Solomonia Archive: Is Thomas Friedman Insane?

Sunday, October 5, 2003

Please don't answer that.

Thomas Friedman, acknowledging that OPEC's attempts to keep gas prices high will stand in the way of economic recovery has an even better suggestion - one that will not only help drive revenue into the Federal coffers, but will also force us into finding a serious energy policy, AND make us more popular in Europe. Oh, and by "better," what I really mean is "whacky."

Yes, what we really need is a $1/gallon gasoline tax!

Here's the logic: The two things OPEC hates most are falling oil prices and gasoline taxes — and the Patriot Tax would promote both. The reason that OPEC hates gasoline taxes is that if anyone is going to benefit from higher prices at the pump, OPEC wants it to be OPEC, not the consuming countries. It drives OPEC crazy that the Europeans pay roughly twice as much per gallon as Americans do, because their governments slap on so many taxes.

We'll show those Arabs how to screw us over! We'll do it ourselves!

A $1 a gallon gasoline tax, phased in, would not only be a huge revenue generator (even with tax rebates to ease the burden on low-income people, farmers and truckers) but also a huge driver of conservation and reduced oil imports. Not only would it mean less money for Saudi Arabia to transfer to Wahhabi clerics to spread their intolerant brand of Islam around the world, but it would radically improve America's standing in Europe, where we are resented for being the world's energy hog.

President Bush could even say that this tax is his long-promised alternative to Kyoto, because the amount of energy conservation it would produce would result in a much greater reduction in U.S. energy consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions, than anything Kyoto would have mandated.

I have a better idea: Leave big rocks next to the filling-station pumps, and with every gallon you pump, you have to whack yourself in the head with the rock. That should curb consumption even faster.

Way to find another way to screw the average, middle-class American, Tom.

Does Thomas Friedman drive himself to work every day do you think?

Update (5 minutes later): OK, perhaps I overstate my rant, but not by much. It's possible a gas tax of some sort could be part of an overall energy policy, but reaching for a gas-tax FIRST, and then hoping the policy follows is flat insane. It simply won't happen. The burden will be on the average middle-income American (both through the gas for the cars they drive and additional costs on the goods they purchase), the money won't be spent on any targeted item (tax increases passed ostensibly to go for something specific almost never do), and all we'll be left with is one more financial burden. Nuts.

Posted by Solomon at 11:13 AM on Sunday, Oct 5, 2003
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