Michigan Democrat Wants to Jack Up Gas Taxes

With Michigan having its own one-state recession and the Michigan-based U.S. auto industry bracing for the worst sales year in a decade, a typically brain-dead Democrat wants to jack up gas taxes to "save the planet":

A Michigan congressman wants to put a 50-cent tax on every gallon of gasoline to try to cut back on Americans' consumption.

Polls show that a majority of Americans support policies that would reduce greenhouse gases. But when it comes to paying for it, it's a different story.

Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., wants to help cut consumption with a gas tax but some don't agree with the idea, according to a new poll by the National Center for Public Policy Research.

The poll, scheduled to be released on Thursday, shows 48 percent don't support paying even a penny more, 28 percent would pay up to 50 cents more, 10 percent would pay more than 50 cents and 8 percent would pay more than a dollar.

"I don't want to pay more, I don't think anyone wants to," said Karen Deacon, a motorist.

"I think that wouldn't make any sense," said Frankie Hoe, a motorist. "Ugh ... who's making the money from all this and where is that money going? Is it going to go green? I don't see any green things anywhere."

The automobile is the nation's biggest polluter; Americans use more gas than the next 20 countries combined.

Some environmentalists and economists say pain at the pump may be bad for Americans, but good medicine for a sick planet.

But others say it wouldn't change much. Even if Americans abandoned their cars, global emissions would fall by less than one percent.

There's something in the water in Michigan these days. Another Michigan Democrat, John Conyers, wants to impeach Bush and Cheney, but not until after election day on Nov. 4...with less than three months left in their terms. If the Dems keep control of Congress and add the White House next year, you can expect to see a litany of stupid ideas coming from, and being enacted by, Washington.