The Master Plan: Tripling Gas Taxes Is The Only Way For Obama's Fuel Economy Plan To Succeed

Since gas is plentiful and cheap, the quickest way to raise prices and force consumers to make the move to more efficient cars it to simply tax the heck out of it.

Who said taxes wouldn't increase?

I would rather sacrifice a couple premium coffees a week to make up the gasoline difference, than feel dead inside driving an Insight or Prius.

This is not a bright move since many Americans do not have jobs and are either unemployed or working at minimum wage. This will put a heavy burden on on those already struggling to make ends meet. Yes for some Americans it may be a cup or coffe a day but the $45 - $60 a month will be surely missed.

The only way to get consumers into these cars is to make it painful at the pump. So how else would you do it? Simply raise taxes and the prices go up and you get the desired results. It is then in the hands of the consumer to decide just how badly they want that gas guzzler.

Teeing up public transportation.

Nonesense agent 009. People's current cars don't last forever. They need to be replaced...and when that happens, if efficient vehicles are what is available, then people will naturally shift to these vehicles.
Besides, any politician who votes to triple a fuel tax will have no future.

Would rather ride a bike to work than be forced to pay more for less. Give me no choice & I'll give you the bird.

Raising the gas tax is stupid. All it results in is more spending when people have less money to spend. If you buy a new car you lose money in the short term, if you don't buy a new car you lose money in the long term. If all the cars are going to be ugly gutless dangerous econo boxes then imo there really will be no incentive to buy a new car.

The people of the United States have not shown any proclivity to move to more efficient vehicles unless there is a cost driver. IF the goal is to increase our national fuel mileage, then a substantial gas tax is the only way to get us there.

However, be forewarned that a tax of this type would be historically unprecedented, highly regressive (hurting the poorest the most), and will further delay the economic recovery.

"... have already gained support from major automakers ..." now that's some quality butt slurping from some automakers.
It will be fun to watch who commits suicide the fastest, Government Motors or the current congress. My bet is it will be a photo finish.

I agree 100% raise gas prices for all (except for shipping companies)

like Chris Rock says we need to make bullets $5k a piece then there won't be any drive-bys!

The bad guys dont buy bullets

It would certainly be a hard sell for the manufacturers to sell the new fuel efficient cars. Watch them create more vehicle types that qualify as "light trucks", in the end most people will still be driving fairly low mpg vehicles.

A gas tax increase would not be effective. Tax the goddamn engines that are placed into cars yearly. When will people get this. For example The nearest gas station to me costs $2.35 a gallon for 87. Lets say 1000gal are consumed that day. So the govt would earn $520 from that pump with the .52cents a gal tax. With the x3 increased in tax, it would cost 3.39 a gallon for 87. The gas station is used 2/3 less because of the outrageous increase. 333.3gallons are consumed and look what happens. 333.3gal x 1.56tax equals $520. On top of more fuel efficient cars and using your vehicle less would equate to less tax money what the stealerment started out with. This would not hurt me though as I can get over 200miles from a 3.5gal tank costing me only $12.

I believe the idea behind this tax increase would be not to get more money, but to encourage people to buy more fuel efficient cars.

Take it easy on the language

Cheap gas is one of the very few reasons why I am living here and if this is not the case anymore :-S
Just have a legislation for people to buy so and so car with so and so mileage. Why tax it and make it hard for people who cannot afford and then keep on giving billions to GM and Chrysler who just want FORGIVENESS?