[extropy-chat] cheap alcohol

[spike]

> bounces at lists.extropy.org] On Behalf Of Emlyn
> Subject: Re: [extropy-chat] cheap alcohol
> 
> On 21/09/05, Eugen Leitl <eugen at leitl.org> wrote:
> > On Tue, Sep 20, 2005 at 08:27:47PM -0700, spike wrote:
...
> > > I want to see those tariffs eliminated...
> >
> > I don't. I want the fossil fuel to remain expensive, and to become
> > slowly, steadily, even more expensive. I just want the entire revenue
> > from fuel taxes to be spent on R&D for alternative fuels and damage
> > remediation.
> 
> ...
> bounces at lists.extropy.org] On Behalf Of Emlyn
...
> Just let petrol prices go sky high, and let the market do its job...
> --
> Emlyn

Ja but keep in mind that in a free market democracy,
free market forces act on politicians.  If they get
too expensive, out they go.  If sufficiently expensive,
we will even hold a special recall election to get rid
of their asses.  Need I provide an example?  I thought
not.  Every time a fuel tax is raised, it tilts the 
field in favor of the challenger who runs on a platform 
of reducing fuel taxes.

I actually agree to some extent with Gene's sentiment.
Regardless of that, I predict that the US will hasten
in the opposite direction: fuel taxes will go down.  I
will offer a bolder prediction: Europe will follow that
example.  People everywhere will recognize that a fuel tax 
is a flat tax that hits the poor much harder than the rich, 
because it drives the cost of everything.  A fuel tax 
is paid over and over and over.  I can imagine fuel
taxes in both the US and Europe in ten years will be 
half their current bite. 

I predict that in coming elections, both challengers
and incumbents will compete, each outpromising the
other to cut fuel taxes.  

Your thoughts?

spike