<<Incidentally, I often see Democrats, liberals and environmentalists anxious to tax gasoline, but never seem to see equal interest in taxing fuel that keep cheap airline tickets available for ewco vactions and "travel" for our middle class intelligentisia.

Do our fuel tax advocates want to increase jet fuel prices as well?

You realize of course there is a already jet fuel tax and an airline passenger tax...
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You are dodging the question. There is already a gasoline tax too, but one aimed at building and maintaining roads, not discouraging consumption.


<<Yes, it's been more than a third of a century now since George McGovern made a gifty of the Presidency to Richard Nixon by (in part) advocating a $.50/gallon gasoline tax.

Then there was Walter Mondale who looked into the television camera to promise American voters tax increases.

Actually his quote was: "Mr. Reagan will raise taxes, and so will I. He won't tell you. I just did."

Mondale committed what Michael Kinsey calls a "gaffe," that is when politicians tell the truth. Reagan raised taxes in 1986, just like Mondale said he would. It was obvious to everyone taxes had to be raised, even Reagan knew that.

Mondale's gaffe was bad politics, especially in hindsight but I'm a little disappointed that we as Americans are more interested in hearing what we want to hear than actually dealing with tough issues. Not surprised but disappointed.
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Yes, Mondale was a fool, just as you suggest, playing into the stereotype of Democrats who are anxious to raise taxes. AlGore is helping out Republicans by again supporting a carbon tax when he testified before Congress recently. If we can get other Democrats on board it will go a long way towards electing another Republican President inb 2008.



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