There is no historical facts to back up the author’s assumptions about a higher gasoline tax. When Bill Clinton first took office Al Gore argued that a .50 hike in a gallon of gas would drastically cut consumption. Gas at that time was $1.07. Well, prices have tripled since then and demand is still as high.
The other theory that I love is that “…high prices encourage people to invest in vehicles with high fuel economy and housing with shorter commutes.” So, in an economy slowed by already high energy prices and the subprime crisis, the author believes that a higher gasoline tax will cause people to either put their suburban home on an already flooded market or go ANOTHER $21,000 in debt to buy a new Prius?
Most tax-to-change-society theories belong in the same categories that start with the line, “Once upon a time…”
