It was Friday when Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told CNBC that taxing drivers by the mile showed “a lot of promise.” We’d been assured that people making less than $400,000 wouldn’t pay an additional cent in tax, but apparently on the condition that they don’t drive a car.
Feedback must have reached the White House, because on Monday, Buttigieg was on CNN with Jake Tapper to “make it really clear” that a mileage tax was “not part of the conversation” around the Biden-Harris administration’s infrastructure bill.
.@jaketapper: "You said also that a mileage tax showed, 'a lot of promise' as a way to help pay for the [infrastructure] plan … Is that under consideration?"
Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg: "No, that's not part of the conversation about this infrastructure bill." pic.twitter.com/zgjCfMtIbN
— The Recount (@therecount) March 29, 2021
As a reminder, here's what Sec. Buttigieg said Friday:https://t.co/t4NCW4va3U
— The Recount (@therecount) March 29, 2021
RTRS: U.S. TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY BUTTIGIEG SAYS A TAX ON MILES DRIVEN IS NOT UNDER CONSIDERATION AS A SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR BIDEN ADMINISTRATION INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN -CNN INTERVIEW
— davidshepardson (@davidshepardson) March 29, 2021
Reverse! Reverse! But Pete’s original statement & Manchin floating a VAT shows that for all the “millionaires and billionaires” rhetoric, Democrats’ massive spending will require taxing everyone more, sometimes in regressive ways. https://t.co/zpLLNaeYf8
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) March 29, 2021
Nice walk back. Guess we all were heard.
— Gladys (@Gladys32096442) March 29, 2021
In related news, Buttigieg decided he might like to run for office again after all.
— Will Collier (@willcollier) March 29, 2021
Lol
— Colin Hicks ? (@colinenpraxis) March 29, 2021
Grand opening. Grand closing.
— Maurice, unsponsored by auto companies currently (@mo87mo87) March 29, 2021
Nice walk back
— GOB ? (@actuallygob) March 29, 2021
The trial balloon obviously popped
— metlman (@metlman) March 29, 2021
Good, because that would have been stupid.
— #FeminismIsTheRealRevolution (@GabbieKDrice) March 29, 2021
— Mitch Fewell (@mitchfewell) March 29, 2021
Make sure he doesn't run anyone over in his rush to reverse course.
— Baseball is almost back (@LastWordWilliam) March 29, 2021
Next week it will be a conspiracy that he ever mentioned it
— Tipping Odds Podcast. Mitch (@TippingOddsLV) March 29, 2021
— mallen2010 (@mallen2010) March 29, 2021
Never mind.
Related:
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says potential new tax punishing middle- and working-class Americans ‘shows a lot of promise’ https://t.co/2WjorqnUL4
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) March 26, 2021
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