"Not as tough as what our troops are up against."

I've posted before on the global warming issue, but let me summarize my position. It is ridiculous to believe that human activity is not going to influence the planet, but I think that anyone who claims to know what is going to happen 100 years from now is a buffoon. Thus, while I don't believe that man-made global warming is going to end the world anytime soon, it is a potential threat and one that would be relatively easy to "insure" against by incorporating relatively cheap carbon-reduction measures.

One thing that I unequivocally have always supported as a gas tax. A gas tax will reduce consumption of gasoline, and hence reduce CO2 emissions. In Europe they tax gasoline far more than in the United States; so when we went on an SUV binge here in the states, the Europeans were buying really really small cars. They're in a much better position today because of that (and they also rely more on public transit).

A gas tax does more than reduce production of CO2, however. It also would decrease our demand for oil, reduce our oil imports, and thus cause a fall in the world-wide price of oil. Who does that hurt? Iran, Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, and Russia. Iran is no doubt funding and arming Hamas, Hezbollah, Iraqi insurgents, and potentially the Taliban. It is not an exaggeration to say that we are bankrolling both sides of the war on terror.

Anyway, here is a fantastic commercial that drives this point home.

There is no reason, absolutely no reason, that we should not be passing a bill that discourages the use of gasoline. It is a winning issue for everyone. And yet, it hasn't happened, and that is a travesty.