ineffeciencies of gov service would be largely offset by private abuses. In general though, y ea–specific service at a cost and one that can be recovered by the government on default==lets experiment.
4. Essential services should be government provided. They are “essential” and should not be subjected to the inherent fraud attendant with capitalism.
5. Mail. One of my favorites. First Class Overnight Mail Service==43 cents. Same thing by Fed Ex==$8.00 (Whatever). Y es, very efficient.
#48 – Bobo
>>I challenge you Mustard
You present me with an embarrassment of riches, Bobo. I refer you to your entire corpus of postings, with their inscrutable syntax, bizarre “poetic” punctuation, random capitalizations, and logical ping-pong.
#50–Mustard!!!==give it a go. You are so stingy and mean Mr Mustard. Do you wait to change until you actually can’t even see your underwear any more, or do you have higher standards?
#47 – Liberty Loser
>>Ah. You think it is mandatory. That is where
>>you are wrong.
No, that’s where I’m right. Those services are mandatory for society to function adequately.
>>One example and not widespread.
The only reason it’s not widespread is because most jurisdictions have the common sense not to privatize prisons.
>>However, overall — garbage collection,
>>electricity, sewage, telephone service,
>>etc., they all work just fine in private
>>hands.
Not sure where you live, but in my neck of the woods, garbage collection and sewage are handled by the Department of Public Works, a government entity. And you’re right, they work just fine. As to electricity, that might as well be a government entity, for its almost non-existent similarity to a free-market capitalist method of operation.
>>Fear mongering. Every single toll road I’ve
>>ever driven on has been one of the best
>>maintained and safest in the area.
You must not get out much. The toll-free interstate highway system and most state and local highways are as safe and well maintained as any toll road I’ve been on, without the expense, the frustration, the waiting, involved in toll roads.
>>Obviously not if 44 states are considering
>>it.
Considering it is not the same thing as implementing it. It’s a piss-poor idea, and I doubt it will gain much traction.
>>As opposed to it being broke now?
It’s not broke now. Everyone I know who receives Social Security gets their checks on time every month, and they clear. And it won’t be broke for the forseeable future. As to the underlying financial structure, it would be perfectly healthy if other interests did not stick their hands in the SS cookie jar and purloin funds for their own ends. You can be sure that if Dumbya had handed SS over to the predators of Wall Street, with billionaires skimming a percentage off the top for thrashing helpless retirees’ accounts, it would be in the same shape as Lehman Brothers.
Bobo, not a very auspicious start for the new year, with your continuous scatalogical “humor”. I’ve been reading your posts for years now. Don’t push your luck.
Gee Mustard==when you criticize someone directly and are challenged on it, you owe it even to yourself to make the effort.
Otherwise you post just like so many others that you rightfully criticize for doing the same thing.
Tsk, tsk. I put it down to cerebral cirrhosis. The exercise would alleviate your hypocrisy and might even keep you from mental incompetency a few extra months.
#54 – Bobo
Inauspicious start indeed. Not even 24 hours into the new year, and you’ve already become tiresome.
in germany you have to pay per driven kilometer if you earn your money with truck-driving.
#52,
Poison,
>>Ah. You think it is mandatory. That is where
>>you are wrong.
No, that’s where I’m right. Those services are mandatory for society to function adequately.
So is electricity, sewage, telephone service, etc. and they operate just fine as private entities in lots of places.
“Mandatory for society to function” is NOT the same as “mandatory that the goobermint implement it.”
>>However, overall — garbage collection,
>>electricity, sewage, telephone service,
>>etc., they all work just fine in private
>>hands.
Not sure where you live, but in my neck of the woods, garbage collection and sewage are handled by the Department of Public Works, a government entity. And you’re right, they work just fine. As to electricity, that might as well be a government entity, for its almost non-existent similarity to a free-market capitalist method of operation.
You must live in the only place in the land with efficient local government. Around here, it used to be public run but is now private and they are much more efficient. And we have over half a dozen electricity providers to choose from.
The only think public run is the water district. Everything else is private (including the Fire Dept which is under contract to the city).
>>Fear mongering. Every single toll road I’ve
>>ever driven on has been one of the best
>>maintained and safest in the area.
You must not get out much. The toll-free interstate highway system and most state and local highways are as safe and well maintained as any toll road I’ve been on, without the expense, the frustration, the waiting, involved in toll roads.
You must live in the only place in the land with efficient local government. The toll roads where I live are models of engineering and efficiency while the public roads are falling apart.
And in all other places I’ve lived (VA to CC, MI to FL) the toll roads have always been superior.
>>Obviously not if 44 states are considering
>>it.
Considering it is not the same thing as implementing it. It’s a piss-poor idea, and I doubt it will gain much traction.
Did you read the article? It’s already happening.
>>As opposed to it being broke now?
It’s not broke now. Everyone I know who receives Social Security gets their checks on time every month, and they clear. And it won’t be broke for the forseeable future. As to the underlying financial structure, it would be perfectly healthy if other interests did not stick their hands in the SS cookie jar and purloin funds for their own ends. You can be sure that if Dumbya had handed SS over to the predators of Wall Street, with billionaires skimming a percentage off the top for thrashing helpless retirees’ accounts, it would be in the same shape as Lehman Brothers.
Do you realize when SS first came out there were about 37 people for every person drawing benefits? Now it’s two. TWO!!! Yeah, the government sure kept their eye on our money. There is no money in the Social Security Trust Fund. Look it up. Congress emptied it in ’82.
However, I agree with you on the special interests. Unfortunately, when there is a big bucket of money, people want a share. That is the nature of big government.
#59 – Liberty Loser
>>Unfortunately, when there is a big bucket of
>>money, people want a share. That is the
>>nature of big government.
It’s even more the nature of corporate predators. At least when government does it, it’s considered wrong. When the predators do it, they get a huge bonus.
And you’re right, I must live in places with efficient local governments. And I’ve lived in WA, IN, IL, MN, MA, CT, OH, NJ, and FL. The only real problem I recall having with roads was the TOLL ROAD (GSP) in New Jersey. What a shithole.
As to the SS trust fund, it currently has about $2,000,000,000,000.00 in it, and is projected to be solvent until at least 2052. Your canned-tuna-and-rifles-buried-in-the-yard conspiracy theory that the government is going to default on Treasury bonds suggests you might need to adjust your tin-foil hat.
I expect nothing less from a state where it is illegal to pump your own gas.
#61 – Berm
>>I expect nothing less from a state where it
>>is illegal to pump your own gas.
Yeah, that’s pretty lame.
Although it IS cheaper for the full-service gas in NJ than it is for the pump-your-own stuff across the border in PA (or at least it was when I lived there). And nobody really pays attention to that law. You can usually pump your own if you’re so inclined.
# 60 Mister Mustard said, “As to the SS trust fund, it currently has about $2,000,000,000,000.00”
Umm, no. There is Gov’t IOUs only, not a single penny of real money. Your lack of general knowledge is truly shocking.