Bush gives SUV buyers big discount

[Evanauto]

Buying big, luxurious sport-utility vehicles could cost a lot less under the Bush administration's economic stimulus proposal, even though a Bush appointee blasted SUVs last week as dangerous fuel guzzelers.

Small businesses and the self-employed could deduct the entire cost, up to $75,000, from business income the year of the purchase. Normally it would be written off over several years, using a depreciation schedule. Deducting the entire cost in one year considerably reduces that year's taxable income, and income taxes. In some cases, it could result in paying no federal income tax.

[TheEvilOne]

I agree with Bush on many things, but not this one. SUVs were made for heavy off-road driving, but almost no one buys them for that purpose. Most SUV owners these days seem to be people living in suburban areas who use them to drive around town. I live in Edmond, a suburb of Oklahoma City, and I cannot tell you how many times I've seen ridiculously large SUVs with only one occupant, and often, it's just to drive about a half-mile to the grocery store. It's getting out of hand. SUVs are overly large, dangerous, gas-guzzling vehicles, and unless you do a significant amount of off-road driving, there is NO REASON to own one.

[IamjustSci]

At 1/21/03 07:25 PM, TheEvilOne wrote: I agree with Bush on many things, but not this one. SUVs were made for heavy off-road driving, but almost no one buys them for that purpose. Most SUV owners these days seem to be people living in suburban areas who use them to drive around town. I live in Edmond, a suburb of Oklahoma City, and I cannot tell you how many times I've seen ridiculously large SUVs with only one occupant, and often, it's just to drive about a half-mile to the grocery store. It's getting out of hand. SUVs are overly large, dangerous, gas-guzzling vehicles, and unless you do a significant amount of off-road driving, there is NO REASON to own one.

Sure there is. If you're a male, and have a tiny itty bitty penis. Well... that's the only reason I could imagine someone would own a mammoth machine that overcompensates for some other disability in the individual's life.

[swayside]

At 1/21/03 07:25 PM, TheEvilOne wrote: It's getting out of hand. SUVs are overly large, dangerous, gas-guzzling vehicles,

dangerous? bull crap. suv's are among the safest cars on the road.

[Ted-Easton]

No, unfortunately they're not. In an accident, they cause more damage to other vehicles, they're more likely to roll, and the increased amount of gas carried also carries the inherant risk of combustion.
There is no cause to be driving an in a suburban area, and laws should be in place to restrict car emissions more strictly. People living in a city should have to drive an efficient car, for example.