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GM CEO calls for $1 gas tax hike
CNN ^ | June 7 2011 | By Chris Isidore

Posted on 06/07/2011 12:24:15 PM PDT by NoLibZone

General Motors CEO Dan Akerson said his company and his industry would be helped, not hurt, if consumers paid higher gas taxes.

In an interview published in Tuesday's Detroit News, Akerson floated the idea of a $1 a gallon increase in the gas tax as a way to encourage buyers to purchase smaller, more fuel efficient cars. Greg Martin, spokesman for GM's Washington office, confirmed that the quotes reflect Akerson's and GM's view.

Akerson said he would support a jump in the gas tax if it came instead of tighter fuel economy regulations that GM (GM, Fortune 500) and other automakers will have to meet in coming years. By the year 2025, automakers could be forced to hit fuel economy averages of as much as 62 mpg.

Akerson said that a higher gas tax, including an immediate 50-cent-a-gallon increase to take advantage of recent declines in gas prices, would probably make some of his Republican friends "puke." But he said it would do more to help the environment than the pending fuel economy rules.

(Excerpt) Read more at money.cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: debt; default; economy; energy; gas; gasoline; globalism; gm; idiocy; lunacy; policy; socialengineering; tax; taxes
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To: Tijeras_Slim
I was a little..ummm...under the weather at the time and couldn't find my sporran. So I used a canvas "sporran" that came with the Amerikilt I'm wearing - I have lots of other kilts - pinned a rabbit fur I had to it and ...well..you can see the results.

But hey..it was a couple of years ago and GREAT St Paddy's Day,

BTW this year I wore a more traditional kilt and managed to get it soaking wet putting air in the tires of a friend's SUV. It had been raining. And since I was..ummm...commando..it wasn't pleasant!

81 posted on 06/07/2011 1:26:57 PM PDT by prisoner6 (Right Wing Nuts bolt The Constitution together as the loose screws of the Left fall out!)
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To: NoLibZone

Never again will I buy a GM product.


82 posted on 06/07/2011 1:30:47 PM PDT by texmexis best
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To: HwyChile

I don’t like the idea of another person telling me what I should like and what I should be spending my earnings on, call it my sweat. I don’t think people are wise in many situations to spend their money on sports tickets be it baseball, football, or basketball (my favorite). I’ll toss in movies and concerts and other events. But what the heck,it is their money from probably their sweat so as free persons I don’t believe it is proper for me in a free society to impose force on them to do my will. It seems to me what you would have to be done is something abhorrent to the American ideal. Of course my attitude assumes the sweat and the money are not ilgotten.


83 posted on 06/07/2011 1:32:04 PM PDT by noinfringers2
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To: lone star annie

5 transmissions in my 80s Astro Van. In less than 50,000 miles. Piece of junk. And I’m an easy driver. No rough treatment at all. I can’t afford to have stuff break.


84 posted on 06/07/2011 1:32:52 PM PDT by Dr. Bogus Pachysandra ( Ya can't pick up a turd by the clean end!)
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To: HwyChile
I see lots of people driving huge SUVs and trucks who do not need them

how do you know that, tho?

when gas first went up, I bought a deep-freeze and started going to the grocery store every two weeks instead of every other day and big-box store every 3 months. Can't fit 14 days worth of groceries in the convertible, I'll tell ya, much less three-months' of staples. So I drive the SUV. When dad has to go in for his numerous appointments with the doctor, it's the SUV again (ever try to get an old person OUT of a convertible? HA! - not to mention where to put the wheelchair). The dogs' travel crates can't fit in the convertible either. Boyscouts, high-school carwash crews and supplies, party supplies, dirt and home improvement stuff - all SUV required. Btw, I get better mileage in the SUV than the convertible (and I pay more vehicles taxes and insurance premiums for the SUV than the convertible and the SUV generally costs more to repair, all creating more jobs).

85 posted on 06/07/2011 1:36:51 PM PDT by blueplum
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To: Steely Tom

That’s funny. True, but funny. Guess I didn’t think that one through.


86 posted on 06/07/2011 1:40:32 PM PDT by Terry Mross (Only a SECOND party will get my vote.)
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To: NoLibZone

Good news GM! Your CEO is an idiot and a Socialist!


87 posted on 06/07/2011 1:45:07 PM PDT by Republic of Texas (Socialism Always Fails)
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To: NoLibZone

FUDA !

I hate these CEO’s who come out that we aren’t paying enough taxes and we need more taxes. Of course they can afford them but not us !


88 posted on 06/07/2011 1:45:31 PM PDT by CORedneck
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To: kcvl

This pig Comrade Akerson needs an elaborate auto da fe, followed by a suitably crispy finale at the stake. $9 million per year FOR WHAT????


89 posted on 06/07/2011 1:45:31 PM PDT by BlackElk (Dean of Discipline, Tomas de Torquemada Gentlemen's Club: Burn 'em Bright!!!)
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To: HwyChile
"...but I think we do need to downsize our vehicles to some reasonable degree. I see lots of people driving huge SUVs and trucks who do not need them..."

Really? You know why everyone has a truck or SUV?

Tell ya what. Why don't you come on down to my Scout troop and tell them that from now on, we need everyone to drive their own scout and own equipment to a campout vs. me driving half of them at one time. How is having TWICE as many cars on the road any more efficient?

You come and tell the missus that we need to pay for a larger, less fuel efficient truck to make a delivery instead of me just taking it home right then and there.

I CHOOSE to drive a truck and the fact that environFREAKS won't let us get our own resources out of the ground is a major factor in the USA being strangled.

You are advocating that the gov't RESTRICT a person's right to choose their own personal conveyance for no other reason than you're own personal demands.

90 posted on 06/07/2011 1:47:56 PM PDT by SZonian (July 27, 2010. Life begins anew.)
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To: paul51

its not a company anymore... its a government policy machine.

Part and parcel of Obama’s control of a major sector of the American economy. With more pieces it become easy to crash the whole works.

Hussein , the “Death to America” anti pResident.
Fokker needs eviction!


91 posted on 06/07/2011 1:49:27 PM PDT by himno hero ("armageddon is well seeded, America will pay"...Barrack Obama)
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To: NoLibZone

I wish I could belt this moron with a Louisville slugger; Johnny Bench Version.

There is just SO MUCH wrong with what he’s saying it’s not possible to make the list.

WHERE THE HELL is all the electricity going to come from for these stupid cars? We have problems NOW with the grid supplying enough for the summer heat...imagine 20 million electric cars all plugged in...

God Help Us.


92 posted on 06/07/2011 1:52:57 PM PDT by GRRRRR (He'll NEVER be my President, FUBO! Treason is the Reason! Impeach the Kenyan)
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To: NoLibZone
Akerson said he would support a jump in the gas tax if it came instead of tighter fuel economy regulations . . . automakers could be forced to hit fuel economy averages of as much as 62 mpg.

So, he wants us to pay more for fuel, so GM doesn't have to meet zero's epa regulations. Never again will I ever buy a government motors product.

93 posted on 06/07/2011 1:54:39 PM PDT by Arrowhead1952 (zero hates Texas and we hate him back.)
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To: SZonian

Oh, and it’s a FORD truck that I drive.


94 posted on 06/07/2011 1:55:12 PM PDT by SZonian (July 27, 2010. Life begins anew.)
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To: SZonian
BINGO! I owe you a cigar..or drink...or whatever!

There were many times my small car driving friends came to me and asked me to pick up things from furniture to top soil!

Of course they turned around and complained about my Durango!

95 posted on 06/07/2011 1:56:17 PM PDT by prisoner6 (Right Wing Nuts bolt The Constitution together as the loose screws of the Left fall out!)
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To: redgolum
I grew up in a GM family. Oldsmobile's and Buick's for cars, Chevy trucks. Was taught never to even think of buying a Ford.

Same here. I even worked for a Chevy dealer in the late 60s and early 70s. Screw government motors.

96 posted on 06/07/2011 1:58:40 PM PDT by Arrowhead1952 (zero hates Texas and we hate him back.)
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To: NoLibZone

Talk about fuelling inflation! Doesn’t this a$$hole understand that commerce moves using gasoline and diesel fuel? I forgot, GM sold their GMC truck division.


97 posted on 06/07/2011 2:01:58 PM PDT by Cobra64 (Common sense isn't common anymore.)
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To: DCBryan1

My business partner just bought a Jetta TDI. He loves it and will never buy another GM truck or car. He has a 05 GMC truck with about 160k on it and loves it, but will never buy another one.


98 posted on 06/07/2011 2:03:26 PM PDT by US_MilitaryRules (Where is our military?)
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To: Huskrrrr
“Please buy my overpriced Volt....or bad things will happen.”

Yeah, why doesn't he ask his Marxist buddy to rebate $1k a year for life to all Volt buyers.

99 posted on 06/07/2011 2:03:41 PM PDT by Cobra64 (Common sense isn't common anymore.)
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To: prisoner6

LOL! Can I have one of each at the same time?

Yep, we’re constantly asked to help move this and move that.

My neighbor has an old ‘60s era Dodge truck he uses for the dump run. All the non-truck owners on the street are forever loading junk into it and nary a one offers to help when he makes his run to empty it.

Trucks are utilitarian, they serve a purpose, unlike those damn Prius’s that just get libs from one spot to another. All the while, they’re bitching about the choice of vehicle others drive.

If I could afford another car, I’d buy a decent econo box to drive back and forth to work, etc. and save the truck for when I need it. But that isn’t in the cards right now.

I suppose what’s being advocated here is that one must have “justification” as to why they should be “permitted” to purchase and operate a truck or SUV.

I pay a higher registration fee, a higher license fee, and I pay a HELL of a lot more in gas taxes as a result of my choice in owning a truck. Idiots!


100 posted on 06/07/2011 2:07:29 PM PDT by SZonian (July 27, 2010. Life begins anew.)
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