Slog - Comments on McCain's Loopy Tax Proposal http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal Here's some "maverick" thinking for you: GOP presidential candidate John McCain wants to "spread [tax] relief across the American economy." So will he be cutting the income tax? Providing a rebate on the sales tax, one of the most regressive taxes in existence? Nope. From the AP: PITTSBURGH - Republican Sen. John McCain on Tuesday called for a summer-long suspension of the federal gasoline tax and several tax cuts as the likely presidential nominee sought to stem the public's pain from a troubled economy. To help people weather the downturn immediately, McCain urged Congress to institute a "gas-tax holiday" by... Copyright 2008 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:12:44 -0800 Thu, 17 Apr 2008 02:08:28 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by w7ngman You're suggesting the federal government provide a rebate for state sales tax?

]]> w7ngman http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000206 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000206 2008 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:58:14 -0800 Comment by cdc His same proposal would eliminate (not adjust, not "fix") the Alternative Minimum Tax that's primarily paid by people making over $200k/year, as well as include a whole boatload of corporate giveaways. So the gas tax "holiday" is at best a temporary cut for lower-income people, grouped in with more huge cuts for rich people. Sounds familiar...

The WaPo just about covers it.

]]> cdc http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000209 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000209 2008 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:59:20 -0800 Comment by w7ngman ...and that wouldn't be loopy?

]]> w7ngman http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000210 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000210 2008 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:00:27 -0800 Comment by McCain Brain Drain Yes, we should definitely have a gas tax holiday, because that means that we won't have any more interstate bridges collapse, because impending disasters due to lack of investment will be on a holiday also (They always vacation together, you know).

Old people are so smart!!!!

]]> McCain Brain Drain http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000246 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000246 2008 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:18:38 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle OK, it's official, he's got dementia.

I'm sure all the collapsing roadways and bridges nationwide thanks to his gas tax "holiday" won't matter to him, since he'll be busy invading Iceland ...

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000252 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000252 2008 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:24:59 -0800 Comment by cdc ...also interesting: Gas taxes aren't particularly regressive, despite the common impression that they are, and thus a temporary cancellation of the gas tax wouldn't even be particularly progressive at all. So maybe I was partly wrong above - for lower-income people, there's really no benefit at all from McCain's tax schemes.

]]> cdc http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000258 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000258 2008 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:29:34 -0800 Comment by Greg @3: Depends. Is it loopy for the federal government to give rebates for state income taxes?

]]> Greg http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000267 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000267 2008 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:34:18 -0800 Comment by McG Not that it matters, but the economists do not say that a tax reduction would result in higher prices - what they said is that lower prices could increase consumption which could lead to higher prices. Odds are that a temporary gas tax holiday wouldn't encourage people to move farther from work, buy a less efficient car, or make the kind of long term choices that would lead to long term higher prices.

It's still a worthless idea, the only value being the pander.

]]> McG http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000270 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000270 2008 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:36:09 -0800 Comment by w7ngman #5, and it would probably take him 5 years and cost $3 trillion.

]]> w7ngman http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000275 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000275 2008 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:38:12 -0800 Comment by Colton How about this: leave the regular gas tax be and cut the Diesel in half for the summer. That way you only spent 3 bil and slash the transportation costs of goods; since the trucking industry and farms use 90% of the diesel on the market. At the same time keeping people from driving so fucking much and saving the gas that's left for real shit like... growing food.

]]> Colton http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000276 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000276 2008 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:38:47 -0800 Comment by Matthew Good 'ole (and I do mean old) McCain. He's a strong leader (even though he has a notoriously unpredictable temper), a good man (even if he left his first wife and family to marry a rich heiress half his age) and a solid expert on foreign affairs (even though he gets confused discussing the basic facts of the war in Iraq).

When and if Obama finally wraps up the nomination, thank God all those smart, prudent (bitter, misguided) former Clinton supporters will vote for McCain! He is the (old as dirt) Man!

]]> Matthew http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000289 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000289 2008 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:48:14 -0800 Comment by w7ngman #7, are they doing that? I guess I wouldn't know since I've never paid state income tax, but yes, I would think that is kind of loopy. At the very least I wouldn't call it a rebate.

]]> w7ngman http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000296 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000296 2008 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:51:44 -0800 Comment by w7ngman #11, you overlooked that he's a very well accomplished economist.

]]> w7ngman http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000301 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000301 2008 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:56:56 -0800 Comment by John Yeah even the Wall Street Journal thought that was retarded.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120830279185717737.html?mod=opinion_main_review_and_outlooks

]]> John http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000305 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000305 2008 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:57:48 -0800 Comment by Greg @12: Yeah. It's one of the things that makes Washington's tax system so much more annoying. We have a sales tax exemption - FOR NOW - but it only applies to people who itemize their deductions. Meanwhile, states with an income tax system have exemptions that apply to everyone.

]]> Greg http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000312 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000312 2008 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:03:10 -0800 Comment by w7ngman #15, are you talking about this?

http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=152421,00.html

]]> w7ngman http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000318 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000318 2008 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:10:00 -0800 Comment by Mahtli69 $410 billion is the deficit for 2008 only. The total deficit is around $9.4 trillion and counting.

]]> Mahtli69 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000333 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000333 2008 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:43:44 -0800 Comment by Cale He's just hoodwinking. He wants to paint himself as the candidate who is "doing something.

Seems to be the republican mantra this season: Bribe the voters. Is the whole fear thing out this time around? Seems like they used to be more subtle. "Economic stimulus" package, gas tax "holiday," Rossi's completely asinine transportation package....

They will stop at nothing.

]]> Cale http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000380 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000380 2008 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 19:43:52 -0800 Comment by Cale Oh, and I think the term "borrow and spend" republicans is completely appropriate now and should be widely adopted.

]]> Cale http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000382 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000382 2008 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 19:45:32 -0800 Comment by Jeff I'm kind of surprised he's even suggesting it. I can already see the campaign ads now showing images of the collapsed bridge in Minneapolis.

]]> Jeff http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000428 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000428 2008 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 21:36:26 -0800 Comment by ivan Good post, Erica. Thanks.

]]> ivan http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000452 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000452 2008 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 22:35:04 -0800 Comment by keshmeshi @17,

The $9.4 trillion is our debt: what we currently owe.

The $410 billion is our deficit: how much more we outspend taxes every year and have to borrow from the Chinese.

]]> keshmeshi http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000462 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000462 2008 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 22:50:43 -0800 Comment by idaho Okay, I don't really get your numbers. Let's say someone's saving 18 cents per gallon on taxes, and let's say they ONLY drive 12000 miles a year (which I think is insanely low, going from a commuter in southern california to a tiny little town in Idaho, where I drove 8 - 10K miles a year, and I worked at home), AND they get a respectable 30 miles to the gallon (who the hell really gets that?) -- that's 12000 miles divided by 30 miles to the gallon times 0.18 cents per gallon = $72 saved. And like I said, 12K miles is a really low number of miles. People in California -- granted, it is California, and they have those freeways that give you a direct route to and fro -- have two hour commutes both ways. What? 30 to 60 miles let's say. Times 2x a day. Times 5 days a week. Times 50 weeks. That's 15000 JUST FOR WORK. Double it, easy.

I have no idea what McCain's plan is or how it might or might not reduce gas prices, but your numbers are messed up.

]]> idaho http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000499 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/mccains_loopy_tax_proposal#c1000499 2008 Thu, 17 Apr 2008 02:08:28 -0800