Who's Afraid of a Gas Tax?> Politics

That's the title of Thomas Friedman's op-ed in today's in NY Times. Unfortunately they keep Friedman on times select, making it inaccessible to non-subscribers. (As a side note, isn't that fucking stupid. People all around the world read the NY Times op-ed columnists and this influences their world views. I find this particularly important when thinking about the Muslim world. I am sure there are a lot of moderates that read TF and this helps them understand that there are more points of view in the US than Bush's White House. Get it together NY Times!) In it TF comments on yesterday's poll that I linked to in my last post.

"My gut told me this was the case, but it's great to see it confirmed by the latest New York Times/CBS News poll: Americans not only know that our oil addiction is really bad for us, but they would be willing to accept a gasoline tax if some leader would just frame the stakes for the country the right way."

He continues

"I am sure one reason President Bush suddenly chose to build his State of the Union address around ending our oil addiction and moving toward a renewable-energy future was because his private polling told him the same thing. But Mr. Bush simply occupied this ground rhetorically -— before Democrats could get there -— without actually offering a real solution."

And further on he writes

"Of course, when asked simply whether they'd favor a gasoline tax, 85 percent said no and only 12 percent said yes. But when the gas tax was framed as part of a national strategy to achieve energy security and climate security, pollsters got a very different answer. When the tax was presented as reducing U.S. dependence on foreign oil, 55 percent favored it and 37 percent said no. And when asked about a gas tax that would help reduce global warming, even more respondents supported it — with 59 percent in favor and 34 percent opposed.

And that is without a single Democrat or Republican leading on this issue! Imagine if someone actually led?"

There is plenty more in that article, mostly repeated points from other TF columns on the subject of a gas tax. I don't know if it was first TF that got me to preach the gas tax, but he certainly, for me at least, presents the most articulate case for it's geopolitical importance.