“Easing the pain” (at the pump) is counterproductive

It seems like the President and Congress are desperately trying to “ease the pain” of the taxpayers that they supposedly feel when buying gasoline these days. But why do that? In this case, pain is good - it provides a strong incentive to not use too much gasoline in the first place - reduce consumption and you will feel less pain. Maybe people will actually start using public transportation more (and there are indications that this is already happening). If anything, the President and Congress should finally come up with a real transportation policy - one that doesn’t solely rely on automobiles. That would be a much better easing of the pain.

Oh, and don’t bring me the argument about “but it hurts the economy” - I don’t think it does!

Posted in: Uncategorized | April 28, 2006 1:21 pm

1 Comment »

The Raccoon, on May 11, 2006 @ 7:31 pm

If they do want to “ease the pain”, I think that only places with “minimum or no alternatives” should have the pain eased. In other words, keep the prices as they are in places with lots of transit and/or commuter rail and/or Amtrak service. People living in Highgate Center, Vermont, for example, have no alternative. If you live in Chicago, on the other elbow…there’s so many rail and bus choices it’s not funny.

~Ra’akone