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Politics : The Citizens Manifesto
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To: Tenchusatsu who wrote (5)6/14/2005 8:31:42 PM
From: TimF  Read Replies (2) of 492
 
I might not even have as much agreement as you. I want better fiscal discipline, but I'm not sure about a balanced budget amendment as the way to get there. As for energy policy I'm not much for big new policies about how government is going to deal with some areas or industry. I'd rather leave it up to the free market as much as possible. I certainly don't agree with mileage taxes or tax credits, esp. as large as thousands of dollars per vehicle. If there is to be any government effort to reduce gas and oil use I would rather see an increased gasoline tax then a tax and credit system based on the mileage of the car. Someone with a gas guzzler but a short commute might use less gasoline then someone with a econobox who drives all over. Someone with a gas guzzler and an econobox might occasionally drive the guzzler for fun and might commute with the econobox. Higher gas taxes would reinforce this while a big tax penalty for having the guzzler that isn't drive much seems overly harsh and unless it actually causes the owner to get rid of the vehicle it will provide no incentive to reduce gasoline use. If the tax credits and penalties only apply to newly purchased vehicles than there is no inventive to get rid of the guzzler (in fact there is a small incentive to keep it). If they apply to all vehicles it amounts to a confiscatory tax on things like old muscle cars. I wouldn't make reducing gasoline and oil use the priority that this thread seems to make it, but if it was I would instead favor a big increase in gasoline or oil taxes. Tax what you want to reduce (gasoline and/or oil use) directly, not an imperfect proxy for it.

Tim
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