Pay by the mile car taxes - what do you think?
By Awinds
@Awinds (2468)
United States
August 15, 2011 3:53pm CST
There is currently a proposal to tax American citizens for each mile they drive (www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42919365/#.TkmGdGsbMlM). This would most likely involved putting some kind of device in each car that would allow the government to track drivers and thus tax them for each traveled mile.
On one had, the government is struggling to gather sufficient revenue to maintain roads from gas taxes alone. On the other hand, this is an invasive tax since it involves tracking. It might also hurt the economy since the price of goods would go up to accommodate the new transportation tax. People would also be less motivated to do shopping trips.
Now this might be fine in the cities where things are close together, but for rural Americans this would be disastrous. I have go at ten miles just to get food, and I can tell you I do not want to pay for every mile. I also hate the idea of tracking. Tracking is for criminals - when they put those GPS bracelets on them. I am not a criminal and I don't want a criminal's treatment.
What do you think about this proposed tax? A justified idea or a disastrous idea?
2 people like this
6 responses
@SpikeTheLobster (6403)
•
15 Aug 11
Disastrous.
A similar thing was proposed here in the UK but the implications for civil liberties (as well as economics) are horrific. Every car tracked. Every person tracked. The cost of goods rising exponentially for rural areas.
Pay politicians less. That'll cover the cost of the roads. And probably most of the current US debt. 
2 people like this
@estherlou (5015)
• United States
15 Aug 11
I wouldn't like it at all. It's none of their business how much I drive and I don't think it's right to tax my driving. The fairest way to gather taxes from everyone is to tax purchases...a sales tax increase.
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
20 Aug 11
Just another taxes as social engineering scheme.
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
16 Aug 11
It is wrong to tax Americans by mile and that would also involve finding out where people went so it would be tracking them. If there were criminals who had blown up a building in an area, then anyone who was in that area would be suspect because of the tracking device in their car. So instead of looking for two men with dark hair and red bandannas (example) who were in a Ford pickup 1988 model, license- the police would be going after everyone who drove a car or truck no matter. It would be like those TSA searches when you all are considered terrorists, even little old ladies in their 90s who are dying of cancer and in a wheelchair.
I do not think that increasing taxes would work. Get rid of some of the excess entitlements and streamline things. .For instance, if for instance instead of two parts of the government contributing to one part of the economy, it should be one.
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
17 Aug 11
I saw that youtube when they searched those people coming off the train. It reminded me of a photo I saw of the Nazis winding up the Jews in the Warsaw ghetto and how compliant even the children were with their hands up. I hope they get Obama out before he makes more horrible laws and searches. And yet it seems many of he blacks will still vote for him as they think he needs more of a chance. Well maybe they want the government to give them handouts. One of them even talked about him having to do more for the black community - translation to give them everything they want, more welfare, more benefits, etc.
@Awinds (2468)
• United States
21 Aug 11
For some reason the minorities really still like him, even though what he is done while in office so far has hurt them the most. Thankfully though pro-Obama black voters are a minority in the entire sea of voters. Let us just hope the majority don't vote for him to.
1 person likes this
@Awinds (2468)
• United States
17 Aug 11
It looks like they want to spread the TSA things slowly to automobiles as well. I agree that the government should look at itself to. Our government is so big and inefficient these days who knows how many millions or maybe even billions they waste every day!
2 people like this
@CTHanum (8234)
• Malaysia
16 Aug 11
Disastrous idea.
I don't think many will agree with it. There is no way such idea to be implemented in US or any other country. I am sure there are other ways to cut the cost. The government should start with them first only then they will think about the way to settle it among the people.
@Awinds (2468)
• United States
17 Aug 11
Well there is the Congress' varies twitter accounts and the old fashioned write a latter to your senator or house representative thing. Of course there is also the riots at the capitol method. I don't approve of that one but I could easily see it happening if Congress was to seriously consider the above proposal.
1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (48434)
• Mojave, California
15 Aug 11
If they do I will not drive no more.
1 person likes this
