Monday, September 18, 2006

High gas prices? Try lowering gas taxes!

[On slashot.org someone wrote:]
Here in Finland a litre of 95 octane gas costs about 1.263e (1.295 for 98 octane and 1.008 for diesel).

[I could not resist replying:]
Baahhh, baaahhhhh!

How much of the price you pay in Finland for gas goes to taxes?

One of the most effective ways to bring down gas prices in the U.S. would be for dealers to post just the price they charge per gallon with a "*" next to it, followed by an explanatory note: "(*) The federal, state, and local taxes on each gallon total $N -- blame your government for that!"

That signage would be particularly effective in your country, if it was allowed by your government.

Note that I said "your government", not "the government". Here in the United States, the People do retain some modicum of control over their government, but our government is always working to make us forget that fact. The People are a major inconvenience to government, except when it comes time to pay up.

Finland is disgustingly socialist by U.S. standards, although we are letting our government slide in that direction. Right now, raising gas taxes to Finnish rates would be one of the few things that might inspire real political revolution in the U.S. There is no valid justification for such high taxes as you pay for gasoline...or many other things.

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