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ORIGINAL: DesideriScuri

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ORIGINAL: blacksword404

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ORIGINAL: DesideriScuri

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ORIGINAL: blacksword404
It makes no difference how it's funded. Funding isn't the problem. Them raiding the cookie jar is. Until that's done, it doesn't matter how much money ou give them.

Not sure if that's true or not. If you have proof that Federal Highway Trust funds aren't used for road repair, maintenance, and expansion, show it.

http://airwolf.lmtonline.com/news/archive/031205/pagea8.pdf
Why is highway money being used on mass transit, bike path and horse trails instead of the roads that vehicles use?
http://www.coburn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?a=Files.Serve&File_id=b7b23f66-2d60-4d5a-8bc5-8522c7e1a40e
Look at the first part.

That's my point. If it's not under the authority of the Federal government, why should we be spending that money? If we're spending Federal dollars on non-Federal transportation projects, we don't need to increase Federal gas taxes.

The sad fact is that we do need to increase funding for transportation infrastructure. But, we need to increase the funding for the government level that is the authority for that infrastructure. If it's State-run, we need to raise State taxes. If it's a locally tended parcel, then local funding needs to be improved. I don't think I, as an Ohioan, should contribute to the funding of State or local transportation projects in areas other than where I live.

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ORIGINAL: Sanity

Why? Federal dollars that have to be spent so that they get that funding next year, I am sure.

And the big fat government cronys need their big fat government paychecks.

Bridges to nowhere, pet airport projects for key Senators, the pork goes on and on

Thats just how government works.

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ORIGINAL: MrRodgers

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ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

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ORIGINAL: eulero83

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ORIGINAL: cloudboy

The upshot is that Republicans in Congress don't want to raise taxes to pay for the highways. So, without tax revenue, how do you fund the highway system?

sexy car wash on the highways verges

Plus, that would create jobs . . .

.....but then we get traffic jams and wasted gas and just more fender-benders. I see this costing more although surely...my kinda carwash.

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ORIGINAL: mnottertail

Hell, one thing could be done easily is put a $1 or even $2 tax on a box of salt. Among some of the other things you have said.

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ORIGINAL: mnottertail

Well, then you would face the same declining revenue, since I ain't getting them anywhere near what I am talking about them.

Not much revenue to be raised in that area.

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ORIGINAL: SubtleMentor

The irony of the situation that the typical American desire to get something for nothing (roads in this case) is destroying the thing they want most.

Another example of this is energy infrastructure. America's coal and nuclear fleet are hopelessly out of date and need to be replaced. Ever since Reagan promised America everything is cheap and easy the country has abandoned investment and gone on a spending spree. Now we have a broken highway system, a broken energy infrastructure a bloated useless military, massive foreign debt from imported oil, rotten cities and a bunch of crybabies whining "But I don't WANT to pay for anything!"

The latest feel good myth is fracking: Sorry guys, the fun will be over in five years.

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ORIGINAL: cloudboy
Raising the gas tax is a simpler, more straightforward solution. None of what you describe is possible with the Tea Party in Congress -- because even raising the Gas tax looks impossible.

I appreciate the thoughts. Please run for Congress and unseat a tea-party idiot in the process.

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ORIGINAL: kinksterparty

Well, if people stop freaking out over nuclear - which, with only 2 serious accidents during the millions of runtime-hours accumulated by 1000's of reactors, has a miniscule impact on health & environment, compared to the less news-worthy but far more damaging ongoing pollution from coal and oil - maybe, just maybe, we could have a viable energy solution.

The worst disaster, Chernobyl (Pripyat, actually), was caused by a military reactor that was originally built to breed weapons-grade uranium. It was NEVER designed to be a power-generating solution, and was only put into place because the USSR wanted to show off how technologically advanced they were. There are no active commercial reactors of that type anywhere in the world, so a "Pripyat repeat" is not possible. With the exception of major structural damage (like Fukushima), modern reactors would "spin down" and shut off, rather than "run away" like the Chernobyl one.

Fukushima is a different story. Can't fault the reactor design, but ask yourself this: "who the HELL builds a nuclear power station in an area vulnerable not only to tectonic instability but also tsunamis?". If it was 30 miles further inland, the consequences wouldn't be anywhere near as severe as they are now.

Still... TWO, coun'em, TWO, major failures. Compared to the millions of tons of CO2 and other pollutants emitted by the fossil-fuel power plants.

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ORIGINAL: Gauge
I just breezed through the thread so I apologize if I repeat something already said. One of the things I may have missed is no one has actually addressed the original question as to how would we raise the funds to repair or roadways.
First of all, if the fund had been managed properly, this discussion would not have to happen. Many factors have contributed to the situation we are now in, but this is definitely not a new problem and certainly not just a failing of the current administration but rather a failing of several.
Raising the gas tax is not going to work. Think about it, people are driving less, are beginning to purchase more fuel efficient cars, and as more technology comes available more fuel efficient cars and even cars that will not use gasoline are going to eventually take over. Not in our lifetime, but connecting this fund to the gas tax creates more problems in the long-term and only really addresses short-term goals. Additionally, what motivation does the government have to reduce our dependance on fossil fuels if they rely on gasoline for money?
The money will not just magically appear from nowhere, so how to fund this and other things and not place the burden simply on the people?
Take the IRS tax laws and throw them out the fucking window, they are useless anyway. Simplify the tax code. Create a flat rate tax based on a percentage of income, exemptions would only apply to people under a certain income level, disabled, etc.
Stop subsidizing corporations and make them share our tax burden.
Close the loopholes so that off-shore banking is less beneficial than keeping the money here.
Start a flat rate transaction tax where a small percentage of every dollar spent is a federal tax, like a penny or two per transaction.
Stop the defense spending waste, if there is any place our money is just being burned, it is defense spending. The Pentagon is a lumbering black hole that is consistently wasting taxpayers money and even they don't know where half the money is being spent. No one has had the guts to make the Pentagon submit to an audit like they are required to do... so, something is very wrong there.
Of course I am dreaming, and it will never happen, so don't bother telling me that it won't happen because I already know.

• A Conservative interpretation of the US Constitution
  
• Personal Responsibility
  
• Help for the truly needy
  
• Limited Government
  
• Consumption Tax (non-profit charities and food exempt)
  

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ORIGINAL: cloudboy
Raising the gas tax is a simpler, more straightforward solution. None of what you describe is possible with the Tea Party in Congress -- because even raising the Gas tax looks impossible.
I appreciate the thoughts. Please run for Congress and unseat a tea-party idiot in the process.

• A Conservative interpretation of the US Constitution
  
• Personal Responsibility
  
• Help for the truly needy
  
• Limited Government
  
• Consumption Tax (non-profit charities and food exempt)
  

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ORIGINAL: kinksterparty


Chernobyl

Fukushima

Still... TWO, coun'em, TWO, major failures. Compared to the millions of tons of CO2 and other pollutants emitted by the fossil-fuel power plants.

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ORIGINAL: DesideriScuri

I thought the whole idea of a flat income tax was regressive and was punitive on those in the middle and lower classes?

Same with a Federal sales tax.

Before you blow up, let me say, I agree with you. I've stated support for closing ALL loopholes in the tax code. Don't dink and dunk with loopholes that they think only effect "the rich." Close 'em all. That's fair, isn't it?