Sitting in a traffic jam recently, decided surf the AM radio dial.

Found a station carrying a discussion regarding a proposal to offer a
tax incentive to people to turn in older gas guzzling vehicles toward
the purchase of higher efficiency equipment.

It soon became clear that those discussing the idea were mocking the
idea in every way possible.

I found it amusing to say the least since a few years ago, Union Oil
here in SoCal had a program that involved buying junker cars to get
them off the road and thus reduce air pollution and earn Union
pollution tax credits.

It was cheaper to buy the junkers and use the pollution tax credits to
offset refinery pollution taxes rather than buy and install the
necessary refinery pollution control equipment.

Nothing new about the idea, been around a long time and it works.

Using taxation policy to influence private sector behavior is one of
the basic functions of gov't, isn't it?

Lew

On Sat, 09 May 2009 02:22:58 GMT, "Lew Hodgett"
wrote:

Using taxation policy to influence private sector behavior is one of
the basic functions of gov't, isn't it?


For good or bad, proper or improper, it's certainly turned out that
way.

However, IMO, the only proper use of the power to tax is to fund the
necessary functions of government, not to penalize me if my idea of
"what's good for me" is different from what professional politicians
want me to believe.

Tom Veatch
Wichita, KS
USA

Tom Veatch wrote:

On Sat, 09 May 2009 02:22:58 GMT, "Lew Hodgett"
wrote:

Using taxation policy to influence private sector behavior is one of
the basic functions of gov't, isn't it?


For good or bad, proper or improper, it's certainly turned out that
way.

However, IMO, the only proper use of the power to tax is to fund the
necessary functions of government, not to penalize me if my idea of
"what's good for me" is different from what professional politicians
want me to believe.

Tom Veatch
Wichita, KS
USA
Agreed!!! I have an old truck I use in my business. Runs perfectly! And Ive
owed nothing on it for over 15 years. I thought about getting a new truck
but I'd have to pay over 35,000 for what I have now. I don't care how much
gas goes up I'm still ahead of the game. Its all about economics, RIGHT???
Screw the freakin Politicians and the Government.
--
"You can lead them to LINUX
but you can't make them THINK"
Running Mandriva release 2008.0 free-i586 using KDE on i586
Website Address http://rentmyhusband.biz/

"evodawg" wrote:

Its all about economics, RIGHT???
Screw the freakin Politicians and the Government.

To paraphrase Oliver W Holmes, Chief Justice, US Supreme Court,
"Your right to do as you please stops about a quarter of an inch in
front of my nose."

IOW, no, it's not all about economics.

Lew

Lew Hodgett wrote:


"evodawg" wrote:

Its all about economics, RIGHT???
Screw the freakin Politicians and the Government.

To paraphrase Oliver W Holmes, Chief Justice, US Supreme Court,
"Your right to do as you please stops about a quarter of an inch in
front of my nose."

I'll give you a 1/4" but 1/2" is out of the question...


IOW, no, it's not all about economics.
hmmmm, wasn't this topic something about tax breaks for buying a new car?
It is with me. The rest is just window dressing.

I always like this one:
"People should not be afraid of their government, a government should be
afraid of its people" These freaks in Washington need to go!!



--
"You can lead them to LINUX
but you can't make them THINK"
Running Mandriva release 2008.0 free-i586 using KDE on i586
Website Address http://rentmyhusband.biz/

"evodawg" wrote:

hmmmm, wasn't this topic something about tax breaks for buying a new
car?
It is with me. The rest is just window dressing.

Actually it addresses using tax policy to promote adopting ideas whose
benefits are beneficial to all of society.

If you live in the city, you are connected to the sewer and pay for
the service.

The first cost of a "slop jar" would be less but not total cost of
ownership when health costs are included thus it has been directed by
law you will use the sewer system.

The cost of a vehicle or any subsidies provided to promote the process
is simply a tool to get the task completed.

Lew

"evodawg" wrote in message
...

These freaks in Washington need to go!!


Well think about that reckless comment. ;!) Politician is the name we give
a person in government that would otherwise be receiving welfare or
unemployment checks. If they were not in government they wood still be
receiving benefits and voting for more of their kind. It's a "catch 22"
situation.

On Sat, 09 May 2009 02:22:58 GMT, "Lew Hodgett"
wrote:

Nothing new about the idea, been around a long time and it works.

Using taxation policy to influence private sector behavior is one of
the basic functions of gov't, isn't it?

One of the fundamental issues behind the American Revolution was the
use of taxes to try to shape trade in the colonies. It was not much
about the amount of the taxes, but quite a bit about the uses of them.

--
"We need to make a sacrifice to the gods, find me a young virgin... oh, and bring something to kill"

Tim Douglass

http://www.DouglassClan.com

Lew Hodgett wrote:

.... snip

Using taxation policy to influence private sector behavior is one of
the basic functions of gov't, isn't it?

Lew

I'm sure you feel that way as long as they are getting people to do what
*you* want them to do.

Having seen your answer later in the thread to someone else with OWH's
quote, it's puzzling how you see that others driving of vehicles with which
you disagree somehow are the equivalent to *you* being punched.

Government has stepped into more and more, just as the founders feared.
California is probably one of the worst states in this -- looks like it's
close to being completely bankrupted through its nanny-state policies. But
instead of cutting those programs, the state is going to turn convicted
criminals loose instead. Seems you'd be a bit more concerned about that
than what cars people are driving. My guess is that you will rail against
those who are about to turn down the massive tax increases on the ballot
coming up.


--
If you're going to be dumb, you better be tough