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Yglesias and his commenters on gas taxes

Posted by Yankee on September 19, 2005 - 1:43pm

I just read Matthew Yglesias's column "Elastic Gas", and I think that his commenters have some of the most intelligent things to say on the topic that I've seen yet (and no, not all of the commenters are in favor of a gas tax).

And regarding yesterday's post: it may be true that ultimately a gas tax is political suicide in this country (at least now), but it should give us pause that a paper as conservative as the Wall Street Journal has at least one writer advocating it.

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Yglesias and his commenters on gas taxes

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mw on September 19, 2005 - 2:06pm Permalink | Comments top
What about a Natural Gas tax?

Between heating oil and NG prices... if they persist anywhere near current prices into the end of October, there will be - I don't think I am exaggerating - people freezing in some parts of N.A. this winter due to inability to pay.

Its difficult to forecast when there is no precedent. NG prices have never been this high in the summer.

mw on September 19, 2005 - 2:07pm Permalink | Comments top
Was being facetious about NG tax.. unlike driving, heating is rather inelastic although I guess its a good time to invest in warmer indoor clothing... :-)
tom deplume on September 19, 2005 - 6:05pm Permalink | Comments top
Back when I was working 50-60 hours a week I still couldn't afford to insulate my house. Since becoming disabled I became eligible for a DOE grant for insulating my house which cut last winter's bill to half of the previous winter. There are many, many NEGAwatts out there that over 60% of working families can't afford to install.  The penny-wise, pound-foolish compassionate conservatives are somehow blind to all the conservation that could be accomplished with just a fraction or the war budget.

Yglesias and his commenters on gas taxes

PDF version

3 comments