The Congressional Budget Office seems enthusiastic about the idea of taxing us for our total vehicle miles traveled (VMT). The more you drive, the more you pay. That would require metering, which should worry any sane person:
CBO did acknowledge that privacy concerns may be a hurdle to implementing a VMT tax because electronic tracking of miles driven might provide too much personal information to the government. However, CBO noted that some have proposed restricting the information that would be transmitted to the government.
Well, that's not very reassuring. The CBO "acknowledged" that privacy concerns "may be a hurdle." But "some" have proposed "restricting" the information transmitted to the government. Not everyone who is proposing this, mind you, just some. The reality is that a device installed in a car to record the number of miles driven can record the places driven to. Let's have a show of hands from those who think the government can be trusted to get only the infrormation it says it will get and never misuse it.
As for the VMT tax itself, most of the arguments I've seen against it center on its weaknesses when compared with the gas tax. The gas tax, for example, already gets the most money from those who drive the most, and it does it without raising any privacy concerns at all. But if you read this story very carefully, you realize they aren't actually thinking about the VMT as a replacement to the gas tax but as a supplement to it. When these people start talking about "revenue enhancement," don't blink or you'll miss something.
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This was offered up by outgoing Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND) based on an idea by Secretary Of Transportation Ray Lahood of "let's barbecue non union automakers like toyota fame, so it really comes as no surprise.
Would it be too much to ask for the current administration and the Democrats to simply "come clean" and tell the American people the truth?
Democrats want to know and control where you are, what you're doing, when you're doing it, where your money is, what you spend money on, where your guns are, what you feed your kids, when you water your lawn, what you do on the internet, where your kids go to school, what your kids will be taught, who your Doctor will be, the list is seemingly endless.
Seriously, if you Dems honestly believe that total control of the individual is best for all, why not just present it that way? Have the guts to admit it at least.
"The gas tax, for example, already gets the most money from those who drive the most, and it does it without raising any privacy concerns at all."
Except that it doesn't. Someone driving a Prius pays five times as much per mile as someone driving 1970 F-150 pick-em-up truck.
And then there are those people driving vehicles powered by propane. And the new Chevy volt. They don't use any gasoline at all.
The Indiana Tollway charges more to people who drive longer distances. How many people avoid taking the tollway because of PRIVACY concerns?
Yes, Tim, a lot of Democrats want to know where I'm driving, but a lot of Republicans want to know who I'm sleeping with, and I find that a LOT more intrusive.
When I was on the rural electric, I let them put a radio control on my water heater so that they could turn it off during periods of peak power usage. I didn't mind that intrusion into my life. On the other hand, the GOP gave us the PATRIOT act which allows the FBI to investigate what books I am borrowing from the library. I'm inclined to share on my blog the books I am reading, but I don't like the gummint looking over my shoulder while I read, not at all.
It's not just one party that's intrusive, Tim.