But my gas prices might increase a little bit… just let the world melt
Cool. But until you actually do something about the producers, it’s just a giant bandaid for a gushing mortal wound. It stems the tide, but you’re still bleeding to death.
Their money is a big part of their power. We need some wedge in there to be able to take more and more of their power away eventually. What’s still happening right now is that they extract money from society and use a small amount of that to pay dividends to people with political/judicial power.
In that sense: Taxing exploration and extraction can be a gateway for more, including criminal justice. But we do need to get over that initial hump.
It can… but it won’t. As the other commenter said, they’ll just squeeze the money out of other parts of the supply chain. Either by going even cheaper on safety and emissions (causing more problems) or squeezing their workers out of money.
These companies have decades, if not centuries, of practice in ensuring they can maximize their profit in any way possible. Taking a nibble here and there isn’t going to do shit for the overall problem.
To say nothing of the fact that if we tax these companies more, they’ll just raise their prices to cover it, which effectively means you and me will be paying the taxes, not them.
NOT penalizing drivers of fuel efficient vehicles would also go a long way.
Right? I have to pay an extra $150/year on a hybrid ($250 if I went EV) in registration fees. I’m “not using enough gas to pay my fair share” of highway taxes.
It’s completely ridiculous. Congress will eventually have to address the problem. Or we’ll have to acknowledge that we’re ok with killing the planet.
I can understand the need to fund road repairs and that a big chunk, if not majority, of those funds currently come from fuel taxes, but at least my state won’t even entertain the idea of changing that. Nope, tax the woke hippies - problem solved. (My state is dark red and owned by the coal and oil/gas industries in case it wasn’t apparent).
Care to explain? As far as I’m aware there are only benefits for hybrid/electric vehicles (in the US at least)
Road construction and maintenance is typically paid for by taxes on gasoline. A large part of the price of a gallon of gas are those taxes.
Owners of hybrid vehicles or electric vehicles do not buy as much or any gasoline, and thus don’t pay for road upkeep.
Although, passenger vehicles contribute very little to road wear, it’s mostly heavy trucks wearing out the roads.
Then the better solution would be to increase gasoline taxes on all users or to target those who actually cause wear to roads.
Better solution: Seize 2 or 3 billionaire’s assets and pay for all of society for decades.
don’t pay for road upkeep.
As much for upkeep. I guarantee that the money isn’t anywhere near enough to make a difference.
I also notice that it isn’t measured in fuel efficiency, but in vehicle type. Why aren’t registration fees based on how fuel efficient the vehicle is instead of what kind of vehicle it is if it’s just about gas taxes?
My state has now joined others in implementing a
fine“owner’s fee” for drivers of hybrid and EVs. It’s a naked money grab meant to deter sales of efficient vehicles.
