117th Congress: DEMS IN DISARRAY!!!111!!

[Drew S.]

Raising the gas tax is regressive and disproportionately affects poor people, and by extension, people of color. If they could raise it and make it more progressive, maybe, but I doubt that’s what they’d do. Sanders is against it.

On paper, yes, but I think in practice you are wrong. It would certainly hurt rural whites some, I don’t think it would impact minorities as much though. You could offer some sort of income tax rebate to offset the difference for lower income folks as well. The bottom line is we have to pay for it somehow.

[psych]

On paper, yes, but I think in practice you are wrong. It would certainly hurt rural whites some, I don’t think it would impact minorities as much though. You could offer some sort of income tax rebate to offset the difference for lower income folks as well. The bottom line is we have to pay for it somehow.

I’m not the one that’s saying it’ll hurt people of color. It’s the experts. It can absolutely be paid for. One party wants to raise taxes on corporations and the upper class that would pay for most, if not all of the infrastructure. One party said it’s a “non-starter”, and that increasing user fees, gas taxes, etc., which disproportionately hurt middle- and lower-class people, is the way to pay for all of this infrastructure. You’re a smart enough person. I’m sure you can figure out which is which.

[MissThundercat]

I’m not the one that’s saying it’ll hurt people of color. It’s the experts. It can absolutely be paid for. One party wants to raise taxes on corporations and the upper class that would pay for most, if not all of the infrastructure. One party said it’s a “non-starter”, and that increasing user fees, gas taxes, etc., which disproportionately hurt middle- and lower-class people, is the way to pay for all of this infrastructure. You’re a smart enough person. I’m sure you can figure out which is which.

I'm not a rural white; I live in an urban area. I work retail (6 days a week) and drive for Door Dash/Uber Eats as secondary work. A gas tax will punish your food delivery driver and your Shipt/Instacart person. And we're already struggling as it is with demand for our services declining.

[Drew S.]

I’m not the one that’s saying it’ll hurt people of color. It’s the experts. It can absolutely be paid for. One party wants to raise taxes on corporations and the upper class that would pay for most, if not all of the infrastructure. One party said it’s a “non-starter”, and that increasing user fees, gas taxes, etc., which disproportionately hurt middle- and lower-class people, is the way to pay for all of this infrastructure. You’re a smart enough person. I’m sure you can figure out which is which.

Why can’t we do both? I think the need is so much greater than we are led to believe and it’s not going to get easier or cheaper going forward.

Maybe this shouldn’t be the case other places but around Boston I would love to see the gas tax subsidize public transportation which would absolutely be a benefit to those not as well off.

[psych]

Why can’t we do both? I think the need is so much greater than we are led to believe and it’s not going to get easier or cheaper going forward.

Maybe this shouldn’t be the case other places but around Boston I would love to see the gas tax subsidize public transportation which would absolutely be a benefit to those not as well off.

Why do both when we don’t have to? We don’t have to raise taxes on the lower/middle-classes to pay for the infrastructure we need.
For someone who kept saying Democrats lowering the income threshold for a stimulus check would kill them in the midterms, giving the GOP the “They’re raising your taxes!” line before the midterms probably isn’t an effective message. Nevermind the complete, utter hypocrisy of such a message, but I’m really not of the notion that the average voter is actually smart enough, or pays enough attention, to recognize the hypocrisy. If someone like you, who is on here telling actual Democrats to “save democracy” and “there are no sacred cows in the GOP” and all of that other stuff you claim to believe, supports a lot of the GOP agenda, I’m sure there are many others who voted Biden, but believe raising the gas tax is a good idea, and is the Democrats’ idea. But, like you, they’ll play both sides of that fence.

[Drew S.]

Why do both when we don’t have to? We don’t have to raise taxes on the lower/middle-classes to pay for the infrastructure we need.
For someone who kept saying Democrats lowering the income threshold for a stimulus check would kill them in the midterms, giving the GOP the “They’re raising your taxes!” line before the midterms probably isn’t an effective message. Nevermind the complete, utter hypocrisy of such a message, but I’m really not of the notion that the average voter is actually smart enough, or pays enough attention, to recognize the hypocrisy. If someone like you, who is on here telling actual Democrats to “save democracy” and “there are no sacred cows in the GOP” and all of that other stuff you claim to believe, supports a lot of the GOP agenda, I’m sure there are many others who voted Biden, but believe raising the gas tax is a good idea, and is the Democrats’ idea. But, like you, they’ll play both sides of that fence.

You’re 100% right on raising the gas tax being a loser politically. There is a reason it hasn’t been raised in 30 years while our roads and bridges have fallen apart. I would definitely prefer the rich pay for all of the repairs but think we should all share some of the pain.

[ScoobyDoo]

You’re 100% right on raising the gas tax being a loser politically. There is a reason it hasn’t been raised in 30 years while our roads and bridges have fallen apart. I would definitely prefer the rich pay for all of the repairs but think we should all share some of the pain.

Starve the Government is still the policy of the United States. Republicans *might* allow us to pass an Infrastructure Bill for 1 Trillion. Unfortunately we're so behind now we'll never get caught up. It's ok though. Tax Cuts to Jeff Bezos are on the credit card.

[The Sicatoka]

No, Columbus Day gets taken away so Voting Day gets to be a holiday.

I'm in.

[The Sicatoka]

You’re 100% right on raising the gas tax being a loser politically.

Um ... gas tax to pay for highways in a world where the administration wants more and more electric vehicles. <-- See the problem?

[Drew S.]

Um ... gas tax to pay for highways in a world where the administration wants more and more electric vehicles. <-- See the problem?

God forbid people do something that’s good for the environment. That’s what we should be concerned about.

[The Sicatoka]

Going forward a gas tax to fund highways won't work. More and more usage of roadways will be by electric vehicles. How do we keep the roadways sound when the gas tax, even if increased, will produce less funding due to fewer ICE vehicles.

[Handyman]

That is a good point. In theory in the future if EVs become a much larger market share (i.e. cheap enough that the average person can afford one) you could raise the gas tax and have it only affect the people who choose to keep the niche ICE. Now though...you are basically screwing over anyone with a commute and all of the gig economy. Plus while Bezos is paying no taxes, his drivers are taking it in the tailpipe because I doubt he pays for the gas.

[Drew S.]

That is a good point. In theory in the future if EVs become a much larger market share (i.e. cheap enough that the average person can afford one) you could raise the gas tax and have it only affect the people who choose to keep the niche ICE. Now though...you are basically screwing over anyone with a commute and all of the gig economy. Plus while Bezos is paying no taxes, his drivers are taking it in the tailpipe because I doubt he pays for the gas.

Electricity can be taxed as well. It might be an issue at some point but right now it is just a bs excuse not to do anything.

[Deutsche Gopher Fan]

Going forward a gas tax to fund highways won't work. More and more usage of roadways will be by electric vehicles. How do we keep the roadways sound when the gas tax, even if increased, will produce less funding due to fewer ICE vehicles.

Hey, I agree!

[The Sicatoka]

Electricity can be taxed as well. It might be an issue at some point but right now it is just a bs excuse not to do anything.

No, it's recognition of a pending problem. Now would be a great time to start figuring out options and solutions.

One option: At level 2 or 3 charging stations, be they at home* or commercial, put a surcharge ("gas tax") on the electricity. What that doesn't account for is the person willing to do level 1 charge at home (to dodge the tax).


*The next dilemma of EVs -- most residential neighborhood electric infrastructure is not designed for each house to have a level 2, much less level 3, charger. A level 2 can pull 80 amps at 240 VAC; that's nominally four electric dryers.