Alan Durning is dead wrong that high fuel prices would not change people's driving and buying habits.  The problem is that gasoline needs to cost a lot more than $4/gallon.  How about $10 or $15?  At that price, hardly anyone would live far from their jobs, shopping, or school, and people would look at the mpg ratings before looking at penis envy, er, I mean size & power, when purchasing a car.

Not sure where the conclusion that higher gas prices will not affect buying decisions comes from, but I disagree. More important that changing buying habits, people would drive a whole lot less. Suddenly, a buck for the bus or 5 bucks for a train sounds attractive, and road construction comes to a screeching halt. Air pollution drops, stress levels from traffic battles makes us healthier and happier, etc, etc. We need both- feebates and much higher gas prices, with the taxes going for public transportation. Think of what we would save in car payments and DOT funding. Why limit progress?

a liberal in redsville

Is this meant as a state initiative or is the point to frame a new set of arguments that can be ignored by the one-party federal government we have now?

On the federal level, the way I see it:

Chances of any (pro) environmental legistlation in the next 3 years: low

Chances of legislation to force Detroit to change fueld economy: very low

Chances of legislation to increase gas tax to promote alternative transportation: LOL