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Wow, Wow, Wow, Bush!

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by HYACK, Jun 15, 2005.

  1. HYACK

    HYACK New Member

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    Did anyone else see Bush's speech today at 11:00 am EST on CNBC (while the same speech was being pre-empted at precisely the same time by the Shiavo autopsy Breaking news on MSNBC, Fox, CNN)?

    Very very very Wow! imo..

    First, he went right into the thing. Extremely concise. Second, the man didn't start talking about importing more foreign LNG and raising more domestic coal/nuclear (he saved that for end of speech) - Bush made Hybrids the PRIMARY platform of the strategy - an "Immediate" and urgent response to our current energy situation!! Holy mackerel!

    He wants a $4,000 Tax credit (as opposed to $2,000 tax deduction??) to encourage Hybrid growth. (could someone discuss differences between such a credit vs deduction? Thanks)

    Then, Mr Bush went right into absolute national need for Ethanols and Bio-diesels to offset growing demand for foreign imported oil! All this before uttering one word on nuclear, coal and Natural gas!

    Man, I wish whoever got a hold of him lately, edited his policy speeches about 4 years ago ;)
     
  2. Tadashi

    Tadashi Member

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    So how would this $4k crdit affect current owners? Would we be able to get the credit amount minus what we got already? I just got my Prius and have not filed yet.
     
  3. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    I would be THRILLED with a $4000 tax CREDIT. This is not thr first time he has mentioned a "credit" instead of a deduction, so I think at this point it's safe to assume that he really means to implement a "credit"

    A tax credit would take $4000 directly off the amount of tax you owe. The current deduction takes $2000 off of your taxable income which for most people averages out to about $500 in savings.

    This $500 savings varies greatly depending on your tax bracket so don't hold me liable for any discrepancies in your own taxes..

    :)
     
  4. rcroft

    rcroft New Member

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    Tax deduction comes off your taxable income. If your tax bracket is 25%, then you save only $500 in taxes, which is the tax you would have paid on the $2000 you deducted.

    Tax credit comes off the tax you owe. So if you owe $10,000 dollars, you would only owe $6,000 after the tax credit.

    Tax credit is much better than tax deduction.
     
  5. rcroft

    rcroft New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tadashi\";p=\"98736)</div>
    I imagine it would be a change to the 2005 tax code. Therefore, if you bought your car in 2005, you get the credit. If you bought it in 2004, then you are out of luck.
     
  6. prius04

    prius04 New Member

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    Actually GW has used the word credit before. However, most observers assumed that he didn't know the difference between a deduction and a credit and that he was really talking about a deduction.

    Maybe he really does mean a credit, though I did not see his speech.

    Actually, I don't generally watch him on TV anymore. Seeing as how what he says generally has so little in common with what he does, I figure whats the point of listening anymore.
     
  7. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    We keep hearing this same old story again. $$$ support for hybrids gets mentioned, but nothing ever becomes of it.

    Don't believe this until at least a very minimum details are provided. Most notably, that "up to" qualifier is extraoridinarily vague. And remember, the Detroit automakers have been begging for this for years... yet nothing has ever materialized.
     
  8. rcroft

    rcroft New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(prius04\";p=\"98747)</div>
    Well, you could read it instead...

    http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050615/dcw047.html?.v=12
     
  9. DanMan32

    DanMan32 Senior Member

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    Well, electric cars DO currently get a CREDIT, or is it any alternative fuel vehicle? So he may have meant CREDIT.

    However, it isn't all up to him. It is Congress that makes the laws and tax codes.
     
  10. Sufferin' Prius Envy

    Sufferin' Prius Envy Platinum Member

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    Now, how much was it that Toyota was to be raising prices?

    Future Prius buyers have some investigating to do.
    Is it a credit or deduction?
    Will that more than cover the price increase?
    What changes will be made to the ‘06?
    Is the hybrid Highlander or Lexus RX hybrid now within my price range?
    If it is a tax credit, will the Prius waiting lists grow to unbearable proportions?

    WHAT!! No more Salsa Red before they are all gone. :lol: :wink:

    [curious as to why this topic is in Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting. We “care†but I don’t think that qualifies it for this category]
     
  11. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    nah, it's the troubleshooting part :lol:
     
  12. prius04

    prius04 New Member

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    In my post above I commented that there was little point in paying attention to what Bush says, because it often has little relationship to what he does.

    Here is an example from Reuters. Apparently, the energy bill is getting finishing touches and in the bill are some mandates regarding alternative energy and energy conversation. The White House is against those aspects of the bill.

    .....
    The White House opposes measures in the Senate bill that direct the president to reduce U.S. oil demand by 1 million barrels per day by 2015. The United States is the world's biggest oil user with a daily appetite of 20 million barrels......

    http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/n...y_congress_dc_1


    So like I said above, why does anyone pay attention to what Bush says anymore, seeing as how it has such little relationship to what he does.
     
  13. V8Cobrakid

    V8Cobrakid Green Handyman

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    Soo.. i wonder, just like the rest.. is he doing this to get people to like him? or.. is he actually going to go through with it and put up incentives for bio fuels, hybrid, and anything else green?

    funny.. took im 4 years. this was one of the running points of Kerry.
     
  14. micheal

    micheal I feel pretty, oh so pretty.

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(prius04\";p=\"98852)</div>
    I'm not sure I see the contradiction. The Yahoo News story does not state what these measures are and what they might cost (So it is possible that Bush just doesnt' want measures that are going to impact individuals as much or more than high gas prices already are). Plus a person can be for hybrids without wanting to take drastic measures to reduce oil demand, since the lowered emissions are another great benefit. There is the argument that increased efficiencey doesn't decrease overall demand because individuals are more likely to drive more since it doesnt' cost as much.

    By no means do I truly believe anything any politician says by nature of their office and the nature of politics, but neither do I believe that Bush is being hypocritical.

    Like DanMan said, congress has to pass the energy bill before Bush can truly act. I really hope the $4k Credit would pass, but I wonder how the Big 3 will see it. Will it push more people until the many options available in foriegn cars or will it help them since they will have a couple of hybrids by the end of the year?
     
  15. HYACK

    HYACK New Member

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    Interesting points all, I have been interested by all the views here..

    Whether or not Bush or Congress mean what they say or do what they mean is not my focus here, whereas my pointed observation being made that for the first time (in my observing at least), Bush has made the primary focus of US's energy policy Efficiency (not quite conservation yet, but still a marked improvement) and two... Bush has made Hybrids the primary 'immediate' means by which to implement his vision of short/mid-term efficiency!

    That is what earned my 'Wow'. ;) pure and simple.

    Previously I've heard Bush go right into needing more technology development in fields of cleaner coal, safer nuclear and the Hydrogen imminence. This, followed by more Natural gas.. then, a sprinkling of efficiency via Hybrids, ethanols and alternative energy development sometime out in the future.

    So, when I heard Bush today establish this primary theme in his openning remarks to the hosts, within the first 3 breaths of his speech: "By advancing the national dialogue on the future of energy, you're helping us support the cause of energy efficiency. And that's critical for our economy and it's critical for the future of this nation", I nearly did a back flip in amazement.

    And then when i went right into Hybrids as the immediate term point-man of operation: 'Rescue America' and that this would in effect counter the Tax on Americans found in high Oil prices... I just had to click on priuschat.com and flip-out here!! ;)
     
  16. flyingprius

    flyingprius New Member

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    I'll just wait and see if that tax credit comes or not...
    Bush has said he would do a quite few things in the past that haven't really panned out...Running respectable foreign policy, for starters.
    Even if the credit goes through, so what? Bush thinks he can buy people off with a $4000 credit. George W. Bush could buy me a Toyota Prius; I wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole. I still think he's a lying murderer. A $4000 tax credit can't excuse his actions of starting a war on false pretenses which has led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people, it sure doesn't excuse his blatant disregard for the environment in virtually every other respect, it doesn't excuse his ridiculous Bible crusade to protect "the family" from the evils of abortion and homosexuality, and more than anything else, it doesn't excuse his attempts to fight for freedom, by taking our freedoms away.
    I'm sorry, but I'm not jumping anywhere near the bandwagon that cheers on Bush. Hybrids don't need tax credits anyway; they sell themselves faster than they can be made. Maybe he could actually do something useful to reduce America's horrendous impact on the environment for a change. Unfortunately, it would likely crash the economy and his "higher father" probably wouldn't approve.
     
  17. HYACK

    HYACK New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(HYACK\";p=\"98898)</div>
    Sorry, this should have read "And then when BUSH went right into Hybrids as the immediate term point-man..."
     
  18. prius04

    prius04 New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(micheal\";p=\"98889)</div>
    Now I'm confused. This thread started off mentioning a speech Bush made about promoting energy efficiency, and then I point out that his White House wants to actually block a small aspect of legislation that directly asks the President to attain some level of efficiency, and you can't see the contradiction?

    And I'm ecstatic that Bush talked up hybrids and wants to increase the tax deduction/credit. But talk is just talk. With this guy, I'll wait until I see it.
     
  19. HYACK

    HYACK New Member

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    Flying Prius, just curious.. from where did you obtain that Avatar pic - great visual and sense of forward motion ;)

    imo, the wheels look at least 16" so maybe it's a Euro origin? hmmm.

    But as for Bush, the War, Congress, the War, starving children each year by the millions, irresponsible exploitation of natural resources, trees, water more and more around the globe, growing green house emissions each year, etc etc... I say yes, it is time we ALL become a heck of alot more Humble, change our ways, seek peace...for sake of all our children and children's children... BUT, lets hold this historic momentum for Hybrids and conservation accountable too! Let us Responsible Earthlings (and Americans) cease the moment for the good! However slight..

    Giant leaps for Mankind need all the small steps by man we can get!! eh!?

    Peace all~ :|
     
  20. HYACK

    HYACK New Member

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    I hear ya, Prius04 :?

    But lets all just agree (maybe?) to hope Congress doesn't also mandate 'a Bush' to be in the whitehouse in 2015 to verify the 1 million bbl/day reduction when we get there! :D