California Dreamin’ on Such a Winter’s Day
from The Enterprise Blog by Kenneth P. Green
Subsidies are bad
They just won’t go away
Once you put them in
Then they are here to stay
It doesn’t matter who they harm
They make receivers gay
California dreamin’ on such a winter’s day
Readers of this blog will know that I am not a fan of electric or plug-in hybrid cars. It’s not because they aren’t technologically spiffy, it’s because all the subsidies needed to get people to buy them damage the economy, are unethical wealth transfers, and are regressive wealth transfers, to boot.
An article in the Los Angeles Times points out a new problem with the plug-ins, and that is the cost of electricity needed to charge them. Apparently, plugging in the plug-ins increases household electricity consumption by a whopping 60 percent. The article observes:
>>> Both the hybrid Toyota Prius, which doesn’t need an outlet to charge, and the gas-powered Chevrolet Cobalt are more cost-effective in California, the study found. Oil prices would have to rise from less than $100 a barrel now to between $171 and $254 to make the Volt as economical, even after factoring in thousands of dollars in government incentives.<<<
So what is California’s answer to this, you ask? You guessed it! More subsidies!
>>> Local power companies said they are already experimenting with different rate formulas to help boost electric car use. Southern California Edison offers three programs for electric vehicle owners, said Ed Kjaer, director of electric transportation at the utility. One of them involves having a separate, lower rate for the electric car.<<<
One wonders, at what point will the many layers of government be throwing so many subsidies at these overpriced toys that they’re essentially giving them away to wealthy environmentalists at taxpayer expense? |
