Friday, May 02, 2008
 
Samuelson Said What?
Robert J. Samuelson, economic columnist for the Washington Post, usually offers sensible advice on economics. However, in this column about oil prices, he proffers the following dangerous aside:
    (And yes, we need a gradually rising fuel tax to create a strong market for more-efficient vehicles.)
You know, I find it terribly inconsistent that so many people who lament the high price of gas are the same people who, only a couple short years or months ago, were clamoring for a high fuel tax to alter people's behavior are now up in arms about the market-dictated rising prices of fuel. Just think where the price of gas would be if the East Coast "Conservatives" had had their way.

The behavior we alter with any new revenue stream is the government's: it spends the money, and when the citizen behavior is effectively altered, the government will have to come up with alternative behaviors to modify or raise general revenue streams. We know that the only painful cuts the government tends to make are slower increases in spending.

Which is why I'm surprised at Samuelson's advice here, coming as it is in the middle of a column on high fuel prices.

(Link seen on Instapundit.)


- posted by Brian J. @ 5:48 AM
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