Should we raise the federal tax on gasoline?

[Nym90]

Every American should demand a V-8 engine, along with a spacious Ranch House.  Christ people, do any of you realize how much the standard of living has fallen since the early 1970s?

Well, not everyone prefers those things. I like small, good handling, fuel efficient, easy to park and easy to drive cars and smaller houses that are easier to clean, leave more room for a yard, and are less expensive to heat and cool.

That's not to say that I don't agree with you about the standard of living having fallen, or of a preference for cars made by unionized assembly workers in the USA.

As for the question at hand, I would prefer that the gas tax be a percentage of the price of gas rather than a flat number of cents per gallon, and I would also even more prefer that roads and bridges be funded by income taxes instead of gas taxes. However, assuming neither of those will come to fruition, I absolutely support a higher gas tax, both to discourage consumption and also to fund needed infrastructure improvements which will improve the economy.

[Nym90]

I've always wondered why people that honestly fear global warming (or whatever environmental dire straights we'll be in next year) would bitch about high gas prices.  If part of the problem is too much pollution from cars then wouldn't it be best to drive less?  Or encourage, through the market, people to buy more efficient vehicles?  One easy way to do that would be an increased gas tax.

I'm not saying I'm for it (or against it for that matter), but if ones goal is fewer miles driven, then it's a sensible position to take.  On the other hand, if you care about the enviroment and bitch about high gas prices, you're an asshole.

I do agree that higher gas taxes would be good for the reasons you cite, though it's also worth considering that until affordable and reasonable alternatives are created such as faster and more widely available public transportation (both for short and long distance travel) and more affordable hybrids/electric cars, and thus high gas prices hurt the poor and middle class far more than they do the wealthy, and so can be opposed for that reason.