Transferring Our Taxes to Terrorists

As most of you who read this blog know, I am an avid believer in a carbon tax, as I firmly believe that is the only viable way to exert pressure on Detroit and other to create viable gasoline alternative, substantially higher fuel mileage and discourage extraneous driving (which, of course, is mostly undertaken by one person completing short trips which who would be better served by walking for their physical health but that a different post, now isn't it?).

So, while still supporting my tax that will I fear will never pass, I came across an interesting op-ed extolling the virtues of a gas tax. Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda by Thomas Friedman on 11/14/07 starts by simply stating the obvious "Two dates — two numbers. Read them and weep for what could have, and should have, been. On Sept. 11, 2001, the OPEC basket oil price was $25.50 a barrel. On Nov. 13, 2007, the OPEC basket price was around $90 a barrel." He then goes on to extol the virtues of a gas tax, to "to diminish the transfers of wealth we were making to the very countries who were indirectly financing the ideologies of intolerance that were killing Americans and in order to spur innovation in energy efficiency by U.S. manufacturers." Good point. As a society, however, we have allowed and encouraged our politicians to become so fearful of even uttering the T word, that this will never happen. While I could go on paraphrasing the op-ed, I'd rather you read it for yourself as I abdicate any claim to be more persuasive that Friedman is in this piece. Read, and eradciate yoru own fears of the T word.... http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/14/opinion/14friedman.html .