Category Archives: Gas tax

Trains, Cars and Planes

Posted in experience, Gas tax, Politcal Opinion by

I have always had a fascination with trains, especially the steam locomotives. When I was seven, I had an electric train set, though it modeled a diesel. Don’t get me wrong. I love that train. My friends and I had a lot of fun with that train. In fact, from time to time we would combine train sets into a much larger set. The problem was that every time I was done with it, I had to put it up. It meant the next time I wanted to play trains, I had to put it all together.

A neighbor down the way had a train set in his garage. The table it was on could be raised and lowered. It made it far more convenient. More than that, his train only had two rails like the real ones. Mine had three. Besides, his had switch tracks. It didn’t have to go over the same tracks time and again.

Thinking back over it, I sometimes think I should have made my living with trains. I know it is hard work but you know, if it is what you like, it isn’t work.

When I was six, I rode on a train, from Ft Smith to Kansas City to Los Angeles. Then, after a few hours in Los Angeles, we went up to San Francisco. A person can’t do that anymore. Ft. Smith Arkansas no longer has passenger service. However, they do have an airport. From that little airport a person can go most anywhere in the world. Interstate 40 goes just north of Ft Smith. For those with automobiles, a person can go all over the US on the best interstate system in the world.

I guess, if a person from Ft. Smith wants to go on a train, he would likely have to go to Memphis or maybe Oklahoma. I went to a ten week school in Philadelphia and I dove my car. My wife got a friend to watch the kids a few days and we figured she could come up a few days before the school was over and drive back with me.

My first thought was that she could catch a train and save a dollar or two. So I checked. It was about 200 dollars more by train than my plane. So she went by plane. I looked at going on the train to St. Louis for a Cardinal game. Was that An eye opener. We drove.

It used to be that when you couldn’t afford to fly, you took took a train. It would appear now the plane is less, or the car.

I was over in Japan back in 1975 and they had a good inexpensive train system. I rode on them a number of times. I understand the passenger trains are having problems there now.

I absolutely love trains, but it would appear they are a vanishing breed. People keep trying to bring them back. They talk about high speed trains. They talk about light rail. No matter how you look at it they are far more expensive than any other form of transportation and I hate that.

When the railroads first started, they had an enormous advantage. The government provided huge rights-of-way and all sorts of government assistance. It appears their golden age was from about 1850 to 1960 was. However, with the assistance of the California government, they tried a simple high speed train, which was to go more or less from the southern part of the state to the northern part. It failed miserably before the first train ran down the track. Actually, they never finished the track and likely never will. They spent more for the rail than for the entire Transcontinental Railroad. All that tax money and now there is nothing. It is time to give it up. Those of us who hardly ride on a train should not have to pay for those that do.

Nowadays, the trains simply cannot support themselves. Year after year, the tax dollars are poured into the trains systems and they always come up with losses at the end of the year. Amtrak is more of a failure than the post office and I hate that.

If it is the desire of some private firm wants to build a train, fine. I have no problem with it. As I said, I like trains. However, if they plan on doing it, please don’t use the taxpayer to fund another grand failure.

As a side note, I would suspect that the train in California would have come closer to succeeding if they did not waste so much money. It is the problem when the government gets involved in things. For sure some of that money that went toward that train likely ended up in the pockets of some politicians. Government is a beast and it is the nature of the beast.

I like to watch trains and I like to ride on trains. It seems to be such a wonderful efficient means of transportation. Experience proves it wrong. Cars are about the same speed as trains are far less expensive. Worse, the only way you can change the route of the train is to change the tracks. That is very expensive.

I suppose there are some places the trains are holding on. Many people still ride them on the east coast. There is still the famous City of New Orleans that goes between the city of its name and Chicago. I don’t live far from the tracks uses. I have had to stop to let it go by. But considering the price of a ticket, I would suspect it won’t be running much longer.

Indeed, the day is quickly approaching when the only trains you will see are freight trains and the type we put on the floor and play with.

Electric VW Van?

Posted in Electectric vehicles, Gas tax, Lawyers and Representation, New Cars, Politcal Opinion, Uncategorized, VW Vans by

I noticed the advertisement for the new VW van.  It looks pretty impressive.  I tried to get some info on it.  I just might try to buy one, as long as the price isn’t too high.  The problem is that I don’t know how expensive it will be.

I had one of the old vans.  My wife and I really liked it.  Unfortunately,  I could not afford to rebuild the engine every other year.  Also, the heater left a lot to be desired.  Even in southern California weather, the heater was very deficient.  it was worse when I went up to Big Bear Lake where we about froze.

I must admit, though, it handled the snow very well.  I drove through 8 and 9-inch snow with ease.  I was a little scared that we would get stuck, but the van just kept right on going.

Also, I must put a good word in for the dealership in Alburqurque.  While traveling, we drove into the dealership at 4:45 PM with a bad coil and left at 5:30 with a good one.  Never figured on that.  And, by the way, the price was reasonable too.

If I had one more complaint, there was no A/C.  If there was, I suspect the engine would have carried the load.  Push come to shove, the one fault the vehicle had was an undersized engine.

I knew a guy that put a Porche engine in one.  The engine hung out the back, but he said he had no lack for power.  Still, I imagine keeping the cabin warm was difficult.

I have often wondered why VW never really attacked the power/heat problem.  I don’t know.  maybe this one will.

At any rate, when they release the electric version, I will take a serious look at it, especially if they can keep the price around 30 K.  If they can come up with some solutions for battery charging problems, I will definately take a serious look.  If the dumb politicians keep talking of increasing the gas taxes, the sales contract is as good as signed.

Drive Throughs

Posted in Drive-throughs, Dummycrats, Fast Food, Gas tax, Going Green, Lawyers and Representation, Pizza, Price of Oil, unbelievable, Uncategorized by

Perhaps one of man’s worst inventions is the drive-through.  I sit there in line and wait for someone to take my order at the counter and watch five orders go out through the drive-through window.  It just isn’t right.  They always put their highest priority on the drive-through window.  …and by the way, that is also where they put their best employees.

I know why they do it.  It is where they make their big money.  We have a Chick Filet nearby and the drive through generally has at least twenty cars waiting there to get their food.  Okay.  The cars aren’t waiting for the food.  It is the people in them that are hungry.  At least their counter staff is fast and efficient.  Even when the place is packed, I rarely have to wait but a few minutes to order my food.  The problem with them is finding a table.  (The place usually is packed.)

I learned a trick with them.  I park in a large parking lot next to the place.  If I don’t I just about can’t get out because of those trying to get in.  Besides, it does little good trying to find a place to park in their parking lot.  Large though it might be, it is usually full.

One thing I don’t understand is why the dummycrats don’t try to outlaw drive-throughs.  I think of all the other things they try to outlaw and it really makes me wonder.  After all, they were the ones that made McDonald’s get rid of the extra large drinks.  (Now that was dumb.  Now I have to go back and fill my Diet Coke up three times instead of twice.)

At any rate, drive-throughs are very bad for the environment.  Cars sit there and idle, maybe for half an hour.  That is a lot of carbon dioxide they spew out while their owners wait for their food.  Besides, it wastes fuel.  I just wonder how many barrels of oil are used just to allow drivers to sit in their air-conditioned cars while waiting for their food.

For that matter, why do the owners insist on waiting in their cars?  I have half a suspicion that most of them are dummycrats.  After all, none of them are complaining yet.  Moreover, they are likely the ones that are too lazy to walk a few yards from their cars into the restaurant.  (By the way, they don’t usually have to give up their air-conditioning but for a few seconds.  Most restaurants are air-conditioned.)  For some reason, they like to sit in their big SUV’s or pickups and glare at the rest of us for daring to use their precious resources.  …and of course, complain about the big drinks we buy.

Naturally, I just might be wrong, but if the drive-throughs were outlawed, I suspect that it would be the dummmycrats that would yell the loudest.  There would be an exception though.  Those that live in big cities mostly don’t use drive-throughs.  Mostly, they don’t drive.  Mostly, they just like to raise the taxes on the rest of us who do and use it on their buses and trains.

I don’t know New York City too well.  The only time I was there I spent a couple of hours looking out the windows of an airport waiting for a connecting flight.  However, I would guess, in the city proper, there aren’t many drive-throughs.  I suppose there are a few walkups.  It might seem odd to some, but I have seen a few walkups around here, though it was a drugstore.

I think about the craziest I saw was a drive-through pizza place.  To me, that simply does not make sense.  After all, it does take roughly twenty minutes to make a decent pizza.  None the less, it was late and they closed their dining room and counter so all pizzas had to be ordered at the drive-through window.  Needless to say, I took one look at that and found somewhere else.  I wasn’t about to wait until my turn to order my pizza and then wait for the pizza, all the time with my engine idling.  Considering it was near freezing outside, I wasn’t about to wait without the warmth of my heater either.

Save the World!

Posted in Abuse of Power, Deceit, Gas tax, Politcal Opinion, Price of Oil, Uncategorized by

First disallow all private jets.  It would decrease carbon dioxide by incalculable tons.  Besides, it would likely cut down on the cost of travel on commercial airlines.  More folks would want to fly first class… decreasing the cost for those of us flying coach.

Second, require proper management of the forest.  Get rid of dead trees and undergrowth.  One forest fire likely produces more carbon dioxide than thousands of cars spew out in a year.  Besides, burning wood also produces a bunch of carbon monoxide.  Good forest management would drastically cut down on the quantity and size of forest fires.  The undeniable fact is the dead trees are nothing more than fuel for the next fire.  Thinning the trees in the forest insures that the remaining trees survive… as well as those creatures living in the forest.

The fact is that fuels such as gasoline and natural gas have drastically improved things.  Before internal combustion engines, the streets were lined with disease ridden horse manure.  Before we heated our homes with natural gas, we used wood and coal.  I think most of us would not want to return to those “good ole days.”  On the other hand, lets remember who generates most of the carbon dioxide — those who have the big houses and cars — many of which are those forcing the ecology down our throats.  Al Gore certainly uses his share of fuel.  He has a nice big house and flies around in those private jets, he and his countless friends.  (Moreover, his predictions are way off.  According to his movie, Florida should have been completely covered by the ocean years ago.)

Finally, I in no way condone the riots in France, but I can’t believe that anyone should be surprised by them.  The French government is robbing the middle and lower classes in the name of decreasing climate change.  As I said before and I will say again, those forcing the gas tax on people are those who don’t have to pay the taxes and the wealthy.  I assure you, those running France are not going to suffer one little bit from the increase in the cost of gas.  The wealthy don’t suffer the pain when the taxes go up ten or fifteen cents.  Those who drive to and from work daily, on the other hand, feel the pinch every time they have to pull up next to pump.  It means they have to give up something.  In some cases, that isn’t even an option.  It might mean they lose their job because they can’t afford the tax.

My personal opinion is that the climate changers are simply using the so called science for control.  Let’s face it. Controlling our mobility is certainly one method toward that end.  They want to move around freely while the rest of us walk, or use horses.

An Interesting Thing About Gas Tax

Posted in Gas tax, Lawyers and Representation, Politcal Opinion, Uncategorized by

I’ve noticed two things about gas tax.  Most of the people who want them don’t drive cars, for instance those who live in New York city.  Also, many people like using the revenues received from the tax on things that have nothing to do with cars, such as trains and subways.  Now that’s just not right.

Consider the commuter.  Until I retired, I drove eighty miles a day.  Some drive a hundred a fifty miles to work, one way.  I suspect they have something to say about the way the tax money is squandered, such as on the train that is being built in California.

…but, of course, when the roads become riddled with potholes as such, the first thing those idiots like to yell is, “Increase the gas tax!”  Why not?  It is nothing to them.  Many don’t drive.  Many have so much money they don’t care.  Then too, some just like the idea of controlling just a little more money.  It’s what politicians like to do.  They have two main jobs, make laws and spend money.

I don’t like it when people call for a gas tax.  As far as I am concerned, anyone who has a brain should object too.  In the end, everyone pays those taxes.  If not directly, then indirectly.  Besides, it is a bad thing to squander tax money, wherever it comes from.

By the way, one reason they think it is a good idea to tax gas is because the price is going down.  I think that works one way.  They would never remove the tax should the price go up.

Finally, if they used the gas tax they get now on the roads, they would have plenty for the highways, that is, if it doesn’t line some polititian’s pocket… or his friend’s.

A Matter of Record

Posted in Abuse of Power, Deceit, Drill Baby, Drill, Gas tax, Important things, Lawyers and Representation, Obama, Politcal Opinion, Price of Oil, Truth, Uncategorized by

To save repeating myself, let me refer you back to my post Oct 9, 2018 about truth.  Some may have already read it.

During the Republican convention of 2008, Lt. Gov. Steele said, “Drill baby, Drill.”  Later, during the vice presidential debate, Gov Palin repeated it.  Some time later, Obama said it wouldn’t do any good.  At or about that time, the price of oil was $142 per barrel.  Then they started drilling in North Dakota and Texas…  I guess a few other places too, to the dismay of Obama.  The point is, Obama refused to release federal land for drilling.  Indeed, he went out of his way to keep people from drilling.

Oddly, the price went down briefly to $26.21 in 2016.  Currently, though the usage has gone way up, the price is currently about $63.  Moreover, we are virtually self-sufficient, something that I am sure frustrates Obama to no end.

Now, this leads me to believe one of two things.  Obama purposely lied, or he was totally ignorant.  I don’t know which scares me more.  However, given his history, I assume he was lying.  He is the same man that said he had shovel ready projects.  (I would still like to know where those billions went that were appropriated.  I suspect it is lining the pockets of his friends.)  He is also the same man that said you can keep your same doctor.  By the way, he is the same man that has me paying a thousand dollars a month for my wife’s health insurance.

Do you really want to believe that man, an admitted liar.  He himself said, “I guess those projects weren’t shovel ready after all.”  I don’t think I want to believe the man.  Now he is campaigning for his cohorts.   Some people actually believe him.  Some have college degrees.  Can’t figure that out.

It is clear that he just wanted the price of energy to go up so that he could pay for his green projects.  By the way, his green projects didn’t work, none of them.  They were all flops.  Not only that, the windmills are still killing birds, including the protected eagles.

About Electric Cars

Posted in Electric Automobiles, Gas tax, New Cars by

I published a post on electric cars a few years ago.  Since then, they have made a few improvements.  I saw on TV where a man was going to make a car where the batteries could be recharged in five minutes.  I would be satisfied with thirty minutes.  On long distance trips, it would allow me to eat while my car was being charged.

I really do like the concept of electric cars.  I saw a Tesla the other day.  It was very impressive.  It never made a noise and it had an impressive appearance.  Still, I wonder how the driver stayed warm in the winter and cool in the summer.  Here in the Memphis it does get above the century mark in the summer and well below freezing in the winter.  The thing is, gasoline motors generate heat.  In the winter, we take advantage of that.  For cooling, the A/C compressor is driven by the engine.  Would someone like to tell me how the Tesla does it.  I can’t imagine such an expensive car existing without heat and air.

Regardless, there are still some problems, ignoring the creature features.  If, suddenly, everyone was to go out and get an electric car, our electric grid would likely be taxed beyond its limits.

Speaking of tax, we who drive gas cars pay a road tax.  It varies from state to state, but it helps to pay for our roads.  Those that drive Tesla autos get to use the highways for free.  I don’t know.  It might also apply to the battery powered trucks.  Eventually, the governments at all levels aren’t going to like that.  When and if electric vehicles become numerous enough, they will figure out a way to collect taxes on the vehicles.  There are a number of ways to do it and I would suspect there are a few that are already considering it.

So.  Whatever you are paying to run your car now, you might want to figure that you will likely pay a little bit more.  Let’s figure out what a fair amount would be.  Nowadays, I use about one gallon of gas for every 28 miles, more-or-less.  I guess, for that gallon, I pay about 25 cents.  (I remember paying 25 cents a gallon, gas and taxes.  Things sure have improved.)

At any rate, that means that those driving a Tesla should pay a little less than a penny a mile.  Maybe that would mean a meter placed in each car by law.  Maybe the driver would pay in advance as the rest of us do.  On the other hand, he might pay as with any other utility.  Once a month, the odometer is read and the driver pays based on his mileage.

It could also be done electrically over the internet.  The car would send a signal to the billing authority and a credit card would be billed.  I’m sure people smarter than I am have considered it.

I have no idea how it will be done, but those of you driving electric cars might as well get used to it.  You will start paying road taxes too.

Then, there’s those pesky batteries.  They just don’t last forever.  Occasionally, they will have to be replaced.  I have no earthly idea how much that will cost, but when I look at the cost of replacing my laptop battery, I get the feeling that they don’t just give the things away.

Maybe, sometime in the next few decades, we will all drive electric cars.  I hope so.  As I said, I do like electric cars.  I just don’t know if I would like paying for them.  Besides, I really like my A/C and heater.

I have an Idea (2)

Posted in Border wall, Christian values, Communist Takover, Gas tax, Immigration, Important things, Lawyers and Representation, Politcal Opinion by

No need to build a wall.

Winston Churchill said that socialists need walls to hold people in. (my words, such as East Berlin)  Capitalists need walls to keep people out.  (my words, such as the US)

Solution: turn Mexico from socialism to capitalism.  The US is already going from capitalism to socialism.  At some point, people will stop coming north and start going south.  (oddly, beach front property in southern California will again be affordable.  Property in Baha California will be outrageous.)

To be sure, there is one problem with this approach.  Getting the US to become socialist seems to be simple.  Getting Mexico to become capitalist is likely a tad bit more difficult than impossible.  It just might be easier to build the wall, though I’m not sure.

GAS TAX??!!

Posted in Christian values, Communist Takover, Credit Card Fraud, Customer complaints, Electric Automobiles, Gas tax, Lawyers and Representation, Politcal Opinion by

I heard someone else suggest increasing the gas tax, this time federal… 25 cents a gallon.  Easy assumption.  The man does not have to eek out a living and drive fifty miles each way for work.  He certainly doesn’t have to drive a hundred miles to and from work each day as some do.

Then again, maybe I’m wrong.  Maybe he drives an electric car.  At present people driving electric cars don’t pay gas tax.  (I suspect that will be changed soon, though I don’t know how.)

On the other hand, he might use a subway, train or bus to go to work.  He’d not pay a penny for gas tax, leastwise not directly.

Regardless of his method of transportation, he likely doesn’t have to give up groceries to pay the taxes.  He likely doesn’t hurt to pay the bills as most of us do.

There is a solution for building and repairing highways.  Stop squandering the money they have.  Obama was authorized a trillion dollars for “shovel ready projects.”  I believe he should have to repay it.

I still don’t know where that money went.  Maybe it’s time for the government to pinch their pennies for a while.  Maybe it’s time they stop squandering it.  Then maybe they will be more careful with it.  (I don’t hold out much hope for that.)

If you agree with me, send this to someone else.  Send this to your representatives.  Yell it from the housetops.  I’m not sure, they might increase it anyway.  It is what the government does.  It is what they do.  They tax and they spend.  What else would they do.  What else can they do.  Oh, yes.  Make laws.  They do have a tendency to mess that up too.