Friday, September 23, 2005
Political Needs #1: Displacement based taxes on cars and trucks.
Just like in Greece and Maylasia (as well as other countries), the United States should (but won't sadly) impose taxes based upon displacement rather than cost. For example, for petrol based vehicles, anything up to 1.5 litres in displacement would be taxed at say 10% MSRP, 1.51 to 2.0 litres at %25 MSRP, 2.01 to 2.5 litres %38, 2.51 to 3.0 litres at %50, and anything over 3.0 litres would be taxed as 100% MSRP. This wouldn't stop anyone from being able to own the vehicle of their choice, but it would mean that engines that use more gasoline would pay up front for all the damage their preferences cause.
Diesel engines would be a little more flexible in terms of ranges of size, maybe the lowest rate would be to 1.7 litres @ 10%, as so on and so forth up to 3.3 litres with anyting over being 100% taxed over MSRP. You want that new $23,000 Mustang GT, well, because of it you can pay $23,000 in taxes on it.. $46,000 in total. I think we'd start seeing more sensible purchases out there. We'd also start seeing the availability of the wonderful high torque, low polluting (now) displacement Diesels that Europe sees.
Wake up America, things need to change, this would be one way to do it, without taking away "choice" which we all value as United States citizens.
E
Diesel engines would be a little more flexible in terms of ranges of size, maybe the lowest rate would be to 1.7 litres @ 10%, as so on and so forth up to 3.3 litres with anyting over being 100% taxed over MSRP. You want that new $23,000 Mustang GT, well, because of it you can pay $23,000 in taxes on it.. $46,000 in total. I think we'd start seeing more sensible purchases out there. We'd also start seeing the availability of the wonderful high torque, low polluting (now) displacement Diesels that Europe sees.
Wake up America, things need to change, this would be one way to do it, without taking away "choice" which we all value as United States citizens.
E
Comments:
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I'm not insane, I'm a born and raised United States citizen, 3rd generation. I've travelled outside of the States, and visited a little more than 1/4 of the 48 continental states.
This is something the US needs to do, and whether it is your God, the Gods, or any other combination of dieties or lack thereof, I care about our country and care about our country being a member of the world, not a bunch of isolationists who think they play by their own rules.
All great empires eventually fall. I'd rather not have the US's biggotted and wasteful ways lead to us becoming a 3rd world nation while I'm alive. Joining the world community is a means of preventing a harder hit to the US in general when that time does arrive. It is the mindset you're holding dear which can be attributed to the extreme views that mad men hold which lead to attrocities like 9/11.
For all of our sakes, you need to change your views and mature. It isn't about "you". It's about "US" as a nation (in the microcosm) and "US" as a world in the Macro.
E
This is something the US needs to do, and whether it is your God, the Gods, or any other combination of dieties or lack thereof, I care about our country and care about our country being a member of the world, not a bunch of isolationists who think they play by their own rules.
All great empires eventually fall. I'd rather not have the US's biggotted and wasteful ways lead to us becoming a 3rd world nation while I'm alive. Joining the world community is a means of preventing a harder hit to the US in general when that time does arrive. It is the mindset you're holding dear which can be attributed to the extreme views that mad men hold which lead to attrocities like 9/11.
For all of our sakes, you need to change your views and mature. It isn't about "you". It's about "US" as a nation (in the microcosm) and "US" as a world in the Macro.
E
Eric, here you clear up your origin as American, and explain that you've traveled extensively.
My earlier observation that you sound like a Brit was based on your use of typical British terms, such as Petrol and Carpark and your use of the metric system.
Now, it's not that I totally agree with some of the points you raise, I just think that your writing comes across as slightly "Anti-American" in tone. I'm sure you're as patriotic as the next man.
But your writing won't win "hearts and minds." And the comment about 9/11 could be misread by some, that is if they bother to read the entire comment in context.
My earlier observation that you sound like a Brit was based on your use of typical British terms, such as Petrol and Carpark and your use of the metric system.
Now, it's not that I totally agree with some of the points you raise, I just think that your writing comes across as slightly "Anti-American" in tone. I'm sure you're as patriotic as the next man.
But your writing won't win "hearts and minds." And the comment about 9/11 could be misread by some, that is if they bother to read the entire comment in context.
Oh, I almost forgot. I hate your tax plan. I'm not sure it's right for the US. I know the argument that you make, can make sense intilectually, but not practically.
America doesn't need to become Europe. That's not the solution.
America doesn't need to become Europe. That's not the solution.
bigfordfan,
Yes, I'm American born and raised with the Charlie Chaplin mindset.. I'm a citizen of the world. I just happen to live in one of the countries that allow me to take that view freely, though I don't pretend that there aren't many others who also allow such freedoms.
I use the terms that I've become accustomed to. I listen to European radio (including British stations), watch and read British Motoring journals, and raced in Rally & Hillclimbs for half a decade amongst a lot of Anglophiles and what not. It only stands to reason that those are the terms we utilise to communicate our love for cars. My spellings are moreso related to my upbrining. I was taught to use proper English spelling, and as such I pronounced the last letter of the alphabet as Zed (not Zee), and believe there is a place for the letter u in many words from which it is ommitted in the US. Aside from that I'm a big of a language bigot (listening to BNN FM in Dutch from the Nederlands right now (and understanding it), a polyglot if you will. I realise that some find it pompous, but I don't intend it as such. I don't spell or speak like me, I just ask for communication on the topics we love (Cars and what not).
Back to the topic at hand. I'm not anti-American, I'm anti-the-direction-the-country-is-headed. Lets face it, we as a nation can be very protectionist and pigheaded to a horrible fault. The extreme divide between red and blue states might be a good example, the country has got the point of partisan hell, on a much broader scale.
Changes to combat this start by being brutually honest and hoping others of similar ilk find their way out of the proverbial woodwork so that some change (as well as some solidifying) can transpire.
As for the "09/11" comment. Let it be clear, I took the trip up to ground zero and ran my hand along the walls of names of those who perished in the attack. I'm thankful for doing so, and will never forget that day. I also look fondly at how much closer it brough the world that day, everyone was able to feel for us, and we were thankful. I'm upset however though that down the road when we ignored those same countries and leaders for whom we felt appreciation and bonded to, because we made our minds up to a unilateral action. It is hypocritical, and exactly my point as to why others in the world can't wait for us to go down. I speak out of both sides of our mouth, and don't even try to pretend otherwise and that's just vile.
Lets hope things change for our sakes as well as our childrens'. I know I want more for my son as he is raised here.
Thank you for your comments, your honest is quite appreciated.
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Yes, I'm American born and raised with the Charlie Chaplin mindset.. I'm a citizen of the world. I just happen to live in one of the countries that allow me to take that view freely, though I don't pretend that there aren't many others who also allow such freedoms.
I use the terms that I've become accustomed to. I listen to European radio (including British stations), watch and read British Motoring journals, and raced in Rally & Hillclimbs for half a decade amongst a lot of Anglophiles and what not. It only stands to reason that those are the terms we utilise to communicate our love for cars. My spellings are moreso related to my upbrining. I was taught to use proper English spelling, and as such I pronounced the last letter of the alphabet as Zed (not Zee), and believe there is a place for the letter u in many words from which it is ommitted in the US. Aside from that I'm a big of a language bigot (listening to BNN FM in Dutch from the Nederlands right now (and understanding it), a polyglot if you will. I realise that some find it pompous, but I don't intend it as such. I don't spell or speak like me, I just ask for communication on the topics we love (Cars and what not).
Back to the topic at hand. I'm not anti-American, I'm anti-the-direction-the-country-is-headed. Lets face it, we as a nation can be very protectionist and pigheaded to a horrible fault. The extreme divide between red and blue states might be a good example, the country has got the point of partisan hell, on a much broader scale.
Changes to combat this start by being brutually honest and hoping others of similar ilk find their way out of the proverbial woodwork so that some change (as well as some solidifying) can transpire.
As for the "09/11" comment. Let it be clear, I took the trip up to ground zero and ran my hand along the walls of names of those who perished in the attack. I'm thankful for doing so, and will never forget that day. I also look fondly at how much closer it brough the world that day, everyone was able to feel for us, and we were thankful. I'm upset however though that down the road when we ignored those same countries and leaders for whom we felt appreciation and bonded to, because we made our minds up to a unilateral action. It is hypocritical, and exactly my point as to why others in the world can't wait for us to go down. I speak out of both sides of our mouth, and don't even try to pretend otherwise and that's just vile.
Lets hope things change for our sakes as well as our childrens'. I know I want more for my son as he is raised here.
Thank you for your comments, your honest is quite appreciated.
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