What sort of math are they teaching in schools?

rwhitten

11:11 AM on January 22, 2011

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There are questions about whether ethanol is actually carbon neutral, but it is probably better than oil. The problem with ethanol is that the government is choosing the alternative energy to supplement fossil fuels via subsidies.

A better solution is to gradually increase tax on fossil fuels at the point of consumption and rebate the proceeds equally to everyone. This is a revenue neutral scheme proposed by Dr. James Hansen, renowned NASA climate scientist from small town Iowa. The result is that those who conserve fossil fuel use are rewarded and those who waste are punished. The market place would respond by making more energy efficient devices and investing in alternatives that wouldn't yet be viable. The market place would choose winners and loosers, not the government. The market place can respond more quickly to changing technology than can the government.

This comment was posted on a recent article about the coming introduction of E15 to fuel pumps in Iowa.

Um, rwhitten, people who conserve fuel are already awarded and people who waste it are already punished.  It's called the Free Market.  When I drive my SUV, I'm punished more by having to visit the gas station more often than when I drive my sedan.  What is so complicated about this?  Instead, rwhitten cites Dr. James Hansen, the balanced individual who thought climate skeptics should be tried for "high crimes against humanity".  A revenue-neutral scheme?  With many things liberal, it sounds good in theory, provided that theory is surface level.  How much will it cost to collect the extra taxes at the pump?