Transportation Secretary Considers a Federal Tax Per Miles Driven
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is considering a proposal to tax all American drivers for every mile they drive. When President Obama reached across the aisle and tabbed LaHood as his Transportation Secretary I am sure that he knew LaHood wouldn’t have a problem introducing new taxes. This is disheartening coming from a Republican.
We should look at the vehicular miles program where people are actually clocked on the number of miles that they traveled
He claims that the federal gas tax just isn’t enough to keep the roads and bridges repaired. I will guarantee you that this miles per driven tax will be in addition to the gas tax, we will not get a break.
But that isn’t even the extent of it, LaHood is also looking at the idea of putting up tolls across the nation.
Besides a VMT tax, more tolls for highways and bridges and more government partnerships with business to finance transportation projects are other funding options
LaHood is dead set against raising the gas tax because of the recession but he is not opposed to charging a fee to drivers for miles driven and he is not opposed to new tolls. What the hell does he think that a toll or a fee is?
Lahood praises President Obama for looking outside the box:
What I see this administration doing is this — thinking outside the box on how we fund our infrastructure in America
Looking for new ways to tax us is looking outside the box to people in Dear Leader’s administration. Needless to say, this tax will hurt the middle class families the most. We are the ones who will be hit hardest and feel it the most if these new plans are implemented. The anointed one talks a good game with regards to the middle class and how much he cares about them but when you look at the stealth, hidden types of taxes that his administration proposes it is the middle class that Obama’s plans hurt the most.
It looks like we know where that extra thirteen dollars in tax breaks that we were going to receive from the stimulus plan is ultimately going to end up; right back in the government’s greedy little hands.
President Obama and his administration are sneaky, they score a small victory by coming through on a tiny middle class tax cut but then they slide in a tax that is designed to give the money back to them and more. That is how this administration is going to operate.
Many on the left get upset when you call people like Dear Leader a tax and spend liberal, but what do you call he and his administration so far? One trillion dollars in new spending, and now a proposed federal tax on how far all Americans drive, it is going to get very expensive to be a middle class American over the next four years. That is if there is a middle class after President Obama gets through with us.
America's Watchtower 
They obviously don’t have any respect for those of us that live in rural areas. And, most people who live in these areas are lower income than those that live in the city. So, who gets hurt the most? The lower income areas of the country!!
LikeLike
I agree with your sentiments. I had never thought about those of us who live out in the boonies!
LikeLike
This is the most ludicrous thing I have heard to date. In addition, this will really become a violation of our liberties.
LikeLike
Soon they will be tracking us everywhere we go. That is one of the proposals in Mass. This is insane.
LikeLike
I just heard this didn’t pass. Have you heard that?
LikeLike
Actually, this is kinda cool, Mr. Pink Eyes. I think I might just try this on my blog and see how it works.
LikeLike
It seems prestty cool so far.
LikeLike
Mr. Pink Eyes – I just had to tell you this. I had someone go into my Bank of America account and withdraw money without my permission. I contact BOA and they advised me that the had to….get ready for this….go to the federal reserve to see if they could put it back in my account? It was denied. Unbelievable.
LikeLike
Wow! What are you going to do? How the hell can they get away with this?
LikeLike
Apparently, there is NOTHING I can do so I just lost $200. I am not longer allowing anyone to automatically withdraw from my account. That is it. They want payment – wait for the check. Period.
LikeLike
We the people, are actually electing the men and women who are coming up with jackass ideas such as this! It’s time we all woke up and took a long, hard look at who we’re sending to represent us before they decide to fund the FDA by how many eggs we consume or the Department of Education by how many children we have, etc. etc. etc.
What good are the “tax breaks” the government is talking about when they turn around and come up with more harebrained ideas to tax us on the back end? We all need roads to travel on and they need to be safe and in good condition – no argument there. But how many times in California alone, have we approved bonds to improve the roads – bond money which ultimately sits unused or gets diverted to some other purpose?
To me there is an often overlooked principle involved when our government officials decide on how to spend our tax dollars. It’s the same principle that I have to use in my personal budgeting. I have so much money coming in with a fixed amount that must go out for basic needs (e.g. housing, utilities, fuel, insurance, food, etc.). Then there are items which I elect to add to my monthly spending, such as: the pool man, charity, the gardener, the housekeeper, going out to dinner, the movies, gifts, the latest gadget, etc. When my basic expenses grow with inflation versus my income I am forced to make some tough decisions. I really don’t want to have to cut my own lawn. I really like how it feels to give to the Veterans charity. I love my once-a-week dinner and movie. I really, really wanted those shoes. Hey, they’ve come out with a really cool cell phone. But the bottom line is I must adjust what I spend and where I spend to be able to meet my basic demands: food, clothing, shelter. Yes, I can go into debt, but then I have to have the money to make those monthly payments.
Our government, however, doesn’t seem to apply the principles that you and I must live by. They don’t cut costs across the board they simply rearrange how much, where and how they get our tax dollars from. While there are many worthy government programs and our worldwide charity as a nation is well known, I ask myself all the time why my government is so busy spending my tax dollars on other stuff when apparently the basics (infrastructure such as roads) isn’t getting the funding it needs.
Invading my privacy, taxing my freedom to come and go is not the answer! Cut the pork first. Government needs to make the tough decisions just like I have to. Stop funding the programs and charities if we don’t have the money rather than sticking your hands deeper into my pockets; I’m already strapped! If I approve a bond for a particular use, ensure that the funds are used only for that purpose. Fund the needs of our country FIRST and help other countries only after we are sure we can help ourselves. I don’t help my cousin until I’ve first taken care of my own children. I put my own airmask on before I assist my children.
How many of the agencies you can find listed here: US gov agencies do you think are absolutely necessary to our survival as a people and nation? This isn’t to say that many are not worthy, but I think having a housekeeper so working parents can spend their limited time with their children is worthy too – but perhaps not essential if it means the difference between paying the electric bill or not.
This proposal is a kind of blackmail/penalty to how American’s choose to buy vehicles or where they choose to travel to. If I lived in Chicago or New York I could use public transportation or walk to work. But if I live in cities like Los Angeles which is spread out, I may have to drive 40 miles one way from where I can afford to live to my job.
I suggest that a long hard look be taken at what we as a nation need as basics versus what we’ve taken on that are not absolutely essential. Yes, there would be some screaming and yelling from groups who have gotten quite used to counting on the programs, that while possibly worthy, are not necessarily a basic necessity. We need to help our own before we help our cousins of the world. We need to fund the basics with the resources we have before we fund all the superfluous extras. I doubt that that the American taxpayer would ever buy these kind of harebrained funding proposals to support aid to other countries or some of the unnecessary programs we have. So why should we support it for something as necessary as safe roads?
LikeLike
Helene – that is the best explanation I have heard in a long, long time. Maybe YOU should run for office. LOL
LikeLike
Very well said. I will second Dominique’s motion that you should run for office.
LikeLike
LOL. Thank you both for your vote of trust. I’m afraid I wouldn’t be very P.C. I have a hard time tempering my outrage at certain ridiculousities (if not a word it should be! hahaha) with a the amount of tact and restraint that might be needed. 😉
LikeLike
Not PC? Yet another reason you should run.
LikeLike
I wholeheartedly agree! PC is so over -rated as it is! LOL
LikeLike
Insult to injury, cadillac Deval is going to add a 19 cent gas tax in MA. YAAAYY!! You see, the house always wins.
LikeLike
But I thought he was against the gas tax? DOH!
I am going to try to get to this story tonight.
LikeLike