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Thomas Friedman wrote about this in his book "The World is Hot, Flat and Crowded".
He argues that a significant gas tax would dramatically increase the need (and funds) for alternative energy as stated above, but further more, it would immediately cause Americans to decrease their energy consumption, as we saw this summer, helping the environment and hurting terrorists.
Decreasing energy consumption, specifically oil, does one thing very quickly... it stops the flow of money into Anti-American countries that control oil production. You're seeing it now with low oil prices (which is only a byproduct of the economy and prices will go back up), Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, are all cutting programs. We can hit the terrorists where it hurts them the most... oil revenue.
However, part of what is keeping the economy afloat right now is low gas prices.
Increased prices of gas hurt many small businesses, especially those in the delivery industry. Small business owner's are the last ones we need to negatively impact.
Alternate energy and fuels should not be forced upon society. Let the free market decide how they want to live and what products to purchase.
I don't drive much (take the bus), so this would have little impact for me at the pump, but it WILL (and has, last year) impact me at the grocery and clothing stores.
See:
link 1, link 2, link 3
My point is if you just want to really illegalize/black market something, tax it to death. That would appear to be the raising of a gas tax strategy. I mean, they embrace this with nicotine, with luxury items (in the past); why not gas?
Besides, if the country could embrace this, maybe it would embrace a marijuana tax. :)
The price of gas should be lower. Raising the price of gas simply means more money allocated for gas that could have been saved or spent on something else. When I am gouged on one thing, I overcompensate somewhere else.
Taxing my gas so the fat government can award contract to tiny companies that will only get bought and shut down by Exxon is not the way to drive innovation.
I'm not a policy expert, but the country will not unite behind a green initiative until there is a financial incentive to do so. And no, taxpayers don't want to pay for it from their gas taxes.
If you want to tax my gas, then use the money to fix my roads and reduce congestion.
I do not agree with any kind of mileage tax because of the cost of implementing such a system vs the already established tax systems. Consumer gas taxes as they are applied now appropriate a mileage tax well enough. Just increase the current tax and be done with it.
There have been several instances of taxes being constructively used to influence public behavior in ways that can be measured in further cost savings.
Most people who oppose this tax seem short sighted and simply don't want to pay more for gas now, and seem to completely miss the point that the gas tax is attempting to influence our fuel consumption in a way that will save tax dollars down the road. If implemented correctly, a gas tax could be very successful.
If you drive a Hummer or less than 20mpg SUV, this tax will hit you hard, it's a newer version of a luxury tax.
Don't like it, buy a 4 cylinder Accord and write a letter to GM each week for the next 10 years saying you want a Tahoe Hybrid that gets 40mpg.
Fact is, a gas tax is one of the few ways we can begin to pay down the deficit and help the energy independence movement. Not to mention, we begin to deal with that little carbon emission problem we hear about, but never seem to really do anything about. Except, keep debating it.
If the gas tax is $1/gal, I personally feel that is far too costly. Maybe something like $0.1/gal. However, since we American's complained so much about $3-$5 gas, try going to other parts of the civilized world and find out what they pay. Then $4/gal will seem like a discount.
Regards
You're completely right. Sometimes I think these people calling for expensive gas just want to get us poor slobs off the roads.
"When the price of gasoline plunged from $4/gal to $1.50/gal, consumer preference swung back to SUVs and trucks. Price is the strongest and most immediate motivator for energy savings" -
This manipulation is basically taking away choice, if consumers prefer SUVs and trucks. I am totally not motivated to change my choice in vehicle, and the only thing that happens to me when the price of gas goes up is that I am exploited. I'm not going to pay money for a vehicle that I do not like. I drive a Subaru Forester, but if I wanted a Cadillac Escalade or Hummer, I ought to be able to have one without being further punished beyond their gashoggery. The economy will suffer in other ways if gas prices rise.
1. Roads, rail, buses, bridges and infrastructure.
2. Alternative Energy
Also I believe that the concerns of this regressive tax hitting the poor the hardest are of course very valid, but the government could return the money to the lower income brackets in a payroll tax cut, or re-inject it into the economy.
The only difference is all the money collected goes to Uncle Sam instead of Iran, Venezuela, Russia, etc... That way lower income people can actually save even more money by driving less and getting the added benefits of payroll tax cut and better economy. The rest of us will benefit by oil independence, alternative energy (which creates Jobs and taxes here and not the middle east, less traffic and lower debt, better infrastructure, etc, etc...
Seems like a no brainer to me.