Energy tax, an important tool to move the US in the right direction

[CarlWohlforth]

Markets are a good thing, they determine the price of things. When the world suffers because of a business mistake/flaw or problem with regulation the markets do not reflect the true cost of the thing.

I am motivated to write again about energy. The horrific oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is just starting a long period of damage to our environment. The companies involved are directly responsible. We, as consumers of heating and transportation fuels, are indirectly responsible. The companies will pay, tax payers will pay and the environment will suffer.

To help pay for future spills, and there will be spills if we continue to drive our cars, we should tax energy. There should be a small carbon tax. The proceeds should partly be used to subsidize alternative energy. There should be at least a $1/barrel tax on oil drilled offshore the US. Part of that should be put into a trust fund to help pay for future clean ups, another part to further subsidize alternative energy. There should be at least a $1/barrel tax on imported oil. Part of the proceeds to go to paying off our deficits, another part to further subsidizing alternative energy. Finally there should be a 1c/gal tax on gasoline. This should be increased by 1c/gal per year forever. The proceeds should help further subsidize alternative energy and also to developing mass transit.

These taxes will allow the markets and free enterprise capitalistic system help pay for the true costs of extracting dirty energy from mother earth.

[Bubblehead]

 

Well said, Carl.   

I am in complete agreement.  I would even agree to a higher tax per BBL, say...

$2.00 a barrel....  It's becoming apparent that assets in place, and those brought
onboard recently, are in no way up to the job. There will need to be much engineering
developed, and MIT labs & people are expensive... 

Sad, very sad, this whole mess...  It was in the cards, tho...