Socialist gas taxes

[Howard and Pat Warren <warrenwood@domain.elided>]

Okay, I've sat back and read too many of these from our non-US friends:

<<<<<
I think this puts the problem of US gas price argument into perspective. If 
you had to pay the price we have to pay in the UK for fuel you would have 
something to moan about
>>>>>

The Americans DID something about it.  It was called a revolution.

After the French-American War, the British taxed the (then) colonies on 
everything to pay for the war.  Taxes on stamps, permits, property, 
personal items, even tea.  The Americans protested the high taxes (after 
all, the British government was making a pretty good profit) but the 
colonies had no representation in Parliament.  When the taxes reached a 
certain point, and when another certain event occured, the American 
Revolution began.

Two bits of trivia: First, the level of taxes in the Colonies circa 1770, 
as a percentage of household income, was about 5%.  Compare that to the 60% 
recently quoted from Denmark.  Second, the "Famous Ride of Paul Revere" was 
to warn the American radicals/patriots of the British Army's attempt to 
take away the colonists' guns.  Without weapons in the hands of the 
populace, the government WILL crush them.  History has proven this over and 
over.  Read the Federalist essays if you want to know why there is a Second 
Amendment in the US Constitution (or *was*.)

Now let's come to the election of 1994.  The excise taxes on gasoline in 
Arkansas was $0.38 per gallon (combined state and federal.)  When audited, 
maybe $0.15 of the state tax was being spent on the roads AND NOT ONE PENNY 
OF THE FEDERAL EXCISE TAX COLLECTED IN ARKANSAS WAS BEING SPENT IN 
ARKANSAS.  It was being diverted to other Federal road projects.  I was 
paying taxes for California's roads, and I freely admit I was ticked.

For those of you saying that high gas prices and high gas taxes are 
"good"... FOR WHAT?  The gas excise tax was passed ONLY FOR ROAD 
IMPROVEMENT.  As far as Arkansas is concerned, we're owed a few billion   
from other states, and our roads are not being fixed.

So what happened in 1994?  Voters en masse kicked out the liberal-socialist 
leaning Democrats.  Socialism (and Keynesian economics) is a failed 
experiment.  NO COUNTRY EVER TAXED ITSELF INTO PROSPERITY.  If European 
countries have a real "democracy" they should be able to vote out the 
tax-and-spend politicians.

(In case you haven't gotten the idea, I believe in a two term limit for 
politicans... the first in office, the second in jail.)

Now to other, more pleasant rants: I WILL BUY A NEW ALFA IF I CAN HAVE THE 
OPPORTUNITY!  I want a new Spider, my wife likes the 156.  And I also 
wonder this: would the twin-spark engine be successful in the US as a 
high-efficiency, high tech engine?  It has a pretty good novelty factor, 
great for attracting young, technically proficient, affluent buyers.

Howard K. Warren, Little Rock, AR (being weaned off anti-depressants)
1984 GTV-6, "Falconi", 138k miles
1991 164L, "Peregrine", 70k miles
1991 164L, "GrayHawk", 79k miles

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