Your Money and Your Miles
I've watched a variety of rascals in action over the years, but the more time I spend watching government rascals in action the more respect I've come to have for the common mugger. The mugger has the strength of his convictions after all, though they may be out of sorts. His conviction is that that which belongs to you is really his. The hide-bound bureaucratic functionary believes the same thing of course, but at least the mugger is willing to take his chances in a contest with you, knowing that you may best him in the effort. Not so the technocratic apparatchik. He hides behind a mammoth ledger book of rules and regulations, taking no risk himself and offering you not a chance.
Take this example from the Congressional Budget Office, for instance. Having taxed you right down to your skivvies, from your cable bill to your phone bill, your utility bill to your water bill, from the gasoline you put in your vehicle to the cost of the vehicle itself, the insatiable state now looks to tax the actual miles you drive. From the miles you commute to and from work, to the trip to Grandma's for Thanksgiving, some inside the beltway types would like the federal government to monitor your vehicle usage and tax you accordingly. After all, says the CBO:
Any given driver’s highway use also imposes costs on other users, on nearby nonusers, on the environment, and on the economy in the form of congestion, risk of accidents, noise, emissions of greenhouse gases and pollutants that affect local air quality, and dependence on foreign oil[.]
Thus do our lascivious would-be masters prove by default the wisdom of the Founders including Benjamin Franklin who said, “Generally indeed the ruling power carries its point, the revenues of princes constantly increasing, and we see that they are never satisfied, but always in want of more.”
The ostensible purpose of the tax would be to fund highway maintenance and assorted federal transportation improvement initiatives, ...initiatives which must have been bypassed by the all the stimulus money that purchased those hideous America Recession Re-entrenchment Act signs dotting the landscape. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood would like to have another $556 billion over the next six years to fund these initiatives.
The mechanism for calculating your mileage would be a metering device which would be installed on your vehicle, see? The device would track your activity, and the tax could be collected at the pump when you purchase fuel which is already taxed ostensibly for the cost of road maintenance. Then you, your vehicle, and your meter can speed merrily down the toll road, the proceeds from which also go toward road maintenance. Surely we must be the envy of the civilized world, for we have the most expensive potholes known to man.
The effect of such sterling asininity is as predictable as was the current upward trend in inflation. If you think you are paying too much for your groceries now, stay tuned. The truckers who bring your favorite coffee to your favorite store are paid by the mile. The more miles we drive, the bigger our paycheck. In the last week, I've driven approximately 3,300 miles. Over the course of a month, I average 10,000 miles. Just tax the productivity of America's freight lines and watch the ripple effect.
But as long as we're taxing miles, why stop at the meager travels of a mere citizen? That's chump change really. Why not hunt big game? Why not tax the miles flown by The First Tourist? After all, a President who takes numerous vacations and excursions necessarily “imposes costs,” on Americans and non Americans, “on the environment,” and on our wallets, thereby increasing the, “noise, emissions of greenhouse gases and pollutants that affect local air quality, and dependence on foreign oil.” And since we're so concerned about gaseous emissions, can't we find a way to levy a tax on the tons of polysyllabic methane-laced bovine waste that is generated on the floor of the House and Senate every day Congress is in session?
In truth, the very idea of taxing the miles that Americans travel is itself an assault on the concept of freedom. The revulsion you feel at the mere mention of it is nothing more nor less than the anti-bodies of the American DNA at work. A few months back, some folks toyed with the idea that I should try to run for Congress. This kind of policy proposal from CBO is precisely the reason why I rebelled at the notion, because had anyone suggested this idea to me with a straight face, my reaction would likely have landed me in the hoosegow.
All of which brings me back to the humble and comparatively honorable mugger. I should like to take him to lunch and thank him for at least being honest in his thievery. If he's a faster draw than I, he can pay the bill from his winnings. At least he isn't robbing me while simultaneously telling me that it's for my own good. I prefer that kind of thief to the power mongering utopian who is self actualizing all over the Constitution. As Davy Crockett said, “There ain't no ticks like poly-ticks. Bloodsuckers all.”
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Comments :
Mar '11
Re: Your Money and Your Miles
If I reverse down the highway at 70mph will I make enough back from the government to pay for the traffic ticket?
Jul '10
Re: Your Money and Your Miles
Ahem
Re: Your Money and Your Miles
Yes, I know. I explained on your Ahem post a moment ago. I read this story last night, and unfortunately had to drive today. While driving, I put my thoughts together and after getting stopped tonight, I wrote the post before heading over to the Member Feed to see what was happening there, which is when I saw your post. Didn't mean to squash your toes on that one.
Jul '10
Re: Your Money and Your Miles
Dave Carter
Yes, I know. I explained on your Ahem post a moment ago. I read this story last night, and unfortunately had to drive today. While driving, I put my thoughts together and after getting stopped tonight, I wrote the post before heading over to the Member Feed to see what was happening there, which is when I saw your post. Didn't mean to squash your toes on that one. · Mar 25 at 5:57pm
No problem, friend. Your post is more lyrical and amusing, as your voice always is.
Jul '10
Re: Your Money and Your Miles
On second thought, Dave, we need to calm down. This isn't some new tax. It is, as the CBO notes, simply a "revenue enhancement".
I'm feeling better already.
Oct '10
Re: Your Money and Your Miles
Just more of the same, new methods...The proposed GPS systems for same are far more than disturbing. Message to Governments at large, Try going on a spending Diet !!!... Reduce the old waistline there....
Aug '10
Re: Your Money and Your Miles
As I posted earlier today on misc.transport.road:
I've yet to hear a valid explanation for why it's important to tax drivers based on distance traveled rather than fuel consumed. The former is difficult to do, while the latter is easy. The former doesn't create any added incentive to drive more fuel-efficient vehicles, while the latter does. And the former doesn't take into account the greater wear and tear on the roads from the bigger, heavier vehicles that also consume more fuel, while the latter does. So all I can think of is that they either want to track everyone for other reasons, or they're just incredibly stupid people whose brains can't grasp the abovementioned points.
Aug '10
Re: Your Money and Your Miles
Another point. It's the libs who have been browbeating everyone into driving more fuel-efficient cars. Oddly, it's the libs who are now most upset at the reduction in gasoline tax revenues that have resulted from people driving more fuel-efficient cars, and who now want to tax mileage so that people can't escape the taxes by driving more fuel-efficient cars. I call that having someone else's cake and eating it, too.
Jul '10
Re: Your Money and Your Miles
There's going to come a point where we finally get fed up and declare independence again. The first American Revolution was fought over smaller taxes than we willingly fork over every day. I'd be more sanguine about our chances of turning America around if it weren't for asinine ideas like we see coming from our government and our complete inability to cut a single program or department from the federal budget.
May '10
Re: Your Money and Your Miles
Put another way: modern American government is like a two-story outhouse.
May '10
Re: Your Money and Your Miles
Democrats are genetically incapable of coming up with a solution that doesn't involve more taxes.
Mar '11
Re: Your Money and Your Miles
Wow this should help them sell more than 100 Chevy Volts. Please buy our super expensive not so useful vehicle to save on fuel. As a reward we will tax you at the same rate as the largest gas guzzling SUV ( a car that people may actually want and that does perform well)
Increasing gas taxes is a bad idea but this is a really bad idea. With a gas tax people can change vehicle or make small modifications in their behavior and avoid the penalties from the tax. With a mileage tax your only option is to drive less. That should be "great" for the economy.
Dec '10
Re: Your Money and Your Miles
I don't have a real comment, other than the, "Duh" comment. Government craves money, always.
Instead, Dave, I thought of you when I ran across this; guess what has the 7th best time for a rally car, climbing Pike's Peak? (Caution, some foul language, especially when they get to the part about taking a ride in a laundromat dryer)