It's official: Our government is replete with morons . . . Senate gas proposal

[BaliBabyDoc]

cnn
This idea is almost as dumb as the Medicare reform that made it more expensive.

Why not TAX the companies making money off of gas and give that back to consumers?!

Why give consumers their own money back . . . especially when they are deficit dollars that will have to be paid back by future taxpayers . . . plus interest!!

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Every American taxpayer would get a $100 rebate check to offset the pain of higher pump prices for gasoline, under an amendment Senate Republicans hope to bring to a vote Thursday.

Democrats are stupid . . . Republicans are anencephalic.

However, the GOP energy package may face tough sledding because it also includes a controversial proposal to open part of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska to oil exploration, which most Democrats and some moderate Republicans oppose.

Uh, you could double current AK oil production and it would be a blip on the world market. Why not work on CAFE stds or subsidize auto industry technology so their vehicles would get closer to meeting CURRENT CAFE?

 

[umbrella39]

Wow. I just can't wait to get $100 of my money back so I can give it right back to Bush and the oil companies. Great scam. Gotta hand it to em.

 

[GoPackGo]

This is just more corporate welfare for the oil companies...why not save everyone time and money and just cut ONE check to them.

 

[dullard]

Lets throw an expensive bandaid on a blood gushing wound and call it good!

But seriously folks, a multibillion dollar spending spree like this is exactly what our governement needs to get its books back in balance.

 

[RightIsWrong]

Originally posted by: BaliBabyDoc

Uh, you could double current AK oil production and it would be a blip on the world market. Why not work on CAFE stds or subsidize auto industry technology so their vehicles would get closer to meeting CURRENT CAFE?

Because those that are running the country have all of their family's fortunes made by and subsidized by the oil industry....not the automotive.

They need the subsidies to go where it will benefit the most people.....that they are related to.

 

[techs]

This is the most outrageous idea the Republicans have come up with.
And thats really saying something.

 

[KB]

This is an attempt by the repubs to buy votes. The cost to send millions of checks is expensive in itself, then any governemnt plan is always abused. Dumb idea again. Lets ease our pain today so our pain can be doubled tomorrow.

 

[Genx87]

Our government is replete with morons

Is this something you just happened upon this morning?

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

I like how they want to tag on the ANWR issue. And the sad thing is, the gomers and goobers are going to buy into it.
Hu-Yuk, I gots me a hunnert dollars and it only cost me another piece of the enviro-mental.
And how much gas will that 100 buy? That's less than a week and a half for me. No thanks you slimy fvcks, eat it.

 

[GTaudiophile]

Idiot idea!

The problem is also supply. Where are refineries operating at 85% capacity? (So I've heard on TV.) Why not force them to run at 95-100% capacity?

 

[Uhtrinity]

No different than the tax rebate after Bush first came into office. They send you a check then are nice enough to deduct it from your tax return at the beginning of next year or tack it on what you owe. Problem is most people don't realize that little detail. Again no real solutions, just smoke and mirrors.

 

[Genx87]

The idea is silly because it can adversly affect demand by keeping it higher a couple of more weeks.

People will think it is free money and thus spend it on gas. The only way out of this is to ride it out and lower our demand for gas.

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: Genx87
The idea is silly because it can adversly affect demand by keeping it higher a couple of more weeks.

I don't think many people will actually use it on gas. Probably ~98% of it will go to other uses. So that impact is minimal.

The only way out of this is to ride it out and lower our demand for gas.

Finally a brilliant statement from you. 😉

 

[lozina]

In related news, Exxon Mobil posts profits increasing to a " first- quarter record of $8.4 billion".

 

[zendari]

Oil companies are paying their fair share of taxes.

 

[dahunan]

Originally posted by: zendari
Oil companies are paying their fair share of taxes.

Is that why your president gave them $15,000,000,000 in tax breaks last year.. so they could stop building refineries and jack us on the price of gas

 

[zendari]

Originally posted by: dahunan

Originally posted by: zendari
Oil companies are paying their fair share of taxes.

Is that why your president gave them $15,000,000,000 in tax breaks last year.. so they could stop building refineries and jack us on the price of gas

Why would they build refineries?

Funny how nobody was blaming the oil companies for lowering the price of gas in Nov and Dec 05.

 

[rickn]

I'd be happy to accept a porsche 911 carrera in lieu of cash

 

[EatSpam]

Originally posted by: zendari

Originally posted by: dahunan

Originally posted by: zendari
Oil companies are paying their fair share of taxes.

Is that why your president gave them $15,000,000,000 in tax breaks last year.. so they could stop building refineries and jack us on the price of gas

Why would they build refineries?

Funny how nobody was blaming the oil companies for lowering the price of gas in Nov and Dec 05.

Yeah, the price of gas was super low in December. :roll:

 

[CycloWizard]

This has "November political ad" written all over it - I can just see the commercials now. "John Kerry voted AGAINST giving you back $100 of your hard-earned money!" What a joke. :roll:

 

[zendari]

Originally posted by: EatSpam

Originally posted by: zendari

Originally posted by: dahunan

Originally posted by: zendari
Oil companies are paying their fair share of taxes.

Is that why your president gave them $15,000,000,000 in tax breaks last year.. so they could stop building refineries and jack us on the price of gas

Why would they build refineries?

Funny how nobody was blaming the oil companies for lowering the price of gas in Nov and Dec 05.

Yeah, the price of gas was super low in December. :roll:

It was close to the $2 mark where I filled up. After all, if oil companies are responsible for price increases, they must be responsible for the post Katrina decline.

 

[dainthomas]

Originally posted by: zendari

Originally posted by: dahunan

Originally posted by: zendari
Oil companies are paying their fair share of taxes.

Is that why your president gave them $15,000,000,000 in tax breaks last year.. so they could stop building refineries and jack us on the price of gas

Why would they build refineries?

Exactly, that might have lowered their profits.

That is the point. The excess cost for the consumer is going straight to their bottom line.

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: dullard

Originally posted by: Genx87
The idea is silly because it can adversly affect demand by keeping it higher a couple of more weeks.

I don't think many people will actually use it on gas. Probably ~98% of it will go to other uses. So that impact is minimal.

The only way out of this is to ride it out and lower our demand for gas.

Finally a brilliant statement from you. 😉

You are probably right on the consumption and about my other comment. I have been saying that on these forums for the past 2 weeks since this has become a hot topic 😉

 

[Amplifier]

This could be a fancy political move. If the Democrats shoot this bill down the Republicans will say "Look guys we tried to help you out, but the Democrats just don't care about you" and if it passes the Republican's will say "Look how much we helped you out!"

Everyone on this board hopefully sees through that BS. But to the demographic the Republican's want to target, lower class Democrats, this proposal will sound very appealing.

Edit: CycloWizard beat me to it

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: zendari

Originally posted by: dahunan

Originally posted by: zendari
Oil companies are paying their fair share of taxes.

Is that why your president gave them $15,000,000,000 in tax breaks last year.. so they could stop building refineries and jack us on the price of gas

Why would they build refineries?

Funny how nobody was blaming the oil companies for lowering the price of gas in Nov and Dec 05.

it takes years to get a refinery up and running, not only do you have construction, you have permitting, enviro studies, the NIMBY crowd, everyone. even if the process started 2 years ago when gas first started nearing $2/gallon the first refineries would probably be several years from coming on line even now.

if they could sell more gas and grab more market share from their competitors they could.

Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
Idiot idea!

The problem is also supply. Where are refineries operating at 85% capacity? (So I've heard on TV.) Why not force them to run at 95-100% capacity?

because they'll break down more often and actually churn out less refined product in the long run.