Even better, tax the crap out of cars that don't get at least 35 or even 40 mpg.
Oh, I know. People will say, "but poor people in rural areas or in the suburbs can't pay those rates for gas to get to work, and they have to buy used cars that don't get such high mileage rates."
I understand the problem, but it is solvable, by establishing refundable tax credits for low-income people who can document long commuting distances, for example.
The main point is that the country doesn't need to drill in risky settings. It needs only to cut oil consumption.
What's clear is that drilling in the open ocean is simply disaster after disaster waiting to happen.
_________________
DAVE LINDORFF is a Philadelphia-area journalist. His latest book is "The Case for Impeachment" (St. Martin's Press, 2006). His work is available at www.thiscantbehappening.net
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
