Would you support a 3 cent retail tax on gasoline to help fund Medicare?

[pinto]

Poll question: Would you support a 3 cent retail tax on gasoline to help fund Medicare?

[Liberal Veteran]

1. I voted no.

I don't think it would be in our best interest to tie Medicare so closely to an industry we are trying to move away from.

[pinto]

3. Good point. But it is what it is. I think a small surcharge at the pump will do 2 things.

Remind us about consumption and, in the mean time, help fund an enormous and important federal health care program.

[ddeclue]

2. The tax is low enough but I think that it is too unrelated to the purchase of gasoline.

If you wanted to tax tobacco or alchohol or fast food to fund this I might be more inclined to say yes as a "sin tax" concept.

If you wanted to use the 3 cents gas tax to fund alternative energy research and development or road construction I'd also want to say yes.

I don't think it's fair to tax people for unrelated uses though.

Doug D.

Three cents is such a small amount that I wouldn't be all up in arms about it. Some people here want to raise the gas tax by a dollar a gallon or more though and those people can just bite me.

[pinto]

8. I disagree.We tax ourselves for the health and welfare of our country.

And that includes roads, bridges, rail and air travel.

And health care.

It's all one of the same, imho.

:hi:

[ddeclue]

11. Most people see the distinction I'm making...

We tend to tax things for related uses in this country - most people see it as unfair to do otherwise.

[boppers]

13. It is related.

People who drive walk less.
People who drive bicycle less.
People who drive kick more pollution into the air.

Perhaps, would your vote be different if the 3 cents went specifically to funding portions of medicare that deal with breathing problems, lung cancer, and the diseases related to being out-of-shape/overweight/obese?

Or, perhaps, is your argument that "most people" don't actually see this connection?

[eridani]

4. No. Get rid of private insurance

It is not necessary to put more funding into health care, only to direct most of the health care dollars now spent to actual CARE.

[pinto]

7. See your point about insurance. Yet, Medicare is the most affordable option to many.

At a $96/month premium, it's a good buy.

[anigbrowl]

5. No. Gas taxes go to road maintenance

It's a needlessly difficult sell to fund one program from something largely unrelated. I'd rather see a 25 cent charge on OTC medications.

[bridgit]

6. voted 'no' for the same reason, though disagree with the OTC charge...

For folks without insurance OTC meds are some of the first & last resorts :(

[anigbrowl]

9. Yeah, I know - I have no insurance

but it would probably generate a buttload of money for medicare...though having said that, it's an off-the-cuff idea, not necessarily the best strategy. I reserve my right to suggest something entirely different tomorrow, like taxing candy.

[bridgit]

10. LOL, no doubt! Let's tax candy!! Start making the Big Bucks!!

We'll have the budget balanced in no time :thumbsup:

[TheKentuckian]

12. I vote no because I'm not wanting to see petro dollars as a revenue stream

and because too many might think that the situation is squared away with that.

I'm not against it on general principle, so maybe I could get behind a good plan.

[firedupdem]

14. I'd like to see us tax something else if we had to do it...something

about the connection with gasoline is weird for me.

[pinto]

15. I've mixed feelings as well. Yet the EU, by and large, does it w/out disastrous consequences.

Options?

[Hekate]

16. NO because as gas usage goes DOWN, so does revenue for Medicare. Take it out of War research. nt

[Vinca]

17. Medicare, as it currently exists, isn't worth taxing for. While it might cost $96 a month

for the basic coverage, most people must buy expensive supplemental plans or go bankrupt. We need another single payer, universal plan that would cover everyone and everything and that might be paid for by taxation on something. I'd rather see a tax on all the stuff that's bad for us: smokes, booze, snack foods, fast food, etc.

[mwooldri]

18. I voted "other", meaning this:

1) Medicare should be expanded, and made available to everyone as a basic medical insurance, and most importantly IMO: free at the point of delivery. I don't want people worrying whether they got money to pay a $25 co-pay, even for some people this is too much.

2) Yes, tax gasoline because guess what? we have plenty of road traffic accidents ... so maybe some of the gasoline funds should pay medicare - but no way should it be the lions' share of medicare's funding.

3) The "Medicare tax" needs therefore to be increased a bit, to represent the fact that everyone is now covered. However I know the rich will scream out that they're now paying for X number of people on welfare and that "it's not fair"... well IMO it isn't patriotic, but I'm sure a formula could be worked out that people earning more than say, $500,000 a year don't may medicare taxes above that portion, but then everyone else would have to pay more.

4) Introduce a federal Value Added Tax to certain key items - tobacco, alcohol, luxury items, and have different rates for the items. Yes it's going to get confusing but it can be balanced out. We remove the States requirements to fund Medicaid, because now everyone will be on a new and improved Medicare. Their savings can be offset by significantly reducing their increased sales taxes on things like tobacco and alcohol. The tobacco states won't like it because hey, tobacco prices will go up in that state, but states like NY which have a very high tobacco tax will see a modest change.

5) And how about for something completely radical? A tax credit for everyone in the USA to join a gym? local government could work it out that a person could use their entire tax credit to cover fitness expenses in their area, or they could use it towards the cost of a YMCA or Gold Gym or something like that membership. This might help us get fit and hey - might actually reduce Medicare expenditure in the future?

Just a few ideas, Mark.

[Thothmes]

19. I voted no

IMO that we should tax directly for Medicare. If we do not collect enough to pay for the system, then raise the tax to cover the cost. Taxes on fuels should go to paying for infrastructure maintenance.

[pinto]

23. Good point. If it's worth it (and I think it is) we ought to fund it.

My query assumes that a 3 cent gas tax would not be sole funding.

[Thothmes]

26. Yes we should continue to fund it.

I think we should expand the tax base by applying the medicare taxes to all income sources such as captal gains, dividends etc. I would also like to see it progressive, as opposed to a flat rate as it is now.

[FreeStateDemocrat]

20. Coupled with an increase in the capital gains tax from 15% to 30% investor class should pay it back.

[pinto]

24. I'd support upping the capital gains tax as well.

[davidpdx]

21. Other

I live outside the US and don't pay taxes.

[southern_dem]

22. No

Put it on tobacco, alcohol, and legalize pot and put it on that. As much as I hate the fact we are still on oil, gas prices disproportionally affect poor people who live in areas w/o good public transit. They can't afford any more increases. The rich could really care less.

[Hansel]

25. No

Because it is a regressive tax. The people who are least able to afford it bear the brunt of something that even the richest among us get. Poor people can only afford older less fuel efficient cars thus would be disproportionately taxed to help to fund health care for people significantly more able to afford it.

Medicare should be paid through income and corporate tax. Let those who have benefited the most from a healthy society, pay the most to keep it that way. I don't even think road repair taxes should be paid through gasoline taxes. Again, corporations and the rich benefit most by having travel ready roads so they can run their business and their employees can get to work. They should be happy to pay the most to assure they can continue to operate without transportation impediments. Why the Democrats can't make this argument effectively I don't know.

The wealthiest amongst us constantly bitch about paying taxes, but have no qualms about laying the burden on those least able to afford it through as sales and payroll taxes. They need to stop whining and appreciate the fact that we are all paying for them to suck up the riches.

[invictus]

27. No, I honestly can't afford it. I am hurting in this economy.

nt

[gravity]

28. Why don't you just tax the rich