It's not often that the fiercely conservative commentator Charles Krauthammer and the editorial board of the New York Times agree. But right now they're both arguing that the government should raise taxes on gasoline.
Gas prices, following the oil price, are now low after falling from a vertiginous high a few months ago, and in the short time since their fall, sales of SUVs have bumped upwards having been on the decline during the years of gas price increases.
This isn't a big deal in itself but it's indicative of the fact that the best way of persuading American consumers to buy more fuel-efficient cars is to ensure that it's significantly cheaper to run a Prius than a gas-guzzling SUV. And that means keeping the price up. Of course, it's pretty tough to raise gas prices when so many people are feeling the squeeze. But Obama and the Dems want to set the nation on a course towards energy independence, and reduce emission of greenhouse gases, and nobody who buys into either of those objectives thinks there's any time to waste.
You might expect the NYT to propose such a measure. Krauthammer's position is more unexpected. He's against raising taxes on principle, and he's a man-made global warming sceptic. But he is a believer, as are most conservatives, in the goal of energy independence, and he thinks reduced American demand for gasoline will depress the oil price and swing the global balance of power to towards the U.S. He recommends balancing the gas tax rise with a payroll tax reduction.
This little moment of harmony points to a broader truth: Obama has a massive opportunity to deliver an energy bill that moves America away from its dependence on oil. You can see why it's such a priority for him. It's an initiative that goes to the heart of how he sees his role as president:
- First, it's a convergence moment. Remember Venn diagrams? Obama loves the bit in the middle. His speciality is finding areas of agreement between people with very different views and outlooks. From different perspectives, and with different emphases, right and left are converging on the goal of more efficient energy-use.
- Second, it's big. Obama sees himself as a transformational president. Setting the nation on a course towards energy independence would be an historic legacy in itself.
Comments