[Shotimes] Re:OT: Self Serve Gas

[clubairth@bellsouth.net]

Ron:
 Now you have just got me even more stirred up@!! It's worse than I 
thought!!!
Thanks for the history lesson!
.
.




> 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 repealed in 1902 but didn't stay gone for long.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
>

>
> 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.
> .