The rise in the price of gasoline has had a tremendous effect on the American people. People who had for years purchased bigger and bigger SUV’s were now trying to get rid of them as the cost to fill the gas tank up skyrocketed. This left a glut in the market of SUV’s, dropping the price precipitously. Conversely, the price of small cars rose and used small cars began retaining their value longer. Those that needed new cars faced different choices. People now wanted smaller, more compact cars and did not want roomy, gas-guzzlers. To make matters worse, the insurance on each type of vehicle remained the same. Larger vehicles cost more to insure due to the amount of damage they could cause to other cars on the road.
Poorer people could no longer afford to purchase the smaller cars due to the higher prices and instead would purchase used, cheaper, larger vehicles like the SUV’s. State laws requiring insurance increased the already heavy burden of paying to fill the large gas tank. This was a real tragedy of not being able to afford the smaller car with the cheaper insurance, smaller gas tank, and better mpg efficiency. Like everything that is currently wrong with America, I contend that this is entirely the fault of the President, George W. Bush.
Kanye West famously said, “George Bush does not care about black people.” I feel that he was on the right track, but not exactly correct. He should have said on that benefit the following: “George Bush does not care about poor people.” It is obvious that George Bush wishes to hurt the poor by forcing them to decide between an expensive, small car and a cheap, large SUV that they will purchase the SUV due to their budget constraints. This purchase continues to haunt the owner of the SUV due to its higher maintenance costs, higher refueling costs, and higher insurance rates.
I have one simple proposal to help those that need help, and that is to help those purchasing SUV’s. With Bush out of office, Obama can help the poor by capping the costs associated with owning an SUV, and increase the taxes on those owning a smaller car. First, a tax on those owning a smaller car by giving a gas discount card to those who purchase SUV’s. When the SUV owner goes to fill-up the gas tank, the owner would simply swipe the discount card or present it to the attendant and receive a cheaper gas price than those people driving the smaller cars.Another method to improve affordability of SUV’s would be to cap the prices of insurance on the SUV’s and increase the rates of the smaller cars. The cars that are most damaged in accidents with SUV’s are the smaller cars. Due to the fragility of these smaller cars, they should be taxed more and their insurance rates increased because they are more damaged. The drivers of the SUV’s are not at fault if the smaller cars are totaled every time it happens to be involved in a wreck with an SUV.
Finally, the simplest way to make the SUV’s more affordable would be to eliminate all sales taxes on the SUV’s and add them to the sales of the smaller cars. People purchasing used SUV’s would be able to afford the cost of gas and the rates of insurance with a moratorium on SUV sales taxes. Due to the price of gas staying very high as well, the purchases of smaller cars will continue to increase due to the affluence of those able to afford the new smaller cars. One need only look around while driving to see that most new cars on the road are the smaller, more fuel-efficient cars.
It is now time for Barack Obama to step up and help the poor. He can show that our hope in him was not misplaced. He can turn this around and help make the SUV an affordable vehicle for those who desperately need it.
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