[Shotimes] Re:OT: Self Serve Gas

[Ron Porter]

Taxes passed since WW II? Try the Federal Excise Tax on your phone bill that
was passed in 1898 to fund the Spanish-American War!! Here is a brief
description, as well as a useful link from TN that explains the charges on
your phone bill:

http://www.tennessee.gov/tra/telecomfiles/understandpb.htm

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The federal excise tax on phone usage dates back to 1898. It was adopted
under the War Revenue Act as a temporary levy to help fund the
Spanish-American War. The war ended in October of that year. The tax was
repealed in 1902 but didn't stay gone for long. It was reintroduced during
World War I and was subsequently used to help fund the nation's military
activities during World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

The tax was given permanent status in 1990. It raises about $6 billion a
year for general federal expenditures, including military spending.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Look at what those charges are for, then look at a phone bill and see how
much of your total bill is a tax to cover various gov't schemes!!

Ron Porter

-----Original Message-----
From: shotimes-admin@autox.team.net [mailto:shotimes-admin@autox.team.net]
On Behalf Of clubairth@bellsouth.net
Sent: Wednesday, December 14, 2005 9:11 AM
To: shotimes@autox.team.net
Subject: [Shotimes] Re:OT: Self Serve Gas

EXACTLY!
The problem is the lack of choice! If I don't want to pay for full service, 
do I have that choice in Oregon or N.J.? No. Because of the government.
 This is EXACTLY the problem with trying to solve ANYTHING with the 
government.
Government governs best when it governs the least! Do we really need the 
government to decide if we are allowed to pump gas? How many bureaucrats and

agencies must be created and at what cost for something as trivial as 
pumping gas? Remember it is almost impossible to dismantle any government 
agency after it has been created. Just look at the taxes that were passed in

WWII and are still on the books!! Battery and tire taxes come to mind. These

were specifically passed during the war to help the war effort with scarce 
and strategic materials. That war has been over for 60 years and the 
"emergency taxes" are still in place!! Along with all the thousands of 
government employee's getting benefits,raises and health care!!

The latch is removed so people have to work at going over the $5 or $10 they

want to put in. Anybody that ever has worked at a gas station/quick stop can

tell you that with the latch you will have a never ending stream of people 
who "I didn't get the nozzle shut off in time and I don't have enough money 
to pay for the gas" excuses. It just helps cut down on problems.
.
.

>
> Exactly!!!  Self-serve is for idiots....full-serve is for the 
> intelligent!!!
>
> Most places (if not all) remove that little latch on the pump handle, 
> most
> likely for liability reasons, so you have to stand there and squeeze the
> trigger for the entire time.  But, what if there's a blinding snowstorm, 
> or
> it's 20-deg below, or there's a thunderstorm with the "little bitty 
> stingin'
> rain" coming in sideways?  No Thanks.
>
> When you go out to a restaurant, do you go back to the kitchen and cook 
> your
> meal yourself?  No.  When you go out to a bar do you walk behind the bar 
> and
> pour the beer yourself?  No.  Why?  Because you're paying for the product
> and the service.
>
> A steak bought at the supermarket is much cheaper than a steak at a
> restaurant, and a 6-pack of beer costs alot less than 6 beers at a bar.
> But, the funny thing is, the gasoline here in NJ is the same or cheaper 
> than
> what some of you pay for self-serve - and I get the product AND the
> service!!
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