 Another Republican the Kool Aid Party hates |
If the debt-ceiling showdown made your blood boil, if the shutdown of air-traffic-control work related to the airline-ticket tax drove you crazy, then you should unplug your TV and power down your computer in late September, as the deadline for extension of the federal gasoline tax draws near.
…A sizable chunk of Republicans, led by Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma and Representative Jeff Flake of Arizona, want to abolish the tax that pays for the federal highway program and replace the whole system with one overseen by individual states.
This insurgency, inspired by the Tea Party, reflects flawed thinking on economics, transportation policy and even American history.
Like many other excise taxes, the federal highway tax comes up for periodic renewal, which is usually noncontroversial. But not this time. If Congress doesn’t act to renew the tax by Sept. 30, gas stations all over the country have to stop collecting it; the highway trust fund will never get the money; and new work on federal highway projects will come screeching to a halt.
A delay of just 10 days in renewing the tax would mean the permanent loss of $1 billion in highway funding (and layoffs for thousands of workers). Longer delays would measurably increase the national unemployment rate.
…Tea Partiers and their allies on this issue haven’t given up the fight over ending the tax; if they can’t abolish it outright just yet, they’ll push to allow states to opt out.
RTFA. More details, info, Congressional ennui.
Bobbo, tj,
either the project is worthwhile or it isn’t. Minnesota decided it wasn’t worthwhile if they had to pay the full cost, as TJ said. In that case, it is a waste of time for the Feds to put in the money, as it is not worthwhile. Now TJ didn’t say the project wasn’t worthwhile at full cost, just that it wasn’t going to pass because Republicans were blocking it. Even then, that is not a reason for the feds to fund other projects, because the legislature might be idiots to not know what’s good for them. Perhaps the other states will reevaluate after looking at Minnesota. Or maybe the project isn’t a good idea if you have to pay the full cost, and because the feds kicked in part of the money, Minnesota doesn’t have to charge as much to service the project.
I really don’t see what the problem is, without jobs we won’t have taxes much longer anyway. The Only we can get our jobs back is
TARRIFFS = JOBS IN USA
Both parties are globalist and free traitors that want more and more one treaties that export our jobs out of the US. No more taxes without jobs
NO TAXES WITHOUT JOBS IN US!
WHATEVER…………………………………
Traaxx
MikeN===Let me axe you a question: “How do you know what you know and how do you change your mind?”
On any/every issue you will have the full range of opinion. Why should I deem a project worthwhile if by denying it someone else may step in and pay for it?
Are the worthies for a State project different than other worthies for the Feds?
Is an interstate project very different from an intrastate project?
Are short term interests/goals/effects/worthies different from long term interests.
What is the pay back period to be worthy.
MikeN==pull your head out of your ass. It does in fact “almost” hurt me to read your posts==so stoopid they are. I see your intellect otherwise, why do you use your brain for a door stop?
Yea, verily.
>Why should I deem a project worthwhile if by denying it someone else may step in and pay for it?
All the more reason for the Feds to not pay. Don’t encourage the practice.
Mikey–you’ve got the motivation all wrong. The FEDs by position are more motivated to have an effective National Highway System. See the words “National” in there?
some issues are just that simple Mickey—just read the fricken words.
Try it.
I brought up my argument with regards to light rail in Minneapolis, and high-speed rail lines. Interstate highways are different, how much I don’t know.