The thing is, I'm not suggesting government mandated anything. What I *am*
suggesting is that the government might be able to lose its unwillingness
to offend the auto industry, and present the public with information would
help them change their preferences. Why not? It's no different than the
advertising which makes people buy things, right? People don't just buy
based on their own preferences. They also do so because humans are
"clubby" - they want to be members of a group, no matter how stupid the
group may be. Sometimes they choose the wrong group, sometimes not. But,
effect one customer, and he/she may effect others. Actually, that's a
virtual certainty.

Wanting to belong is nothing more than a facet of personal preference. The
government can disseminate all the information it wants to, but it is
unlikely that it is telling anything to anyone that they don't already know.
Not terribly effective.

A good parallel here is the Surgeon's General warning on every pack of
cigarettes. Is there an American alive today that doesn't already know the
health risks of smoking? And yet it continues. But in reduced numbers.
However, I think the reduced numbers have much more to do with the financial
cost of a pack of cigs, versus any governmental educational program. If you
want to get an American's attention, speak to him through his wallet.

"RG" wrote in message
. ..

The thing is, I'm not suggesting government mandated anything. What I
*am* suggesting is that the government might be able to lose its
unwillingness to offend the auto industry, and present the public with
information would help them change their preferences. Why not? It's no
different than the advertising which makes people buy things, right?
People don't just buy based on their own preferences. They also do so
because humans are "clubby" - they want to be members of a group, no
matter how stupid the group may be. Sometimes they choose the wrong
group, sometimes not. But, effect one customer, and he/she may effect
others. Actually, that's a virtual certainty.

Wanting to belong is nothing more than a facet of personal preference.
The government can disseminate all the information it wants to, but it is
unlikely that it is telling anything to anyone that they don't already
know. Not terribly effective.

A good parallel here is the Surgeon's General warning on every pack of
cigarettes. Is there an American alive today that doesn't already know
the health risks of smoking? And yet it continues. But in reduced
numbers. However, I think the reduced numbers have much more to do with
the financial cost of a pack of cigs, versus any governmental educational
program. If you want to get an American's attention, speak to him through
his wallet.


Cool. Now I'll get Stalin-esque. Slap an enormous, annual tax on trucks,
unless an owner can show that he actually has a purpose for it, other than
"I just wanted a Dodge with a hemi so I could hang chrome accessories on
it". No trailer registered to the same owner, meaning he tows nothing? He
gets taxed. Not in a profession which actually requires a truck, like
carpenters & landscapers? He gets taxed. If a doctor decides to become a
plumber, there are ways of giving him back his surcharge in future years. No
more buying a huge truck just because every 4 years, you need to bring home
a bale of peat moss.

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...


Cool. Now I'll get Stalin-esque. Slap an enormous, annual tax on trucks,
unless an owner can show that he actually has a purpose for it, other than
"I just wanted a Dodge with a hemi so I could hang chrome accessories on
it". No trailer registered to the same owner, meaning he tows nothing? He
gets taxed. Not in a profession which actually requires a truck, like
carpenters & landscapers? He gets taxed. If a doctor decides to become a
plumber, there are ways of giving him back his surcharge in future years.
No more buying a huge truck just because every 4 years, you need to bring
home a bale of peat moss.


Y'all ain't gittin my truck, even if'in i hafta learn how to load the
bullits in my shotgun and carry it ona rack in the rear window!

RCE

"RCE" wrote in message
...



Y'all ain't gittin my truck, even if'in i hafta learn how to load the
bullits in my shotgun and carry it ona rack in the rear window!

RCE



That is, of course, unless you make me an offer I can't refuse.

RCE

"RCE" wrote in message
...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...


Cool. Now I'll get Stalin-esque. Slap an enormous, annual tax on trucks,
unless an owner can show that he actually has a purpose for it, other
than "I just wanted a Dodge with a hemi so I could hang chrome
accessories on it". No trailer registered to the same owner, meaning he
tows nothing? He gets taxed. Not in a profession which actually requires
a truck, like carpenters & landscapers? He gets taxed. If a doctor
decides to become a plumber, there are ways of giving him back his
surcharge in future years. No more buying a huge truck just because every
4 years, you need to bring home a bale of peat moss.


Y'all ain't gittin my truck, even if'in i hafta learn how to load the
bullits in my shotgun and carry it ona rack in the rear window!

RCE


And there we have it! Joe 2-pack has spoken. (They usually can't count to 6)

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

"RCE" wrote in message
...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...


Cool. Now I'll get Stalin-esque. Slap an enormous, annual tax on trucks,
unless an owner can show that he actually has a purpose for it, other
than "I just wanted a Dodge with a hemi so I could hang chrome
accessories on it". No trailer registered to the same owner, meaning he
tows nothing? He gets taxed. Not in a profession which actually requires
a truck, like carpenters & landscapers? He gets taxed. If a doctor
decides to become a plumber, there are ways of giving him back his
surcharge in future years. No more buying a huge truck just because
every 4 years, you need to bring home a bale of peat moss.


Y'all ain't gittin my truck, even if'in i hafta learn how to load the
bullits in my shotgun and carry it ona rack in the rear window!

RCE


And there we have it! Joe 2-pack has spoken. (They usually can't count to
6)


Doug, I hate to burst your bubble, but there are far more Joe 2-packs in
this world than you obviously realize.

RCE

"RCE" wrote in message
...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

"RCE" wrote in message
...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...


Cool. Now I'll get Stalin-esque. Slap an enormous, annual tax on
trucks, unless an owner can show that he actually has a purpose for it,
other than "I just wanted a Dodge with a hemi so I could hang chrome
accessories on it". No trailer registered to the same owner, meaning he
tows nothing? He gets taxed. Not in a profession which actually
requires a truck, like carpenters & landscapers? He gets taxed. If a
doctor decides to become a plumber, there are ways of giving him back
his surcharge in future years. No more buying a huge truck just because
every 4 years, you need to bring home a bale of peat moss.


Y'all ain't gittin my truck, even if'in i hafta learn how to load the
bullits in my shotgun and carry it ona rack in the rear window!

RCE


And there we have it! Joe 2-pack has spoken. (They usually can't count to
6)


Doug, I hate to burst your bubble, but there are far more Joe 2-packs in
this world than you obviously realize.

RCE


At least 54% that we've already quantified here in this country.

"RCE" wrote in message
...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

"RCE" wrote in message
...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...


Cool. Now I'll get Stalin-esque. Slap an enormous, annual tax on
trucks, unless an owner can show that he actually has a purpose for it,
other than "I just wanted a Dodge with a hemi so I could hang chrome
accessories on it". No trailer registered to the same owner, meaning he
tows nothing? He gets taxed. Not in a profession which actually
requires a truck, like carpenters & landscapers? He gets taxed. If a
doctor decides to become a plumber, there are ways of giving him back
his surcharge in future years. No more buying a huge truck just because
every 4 years, you need to bring home a bale of peat moss.


Y'all ain't gittin my truck, even if'in i hafta learn how to load the
bullits in my shotgun and carry it ona rack in the rear window!

RCE


And there we have it! Joe 2-pack has spoken. (They usually can't count to
6)


Doug, I hate to burst your bubble, but there are far more Joe 2-packs in
this world than you obviously realize.

RCE


And it looks like Doug is one of them based on what *he* drives. ;-)

Cool. Now I'll get Stalin-esque. Slap an enormous, annual tax on trucks,
unless an owner can show that he actually has a purpose for it, other than
"I just wanted a Dodge with a hemi so I could hang chrome accessories on
it". No trailer registered to the same owner, meaning he tows nothing? He
gets taxed. Not in a profession which actually requires a truck, like
carpenters & landscapers? He gets taxed. If a doctor decides to become a
plumber, there are ways of giving him back his surcharge in future years.
No more buying a huge truck just because every 4 years, you need to bring
home a bale of peat moss.

Get it still, you don't. Trying to accomplish this change through
governmental taxation will only result in animosity and non-compliance. Not
to mention the fact that you'd never get Congress to agree on an approach.
Accomplishing it through a high cost of ownership due to high fuel bills and
wicked depreciation will happen with Congress doing what it does
best...nothing. The market always works...eventually. Trust the force,
Luke.

"RG" wrote in message
. ..

Cool. Now I'll get Stalin-esque. Slap an enormous, annual tax on trucks,
unless an owner can show that he actually has a purpose for it, other
than "I just wanted a Dodge with a hemi so I could hang chrome
accessories on it". No trailer registered to the same owner, meaning he
tows nothing? He gets taxed. Not in a profession which actually requires
a truck, like carpenters & landscapers? He gets taxed. If a doctor
decides to become a plumber, there are ways of giving him back his
surcharge in future years. No more buying a huge truck just because every
4 years, you need to bring home a bale of peat moss.

Get it still, you don't. Trying to accomplish this change through
governmental taxation will only result in animosity and non-compliance.
Not to mention the fact that you'd never get Congress to agree on an
approach. Accomplishing it through a high cost of ownership due to high
fuel bills and wicked depreciation will happen with Congress doing what it
does best...nothing. The market always works...eventually. Trust the
force, Luke.



What do you do about the terminally stupid who can't understand cause and
effect?