Quote:
Originally Posted by PhillyRunner
Now I generally hate taxation as much as the next conservative; but my primary problem with the state and federal governments laying pigovian taxes on the consumption of gasoline is the obnoxious know-nothings who blame oil companies and politicians for high gas prices, but fail to recognize that the state and federal governments take larger slices of each gasoline dollar (and don't generate one-tenth of the productivity that gasoline producers and consumers do). |
Which is why I was glad McCain pointed the finger at the taxes instead of the oil companies. I just find it irritating when a lawmaker votes for an increase in the gas tax and then goes on television complaining about the high cost of gas.
BTW, I'd like someone to come up with a concept like a "Pigovian rebate." It would involve paying people back for the negative externalities of government actions like unwise regulation or poorly conceived market interventions.