Gore calls for elimination of payroll taxes, CO2 freeze

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Gore_calls_for_elimination_of_payroll_0918.html

Former Vice President Al Gore has called for the end of the payroll tax and a freeze on CO2 emissions to "solve the climate crisis," RAW STORY has learned.

"My purpose," Gore told a crowd at NYU, "is not to present a comprehensive and detailed blueprint, for that is a task for our democracy as a whole." Gore is calling on lawmakers to "expand the limits of what is politically possible" and take major action to halt global warming.

"We should start by immediately freezing CO2 emissions," Gore indicated, "and then beginning sharp reductions." Gore also called for a ratification of the Kyoto Treaty.

<snip>

The former Vice President also called for a "revenue-neutral tax-swap," eliminating all payroll taxes in exchange for pollutant taxes.

"For the last fourteen years," he claimed, "I have advocated the elimination of all payroll taxes -- including those for social security and unemployment compensation -- and the replacement of that revenue in the form of pollution taxes, principally on CO2."

[NOLADEM]

1. I wonder if we even deserve this great man

He is full of such great ideas, so well thought out, so well done.

I wish he had been allowed to serve the term he won.

[Joe for Clark]

2. I am with Gore on this 100%.

Smart. I hope this story is true.

Joe

[quiet.american]

3. Oh yes, heard it with my own ears. n/t

[demnan]

4. Elimination of Payroll Tax!

I'll help this guy get elected President even if I have to hack the voting machines myself!

[lildreamer316]

18. Hee hee.

Nah, we just need them NOT to be hacked at all.
Right with ya on the helping.

[Blackhatjack]

5. That Suggestion Hits Right At The Heart of Those Supporting Repubs

If the money is coming out of the pockets of corporate America, then not only is the party over for banking offshore huge corporate profits, but they may actually have to begin paying taxes again --albeit in the form of pollution taxation.

What Corporate America still does not get is that solving the pollution problem will bring billions in just from new technology that can be marketed to the rest of the world.

[Captain Hilts]

6. At least no payroll taxes on the FIRST $20K you earn. nt

[Uncle Joe]

7. The man has vision in spades,

currently the U.S. has a massive vision deficit, we need to correct this and put Al in the White House where he belongs.


Kicked and recommended

:kick:

[AtomicKitten]

8. for the nonbelievers

Gore has evolved into a progressive man with vision. Damn.

[Pirate Smile]

11. I loved the story Woolsey told of Congressman Gore long ago.

He has always been ahead of his time. Vision, strategic thinking? He has it coming out his ears.

[MH1]

9. So if the plan works, doesn't revenue go down?

If corporations reduce pollution to reduce their tax liability, doesn't government revenue go down? Then how will SS, Medicare, UE, etc be paid for?

[Mass]

10. I was asking myself the same question. Otherwise, the speech was great.

[Mass]

13. I tried to google the speech to see how it was received by MSM - Silence.

Three hours after the speech, only Rawstory and ThinkProgress are reporting. I guess this is another major speech by a Democrat that will be ignored.

[Auntie Bush]

25. Yet the media keep saying Dems have NO plan. Maybe it they'd

report what we say they'd know our plans. I get so angry every time I hear the talking heads make that comment. Tweety comes out with it regularly...but he's not the only one.

[lildreamer316]

19. I would assume..

(yes; I know that's not really a good idea) that a solution i.e. a time limit would be built into any drafted legislation to compensate...such as a flat tax, or a tax on some other form of consumer product or company. I'm sure he didn't state it without something to back it up, he probably didn't have time in the speech to elaborate. It would be interesting to know.....

ON edit: Tax the churches. JUST KIDDING.

[rman]

23. Most large corporations evade taxes anyway

by means of offshore bank accounts.

Provided wages are fair to begin with, taxpayers can very well pay for it.

[One_Life_To_Give]

12. FICA Maybe but all Payroll taxes?

If you take away my FICA taxes and my income taxes and my employers unemployment insurance taxes as well as the remaining state and local payroll taxes. All to be replaced with an emissions tax.

What is a cup of coffee going to cost me?

[One_Life_To_Give]

30. Very Regressive Tax

The more I think about this. The more it appears to be a consumption tax. We get to start out with all that money. And private industry has to get that money from us to pay their taxes. So we get charged for any goods and services we buy. But how the load/cost is split over among different products and hence income levels is determined by industry.

[blm]

14. I think it should be tweaked to no payroll tax on the first $40k, because

it takes that much for the average family just to squeak by, but, this country does need the tax dollars from the rest of the payroll taxes.

[Joanne98]

15. The payroll tax is funding the endless war! KILL IT!

If Bush wants money for his empire, let him get it from a WAR TAX!

[Lydia Leftcoast]

16. Ooh, great idea!

Here's a proposed Constitutional amendment: Wars may not be funded out of general revenues or payroll taxes or deficit spending. They must be paid for by income tax surcharages.

I bet that would cut the support for war, even among the freepers.

[Joanne98]

21. YES!

[One_Life_To_Give]

27. Wouldn't "Gramm-Rudman" have done similar.

Either forced * to get a formal declaration of WAR or to have found a way to pay for it annually?

[Lydia Leftcoast]

31. I'd want even declared wars to be paid for by special taxes

In addition, I'd like a Constitutional amendment saying that no troops may be sent abroad without a formal declaration of war and that if such a declaration is made, the young relatives of the president, the White House staff, the Cabinet, the House, and the Senate are to be drafted immediately.

We've had too many military "adventures" lately in which a bunch of millionaires vote to make poor and middle-class people sacrifice their children to save U.S. business interests.

[flaminbats]

17. this guy never wants my primary vote, but why not!?!?!

After 1996 I was looking forward to backing Gore in the 2000 primaries, but he ditched my primary vote by taking a sorry position on healthcare reform. Bradley backed allowing everyone to buy into the healthcare plan covering federal employees, while Gore basically said people on Medicare could finally get prescription drugs for a change. Bradley's position on healthcare reform wasn't much, but strong compared to Gore's excuse for change! But naturally I backed Gore in November, but without much enthusiasm.

During the last four years I've been excited with Gore's opposition to the war, his support for Kerry in 2004, and his recent statements implying he might run again. But..then he says this? "we don't need payroll taxes" sorry...but we can't just "trade taxes" in a country which is nearly eight and a half trillion dollars in debt, and also has a generation of babyboomers about to retire!

Gore I love you, you were a great Senator and an even greater Vice President..so please don't lose my primary vote again.

[lildreamer316]

20. I get the idea...

that this is a motivational tactic more than something he expects to come to reality soon. I think he is throwing it out there to get the thinking gears rolling, and to show that the pollution corps need to be taken to task. I would think something like a compromise of this would be more realistic,but I don't know much. Just guessing here.

[lonehalf]

22. Yep. Run it up the flagpole and see if anyone salutes. n/t

[blm]

28. I could see it leading to a compromise - as stated above I think no tax on

the first 40k would be the way to go, as it takes 40k for an average family to SQUEAK by today.

[midnight]

24. This is the most sound idea I have heard in a long time.

Let's make it happen..... If Gore has put this message out here and we are ready for it-lets do it.

[AlGore-08.com]

26. We have the transcript of Gore's speech up

http://www.algore.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=416&Itemid=299

[Ishoutandscream2]

29. The man keeps impressing

Al needs to run. I hate to have to say this about anyone, but I believe it is his duty and calling. This country (and the world) needs this man desperately!

[ProudDad]

32. This needs to stay on the first page

This IS the kind of thing that will work.

Tax the rich, the polluters up to the hilt and relieve those of us in the bottom 80% who have been getting F*cked since ronnie ray-gun got into office...

Quit borrowing from the f*ckin' rich, tax their asses!!!