This might be a crazy idea but,

[southern democrat]

If we had a president with enough courage to propose a .25/gal tax on gas.Ear mark the money to a terrorism defense fund.I know it would raise the price of gas,but maybe people would start driving more fuel efficent vehciles.Also maybe auto manufactures would put more fuel efficent vehciles in the market place.I believe the root cause of the whole middle east/terrorism problem is oil.The best thing would be have the oil cos. pay for it,but you know that will never happen.

[politicaholic]

1. I think it's a great idea...

And then increase the tax deduction slightly for service vehicles and delivery companies. All of those on the road salesmen...welllll...sorry.

[southern democrat]

2. You could exempt fuel tax on over the road trucks

To keep the cost of freight down.Put those traveling salesman in somthing fuel efficent or possibly a hybird.

[ablbodyed]

3. Yes, a great idea...

Raising the fuel efficiency of velicles just a couple of gallon would save billions of gallons a year.

[southern democrat]

6. I just wonder how many gallons of gas Americans

consume a year? And how much projected revenue it would actually create?And this would be a terrorism defense fund,used for intellegence,first responders,global covert ops.Not traditional defense spending.

It just annoys the hell out of me.The conservitaves are always preaching about how to run the government like a business.I own a small business and when I have a long term expendeture,I have to raise revenues.All businesses do that's why prices go up.As long as expendtures and revenues are in relative balance,this works great and is productive.

[BeFree]

4. I like it

We ARE in the Middle East for the oil. Your idea would be more like a user fee, not a tax. Folks who use gas in business can write off some of the extra cost from their income taxes.

Following your idea would save those of us who don't use much gas a lot of dough. I like it!

[quispquake]

5. I've always felt...

...raise the gas tax, and lower home heating oil...that way it's not quite so harsh on the poor...(I'm from Maine by the way!!!)

[Ivory_Tower]

7. Wow....a "Homeland Security Tax" on gasoline?

That would make people's heads explode. Complain about another tax and more expensive gas? Or buck up and be patriotic for the Fatherland....tough call...

I suspect anti-tax would trump pro-security, though.

The other problem is that "ear-marked" taxes don't seem to stay ear-marked for long. When you have a half-trillion-dollar deficit staring you in the face, you'll take the money from wherever you can.

[southern democrat]

9. You know what.What a feat it would be to have someone

elected who would propose raising taxes.Probably not in my liftime.I agree it is regressive,thats a negitive.But it is a tax that most individuals would have some controll of.You could also off-set some of the tax libality with tax credits for people that operate fuel efficent cars.

[Terran]

8. Regressive taxes hurt the poor disproportionately

As with cigarette taxes. The answer is fair taxation of the wealthy and corporations (and fuel-efficient cars in this instance). Harder to accomplish, but far better in the long-run.

Dirk