Quoted from Grandma Bear I guess you guys don't do a lot of grocery shopping. Forget the gas prices, I spend as much on food now with just my husband and I as I did when all three kids lived at home... Yeah, it's $3.99 here for gas.

Yeah. Our food prices are going through the roof. $100 worth of groceries used to be a lot, now it's bugger all. We also have a GST (goods and services tax) down here which means that we have to pay a 10% tax on all goods and services. Sometimes when I go to the supermarket I actually hear people angrily complaining about the cost of stuff. Whilst the profits of the super rich continue to escalate, it's getting harder and harder for the vast majority of people to make ends meet and there doesn’t appear to any signs of it getting better. However, history has shown us that change is inevitable.

Hey,

Quoted from Grandma Bear Either use less or produce more.

I share your sentiment. What I don't understand is why there isn't a larger outcry for drilling in ANWR or the Gulf of Mexico. I don't think it's likely people are going to start using less until they have too.

But in related news, McCain and Clinton have made a proposal to temporarily suspend the federal gas tax. I think they figure it will knock about 20 cents off the price per gallon. My own speculation is that some other prices may temporarily come down because transportation of good will cost less. Anyway John McCain has a petition you can sign if you want to support it. It's not a real solution and it's short term but I think it will give Americans some relief and the economy a shot in the arm it could use.

So, sign it if you like. I did. Three times...

http://www.johnmccain.com/involving/petition.aspx?guid=a837aab2-bbad-43ae-a6eb-d0289869fe42

And for those of you that are particularly partisan and don't believe me about Clinton:

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/04/29/958462.aspx

Quoted from Grandma Bear Farmers decided to grow corn (for ethanol) instead of "grass".

It's beginning to look like ethanol as an alternative is a scam. I think the figure I heard was that it actually takes more then a gallon of gas to make a gallon of ethanol and, including the production process, may even produce more carbon dioxide.

sheepwalker

Quoted from Soap Hands Hey, But in related news, McCain and Clinton have made a proposal to temporarily suspend the federal gas tax. I think they figure it will knock about 20 cents off the price per gallon. My own speculation is that some other prices may temporarily come down because transportation of good will cost less. Anyway John McCain has a petition you can sign if you want to support it. It's not a real solution and it's short term but I think it will give Americans some relief and the economy a shot in the arm it could use.

But isn't that tax money used to help fund things like schools, hospitals, roads etc?

I don't see why the public coffers should have to be short changed. The problem here is the greed of the oil companies.  

Quoted from Takeshi But isn't that tax money used to help fund things like schools, hospitals, roads etc?

There are plenty of other taxes that cover that.  Income Tax, Sales Tax, tax on cigarettes and alcohol, toll roads.  All kinds of good stuff.  I could probably go on and on like Bubba in Forrest Gump, only with taxes instead of shrimp.

I saw gas prices online for Iraq as 5 cents a gallon.

We export food to them, right?

I say if they want to charge everyone out the nose for oil why don't we start charging
them five dollars for a can of corn, ten dollars for a can of beans...

time to fight fire with fire

Quoted from Shelton There are plenty of other taxes that cover that.  Income Tax, Sales Tax, tax on cigarettes and alcohol, toll roads.  All kinds of good stuff.  I could probably go on and on like Bubba in Forrest Gump, only with taxes instead of shrimp.

So you guys are running a budget with a surplus then?

The minute the government is running a surplus, they are taxing the citizens too much!

Quoted from Takeshi So you guys are running a budget with a surplus then?

No, which is probably why I didn't say that.

So someone isn't paying enough tax then and it ain't the working the stiffs.

Here in Alberta, we're currently averaging roughly $5.00 per U.S. gallon.

Hey,

Quoted from Chris Reid But isn't that tax money used to help fund things like schools, hospitals, roads etc?

It is used to maintain interstate road ways I believe. And yes they will have to get other money from somewhere to pay for it. I think they could free up some cash but cutting stupid projects like bridges to nowhere or museums about Woodstock. Or if you insist on a tax why don't they target the more excessive well to do luxury purchases that are some how related like hummers, friaries, grills, 20'' rims... yachts perhaps.


sheepwalker

Yes. I insist.

Quoted from Soap Hands Hey, Or if you insist on a tax why don't they target the more excessive well to do luxury purchases that are some how related like hummers, friaries, grills, 20'' rims... yachts perhaps.

Quoted from Chris Reid Yes. I insist.

We have that already.  It's called sales tax.

My major beef is with the greedy oil companies. Their behaviour affects the entire planet. It's not so much a matter of tax this or don't tax that. The US government needs to use its clout to rein the fuckers into line, but obviously Bush isn't going to do that because he's in their pockets. I for one, think that it's obscene for the US government to send the tax payer funded military over to Iraq to shore up the financial positions of the oil companies. That money should be spent to benefit the majority not the privileged few.

I also find it perplexing when average Joes think parties like the Republican Party represent their best interests. You gotta be kidding me.

Quoted from The boy who could fly Better than the democrats

And death by firing squad is probably better than death by stoning. So what's your point?