<![CDATA[Grist - Comment Feed for Americans support a gas tax if revenues go toward energy independence]]> Grist Comment Feed en Comment #1 by odograph http://www.grist.org/article/americans-support-a-gas-tax-if-revenues-go-toward-energy-independence/ Tue, 28 Feb 2006 02:22:27 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/americans-support-a-gas-tax-if-revenues-go-toward-energy-independence/1 framing

I greatly enjoyed this summary of findings in the (relatively) new field of Behavioral Economics.

It seems that these questions are a classic example of the "framing issues" discussed in that article.

FWIW, I favor a gas tax (for whatever good my support will do), even if it is used to pay down the debt/deficit.  It kind of boggles my mind that issues of fiscal responsibility (and yes, environmental responsibility) are ignored by the bulk of people, until they are "framed" just right.

The difficulty in getting final action is in making the "if it reduced U.S. dependence on foreign oil" or "if it cut down on energy consumption and reduced global warming," stick.

]]> framing

I greatly enjoyed this summary of findings in the (relatively) new field of Behavioral Economics.

It seems that these questions are a classic example of the "framing issues" discussed in that article.

FWIW, I favor a gas tax (for whatever good my support will do), even if it is used to pay down the debt/deficit.  It kind of boggles my mind that issues of fiscal responsibility (and yes, environmental responsibility) are ignored by the bulk of people, until they are "framed" just right.

The difficulty in getting final action is in making the "if it reduced U.S. dependence on foreign oil" or "if it cut down on energy consumption and reduced global warming," stick.

]]> Comment #2 by odograph http://www.grist.org/article/americans-support-a-gas-tax-if-revenues-go-toward-energy-independence/ Tue, 28 Feb 2006 03:10:36 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/americans-support-a-gas-tax-if-revenues-go-toward-energy-independence/2 oh

That article also has some stuff about "discounting the future" which definitely applies to energy/environment issues.

]]> oh

That article also has some stuff about "discounting the future" which definitely applies to energy/environment issues.

]]> Comment #3 by Biodiversivist http://www.grist.org/article/americans-support-a-gas-tax-if-revenues-go-toward-energy-independence/ Tue, 28 Feb 2006 04:05:45 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/americans-support-a-gas-tax-if-revenues-go-toward-energy-independence/3 Hopefully,

we do have one or two "politicians left with a pair and the sense God gave a turkey."

In the end, it all comes down to biodiversity. Help acquire and protect ecological hotspots, give to a conservation organization: http://www.saveourbiodiversity.com

]]> Hopefully,

we do have one or two "politicians left with a pair and the sense God gave a turkey."

In the end, it all comes down to biodiversity. Help acquire and protect ecological hotspots, give to a conservation organization: http://www.saveourbiodiversity.com

]]> Comment #4 by mtneuman http://www.grist.org/article/americans-support-a-gas-tax-if-revenues-go-toward-energy-independence/ Tue, 28 Feb 2006 06:41:54 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/americans-support-a-gas-tax-if-revenues-go-toward-energy-independence/4 Conserve, NOW!

Yes, and here's your opportunity:

If Government offers the public the billions of dollars that would be collected from the higher fuel taxes back to the public in the form of annual "rebates" for DRIVING LESS miles (as recorded on their registered motor vehicles' odometers over the year), then JQ American Public just might abandon his SUV out in the suburbs and come back into the city to live, or at least choose his resident location to be closer to his job, so he doesn't have to drive so much.  That we he would not only save money by burning less fuel, but he would also earn the monetary rebates for driving significantly less than the average.  

Read more at:

Conserve, NOW!: Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Other Environmental Costs By Offering Financial Incentives that Reward Less Driving, Flying and Home Energy Use, Nov. 2000.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ConserveNOW/

 


]]> Conserve, NOW!

Yes, and here's your opportunity:

If Government offers the public the billions of dollars that would be collected from the higher fuel taxes back to the public in the form of annual "rebates" for DRIVING LESS miles (as recorded on their registered motor vehicles' odometers over the year), then JQ American Public just might abandon his SUV out in the suburbs and come back into the city to live, or at least choose his resident location to be closer to his job, so he doesn't have to drive so much.  That we he would not only save money by burning less fuel, but he would also earn the monetary rebates for driving significantly less than the average.  

Read more at:

Conserve, NOW!: Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Other Environmental Costs By Offering Financial Incentives that Reward Less Driving, Flying and Home Energy Use, Nov. 2000.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ConserveNOW/

 


]]> Comment #5 by markalla http://www.grist.org/article/americans-support-a-gas-tax-if-revenues-go-toward-energy-independence/ Tue, 28 Feb 2006 22:33:45 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/americans-support-a-gas-tax-if-revenues-go-toward-energy-independence/5 Freedom Tax

It's not a Gas Tax, it's a "Freedom Tax;" who would vote against that?

Freedom from dependency on foreign sources of oil.
Freedom from climate change.
Freedom from smog.
Freedom from global conflicts caused by oil.
Freedom from [insert your pick here...]



]]> Freedom Tax

It's not a Gas Tax, it's a "Freedom Tax;" who would vote against that?

Freedom from dependency on foreign sources of oil.
Freedom from climate change.
Freedom from smog.
Freedom from global conflicts caused by oil.
Freedom from [insert your pick here...]



]]> Comment #6 by odograph http://www.grist.org/article/americans-support-a-gas-tax-if-revenues-go-toward-energy-independence/ Tue, 28 Feb 2006 22:41:00 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/americans-support-a-gas-tax-if-revenues-go-toward-energy-independence/6 Tax?

Even better if you get the word "tax" out of there ...

]]> Tax?

Even better if you get the word "tax" out of there ...

]]> Comment #7 by amazingdrx http://www.grist.org/article/americans-support-a-gas-tax-if-revenues-go-toward-energy-independence/ Wed, 01 Mar 2006 01:24:37 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/americans-support-a-gas-tax-if-revenues-go-toward-energy-independence/7 This poll?

This poll question might be better.

Would you support elimination of subsidies to oil, coal, and nuclear power if half of the money saved was used to pay down the deficit and half was used to provide incentives to consumers to invest in renewable energy that will cut reliance on imported oil and stop global climate change?

I predict 95% will say yes.

And isn't it a much better political issue to run on than raising taxes?  When voters get in the booth and think about it, they will ask themselves something.  

When has the government ever raised taxes and used the money wisely?  But cutting corporate welfare to industries with record profits, now that's a plan.

Fuel prices will rise either way of course.

http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog

]]> This poll?

This poll question might be better.

Would you support elimination of subsidies to oil, coal, and nuclear power if half of the money saved was used to pay down the deficit and half was used to provide incentives to consumers to invest in renewable energy that will cut reliance on imported oil and stop global climate change?

I predict 95% will say yes.

And isn't it a much better political issue to run on than raising taxes?  When voters get in the booth and think about it, they will ask themselves something.  

When has the government ever raised taxes and used the money wisely?  But cutting corporate welfare to industries with record profits, now that's a plan.

Fuel prices will rise either way of course.

http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog

]]>