Redistribution on the down low.
Short one tonight, but very concerning.
As we go into 2018, there is discussion as to the legislative agenda. The GOP is feeling pretty confident, with their tax bill (NOT REFORM), and feel like they need to strike now.
Speaker Ryan wants to tackle entitlement reform. I will remind him the last time that the GOP did that, was leading up to the 2006 elections, with Speaker Pelosi as a result. Don't misunderstand, it is desperately needed. But it is political suicide. No way that there is the courage in the Senate to fix those problems.
Majority Leader McConnell wants to do infrastructure. No doubt, he thinks that this is something that everyone can get behind. I mean, who DOESN'T want to fix highways, and bridges? Of course, we all remember the shovel ready jobs of the 09 infrastructure bill, and how, after spending about a year documenting on a website how the money was spent, decided that the optics of saving state and local government jobs with the nearly 1 trillion spending bill wasn't that great. President Obama even saying that the jobs "weren't quite as shovel ready as we thought".
So why the title?
Do you drive a car with an internal combustion engine? If so, you pay for infrastructure at the pump with every gallon of gasoline or diesel. Up through 1983,all of the tax went into the Highway Fund, to build and maintain the federal highway system. The redistribution began in 1983, when funds began to be siphoned off for mass transit. Later tax increases helped offset the deficit, as well as other things. However, the Trust Fund is in name only. Congress authorizes spending out of the general fund to pay for projects.
Look, I have nothing against mass transit, or bike paths, or other waste of my fuel taxes, except for the fact that those that pay the tax, ie, truck drivers, car owners, motorcyclists and so on do not get the full benefit of their funds. Oooh, look, we have busses! We have bike lanes! (no offense to any cyclist out there, by the way) If mass transit worked, there would be private entities competing. Why should those that buy the gas suffer so that others can benefit? Think about the damage done to cars because of pot holes, the amount of gasoline wasted while cars idle in traffic, because lanes are closed. It isn't the fault of those riding the bus, I know, it is government, redistributing the wealth.
How about we cash out the treasuries in the Trust Fund (we are planning on deficit spending for this thing anyway) and get the feds out of the highway business? The gas tax is obsolete anyway, as with cars making better mileage, along with those using natural gas and electric, there is insufficient revenue to maintain the status quo. Better would be toll roads, or a mileage fee paid when you register your vehicle. ( I like toll roads)
President Trump thinks infrastructure is a winner, and it could be, but how to pay for it?
Bonus question: Does the post office break even on its Amazon deliveries? Talk about corporate welfare.
As we go into 2018, there is discussion as to the legislative agenda. The GOP is feeling pretty confident, with their tax bill (NOT REFORM), and feel like they need to strike now.
Speaker Ryan wants to tackle entitlement reform. I will remind him the last time that the GOP did that, was leading up to the 2006 elections, with Speaker Pelosi as a result. Don't misunderstand, it is desperately needed. But it is political suicide. No way that there is the courage in the Senate to fix those problems.
Majority Leader McConnell wants to do infrastructure. No doubt, he thinks that this is something that everyone can get behind. I mean, who DOESN'T want to fix highways, and bridges? Of course, we all remember the shovel ready jobs of the 09 infrastructure bill, and how, after spending about a year documenting on a website how the money was spent, decided that the optics of saving state and local government jobs with the nearly 1 trillion spending bill wasn't that great. President Obama even saying that the jobs "weren't quite as shovel ready as we thought".
So why the title?
Do you drive a car with an internal combustion engine? If so, you pay for infrastructure at the pump with every gallon of gasoline or diesel. Up through 1983,all of the tax went into the Highway Fund, to build and maintain the federal highway system. The redistribution began in 1983, when funds began to be siphoned off for mass transit. Later tax increases helped offset the deficit, as well as other things. However, the Trust Fund is in name only. Congress authorizes spending out of the general fund to pay for projects.
Look, I have nothing against mass transit, or bike paths, or other waste of my fuel taxes, except for the fact that those that pay the tax, ie, truck drivers, car owners, motorcyclists and so on do not get the full benefit of their funds. Oooh, look, we have busses! We have bike lanes! (no offense to any cyclist out there, by the way) If mass transit worked, there would be private entities competing. Why should those that buy the gas suffer so that others can benefit? Think about the damage done to cars because of pot holes, the amount of gasoline wasted while cars idle in traffic, because lanes are closed. It isn't the fault of those riding the bus, I know, it is government, redistributing the wealth.
How about we cash out the treasuries in the Trust Fund (we are planning on deficit spending for this thing anyway) and get the feds out of the highway business? The gas tax is obsolete anyway, as with cars making better mileage, along with those using natural gas and electric, there is insufficient revenue to maintain the status quo. Better would be toll roads, or a mileage fee paid when you register your vehicle. ( I like toll roads)
President Trump thinks infrastructure is a winner, and it could be, but how to pay for it?
Bonus question: Does the post office break even on its Amazon deliveries? Talk about corporate welfare.
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