Posted on 02/22/2013 3:25:08 PM PST by matt04
THE average price of gasoline in the United States, $3.78 on Thursday, has been steadily climbing for more than a month and is approaching the three previous post-recession peaks, in May 2011 and in April and September of last year.
But if our goal is to get Americans to drive less and use more fuel-efficient vehicles, and to reduce air pollution and the emission of greenhouse gases, gas prices need to be even higher. The current federal gasoline tax, 18.4 cents a gallon, has been essentially stable since 1993; in inflation-adjusted terms, it’s fallen by 40 percent since then.
...
Greater efficiency packs less of a psychological punch because consumers pay more only when they buy a new car. In contrast, motorists are reminded regularly of the price at the pump. But the new fuel-efficiency standards are far less efficient than raising gasoline prices.
In a paper published online this week in the journal Energy Economics, I and other scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology estimate that the new standards will cost the economy on the whole — for the same reduction in gas use — at least six times more than a federal gas tax of roughly 45 cents per dollar of gasoline. That is because a gas tax provides immediate, direct incentives for drivers to reduce gasoline use, while the efficiency standards must squeeze the reduction out of new vehicles only. The new standards also encourage more driving, not less.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
I wish we had those prices now.
5.56mm
$5/gal. tax plus a 10 gal. per week ration card will solve the problem. That problem is solved, what else needs done?
Greenhouse gases? Tax’em! Ugly dogs? Tax’em! More and more, tax is the cure, don’t relax’em, tax’em!
Leave it to the Times to push a program that will cause people to cancel their NYT subscriptions because they have less disposable income.
Whoever wrote this is one crazy son of a bi7ch.
Hey, Slimes creatures, what if our goal is to get from here to there at the least cost? And, being intelligent human beings, we've learned that global warming is a hoax -- so that your hyperventilation over "greenhouse gases" is utterly pointless.
That leaves you guys SOL, if I'm not mistaken.
But if our goal is to get Americans to drive less and use more fuel-efficient vehicles
At what point can we no longer "drive less?" It's been years since I've just gotten into the car to take a drive. I now only drive to and from work, my shopping trips are on my way home from work, since there's a grocery store and a Walmart right on the way. The only other trips I've taken in the last 6 months have been Dr appointments. I'm not really sure how to go about "driving less."
And then there's that little fact that as energy costs increase, the cost of EVERYTHING increases, leaving us all poorer.
And as the cost of gasoline goes up, one has less money to save or disposable income to buy one of those nifty gas saving cars we keep hearing about.
I heard that when Obama was confronted with a question about high gasoline prices, his response was "drive less." Gee, must be nice to have limousines and airplanes at one's disposal, 24x7 and more than one so Angry Wookie could take the kids to CO for skiing, while Barkey went to FL, all on the taxpayers' dime. He's not out of touch, is he?
Mark
Oh, that's easy. End rent control in Manhattan. Watch all the new apartment buildings go up and people can start living near where their jobs are. C'mon NYSlimes! Advocate an end to rent control!
You know we need it. All these little condos and co-ops just aren't keeping up with demand and the population growth. We need more buildings like in the old days. You know, back when they were still profitable.
In the liberal mind, "driving less" translates to everybody living in high rise apartments in Utopia City, commuting to work via public transportation.
In fact, you won't need a car at all. Your bicycle will take you to the non-profit state food & drug store half-a-mile away. And there is a park within walking distance.
Why would you need a car?
Indeed, the only people who need cars in Utopia City are with the state apparat, party members who require chauffeurs to drive them down the empty boulevards to their dachas for the weekend.
If you must drive, perhaps you can get a position as a chauffeur.
New Jersey has about the cheapest gas in the East (the Northeast,at least).Perhaps the Slimes’ editors know of some cheap stations across the river.
No bias here. Move along.
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>”But if our goal is to get Americans to drive less and use more fuel-efficient vehicles, and to reduce air pollution and the emission of greenhouse gases, gas prices need to be even higher”<
Our Goal, who is “our”?
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