Topic: Sighs, I can't believe I'm with Bush on this.

[Jack Morris]

Tax breaks on hybrids will start to ebb this fall
Popular Toyota has hit limit on eligible vehicles
By Mary Dalrymple
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - Environmentally concerned car buyers will see some federal tax breaks for energy efficient hybrids start shrinking this fall.

Toyota Motor Corp. has hit the production limit -- 60,000 -- on vehicles eligible for a special tax credit designed to encourage more buyers to choose gas-electric hybrids.

Spokeswoman Martha Voss said Thursday that the automaker sold its 60,000th such vehicle in May.

That means the tax credits for Toyota and Lexus hybrids will be cut in half for drivers who purchase their vehicles beginning in October, she said. The $3,150 credit for the popular Toyota Prius, the largest hybrid tax credit available, would shrink to $1,575.

Six months later, beginning next April, the tax credits will shrink to one-quarter of their original value. They will disappear by October 2007.

Hybrids account for a very small percentage of the market, but they have grown in popularity with gas prices topping $3 a gallon.

Taxpayers could still claim a full tax credit for purchasing hybrids made by other manufacturers, such as Honda Motor Co., Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Corp., until those manufacturers trigger the credit limits or the tax break expires in 2011.

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What these wonderful press types left out from the original news release yesterday is that Bush wanted to have the max tax breaks ALL the time now. So, I would not have to wait until a certain time period for that nice shiny new hybrid Camry, I get the full deduction no matter how many units sold.

Funny how America bones energy savers yet Hummer owners get a 100% write-off (If used for "business").

[Jack Morris]

I can see it now, miss pretty tight arse walks up to the judge, "Mam, you have to prove to the IRS that you use the Hummer for business purposes."

But I do work.

"Errrrrm, what kind of work?"

I'm a call-girl for "massages" your honor, or modeling lingerie, as a matter of fact, your prosecutor had me over the other week to "model." My Hummer also serves a modeling site as men really get a kick out of it. I have a built in camera and bed and everything, and it's tax-deductible!

"Ummmmmm, I see." (Whooshing sound from the bench)

Errrrmmmmm, case dismissed. Miss, I need to see you in closed chambers before you leave. 

[Just plain old Punisher]

Since you've agreed with Bush you realize that you're completly responsible for both hell freezing over and pigs flying.

The first is a good thing, the second is rather bad when you have a flight to D.C. in a couple of days.

[J. Carney]

Funny how America bones energy savers yet Hummer owners get a 100% write-off (If used for "business").

You'd get the exact same write-off if you used thehybrid for 'business' Jack.

[Jack Morris]

A Hummer of a Tax Loophole

By Jim Hightower, AlterNet. Posted April 20, 2004.


Allow me to introduce you to a fabulous opportunity. A tax loophole so big you could drive a Hummer H2 through it!  Tools
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A promotional letter from a Hummer dealer excitedly made this pitch: "Allow me to introduce you to a fabulous opportunity. A tax loophole so big you could drive a Hummer H2 through it!"

I'm afraid he was not exaggerating. Tucked way down in the arcane language of one of George W's tax-cuts for the rich was a provision that allows businesses to deduct up to $100,000 from their income taxes for the full cost of big SUV's.

At a time when the federal deficit is bloating, at a time when we should be cutting back on the gluttonous consumption of foreign oil, at a time when pollution from cars is amassing a record level of the carbon-dioxide gas that causes global warming -- Washington has gouged a loophole into our tax laws that actively encourages rich people to avoid paying a big chunk of their taxes by buying the biggest, hoggiest gas guzzlers and pollution machines that exist in the entire auto kingdom.

Bush's loophole literally requires buyers to go for the huge, most luxurious tanks on the road -- Hummers, Range Rovers, Navigators, etc. The deduction only applies to vehicles weighing 6,000 pounds or more. Forget your zippy roadsters, your perky hybrids, your family sedans, your humble pickup trucks -- to qualify for this tax break, your road machine has to be bigger than big. How big? Even the Ford Explorer or Chevy Suburban doesn't qualify.

An accountant tells of a client who was going to buy an Explorer. But by moving way up in price and weight to the yacht-like Lincoln Navigator, he was able to slip through Bush's loophole and save $20,000 -- meaning he got the bigger one for about the same as the Explorer would have cost, courtesy of us taxpayers.

Why should we be giving tax incentives to rich people so they can drive a glorified hog for their latte runs? To help shut down this loophole, call Taxpayers for Common Sense: 1-800-taxpayer.

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Nope, just gas. Camry is a feather in the air compared to a heavy hummer. Nice to see they pay no taxes to help pay for the roads they destroy. 

[Jack Morris]

Cooking oil cars turn the table on high fuel prices by Virginie Montet
Fri Jul 21, 10:25 PM ET
 


WASHINGTON (AFP) - A growing number of Americans are setting up mini-refineries in their homes to produce biodiesel, a fuel made from waste cooking oil which is cleaner and cheaper than the petrol sold in gas stations.

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The sky-high price of crude oil is scaring everyone.

Biodiesel has Hollywood backers like actress Julia Roberts and Morgan Freeman, is sung about by country star Willie Nelson but also meets the political correctness of the American right wing which has made the campaign against imported oil a mantra.

"It's better for the engine, way better for the environment, it's cheaper, but it depends how you price your labor," said Dan Goodman, an entrepreneur in residence at the University of Maryland Business School who runs his Mercedes on biodiesel.

There are two ways to get on the biodiesel bandwagon, Goodman said.

Either you change the engine and just put in waste oil, which would not be strictly legal in the United States, or you can modify the fuel into biodiesel, which is legal and works in any diesel car.

Biodiesel plants are a boom industry in America, but thousands now make fuel in their garages from the oil left after frying french fries or scrounging around restaurants and food factories.

"It's easy when you know how to do it," Goodman said, though he warned that the process "can be hazardous," since it involves flammable products and caustic vapors that require a well-ventilated production site.

"You filter the waste fried oil to remove the glycerol, the most sticky part, and then replace it with an alcohol molecule (methanol) and lye (caustic soda)," he said.

Goodman makes about 300 gallons (1,135 liters) of biodiesel a day on a farm in Maryland, where his helper Matt Geiger twice a week brings huge jerricans of the precious "yellow grease" he collects from restaurants in the towns of Olney and College Park.

The homemade fuel keeps 15 school buses running in the area, Goodman said.

Most biodiesel fans have organized into cooperatives that make biofuel from soy oil instead of used cooking oil. The groups have been growing over the past few years, but they still represent a minuscule part of the US energy sector.

According to the National Biodiesel Board, biodiesel production has tripled since 2004 to 75 million gallons (280 million liters) last year. This year, it is expected to double to 150 million gallons (56 million liters).

In comparison, US consumption of traditional diesel fuel extracted from crude oil stands at 60 billion gallons (227 billion liters) per year.

But biodiesel still has country music legend Willie Nelson singing its praises.

The 73-year-old songwriter has launched his own brand of the fuel, dubbed "BioWillie," and strongly believes that biodiesel is the way to go.

Nelson and Oscar winning actor Morgan Freeman are on the board of a company called Earth Biofuels which has signed up Roberts to help promote the cooking oil fuel.

"The idea is to do something useful towards eliminating America's dependence on foreign oil. Consumers can now ensure that their fuel money stays in America rather than going overseas," Nelson wrote on his website.

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Consumers can now ensure that their fuel money stays in America rather than going overseas," Nelson wrote on his website.

What a novel idea! I can't believe D.C. would not want that. 

[Dracho]

In fairness, the 6,000 lb tax break was supposed to be for trucks and delivery vans, etc.  Nobody thought you'd have to write an exemption to keep people from buying  a Hummer for the CPA office.

Just like proponents of welfare will point out that for every abuser you find, there are many more people who really need the help, for every example of some jackass buying a hummer under that tax break, you'll find dozens of small florists, hotshots, carpet cleaners, heat & air guys, plumbers & electricians who bought a service truck under the tax break and really needed it.  There are some service jobs you're just not going to do in an a Maxima.

[Jack Morris]

Hummers are NOT work trucks though, this was just plain stupidity on D.C.'s part, but what else is new? 

[J. Carney]

Hummers are NOT work trucks though, this was just plain stupidity on D.C.'s part, but what else is new? 

Depends, Jack...

I know a LOT of construction businesses that could make good use of an H1. They are just built for heavy work.

The H2 and H3 are, however, for city-boy wussies.

[Jack Morris]

I'll take a military hummer, no problem. Yes, those H2s are very popular here, and are nothing but oversized Caddilac trucks. 

[Dracho]

Well, is the H3 really a "Hummer"?  That's like my ES300.  It's not really a Lexus, it's a Toyota Avalon with a nicer dash panel.  I don't think any vehicle that gets over 25 MPG can be a real Hummer.

Besides, the only REAL Hummer is a HUMV.

[Jack Morris]

The Camry and the Lexus were built upon the same chassis years ago.

The 92 Camry XLE V6 I used to own years ago actually had a Lexus numbered tranny in it. My guess is that somebody wanted a Camry XLE and they yanked it out of the Lexus line.

[J. Carney]

Well, is the H3 really a "Hummer"?

The H3 is simply a Colorado chassis with a much oversized body and a much underpowered engine for it's size.

The H2 is simply the some thing on a Tahoe frame.

[Commander Maxillius]

And Jack, I'm sure you know that Lexus is really Toyota's luxury line so it would make sense that some cars would share parts, just like GM.

Besides, the Camry XLE really is a Lexus ES300, with the ES standing for "Economy Sedan" from a maker that sells cars over $40,000 typically.  Infact, the Lexus is actually cheaper than the Toyota in that case lol


I'd still rather have an Avalon /me drools

[Jack Morris]

Avalon, overgrown car, Camry rules!

[Bartok]

What these wonderful press types left out from the original news release yesterday is that Bush wanted to have the max tax breaks ALL the time now. So, I would not have to wait until a certain time period for that nice shiny new hybrid Camry, I get the full deduction no matter how many units sold.

Funny how America bones energy savers yet Hummer owners get a 100% write-off (If used for "business").

Wow - I"m surprised Bush wants the tax break for hybrids to stay in place ALL the time.  REally - most especially considering how much of his personal fortune he owes to oil. 

As far as Hummers go, outside of some of the limited work applications mentioned they shouldn't be manufactured for the civilian market.  There are plenty of quality trucks that could replace them even in those applications.  I'd be thrilled if they didn't exist at all (cept for our boys)

The most insipid thing though is their current AD campaign!!!  The Mom who's daughter get's snubbed at the playground! -- the guy at the supermarket who feels inadequate for eathing tofu and vegetables! gimme a break.  I guess there's an honesty to it though - buy a Hummer if you're insecure and/or questioning your manhood....