… they surpass themselves.
excises taxes on diesel and aviation fuel in half over four years.
Mr. Harper is pledging to cut the tax by 2 cents — taking it to two
cents per litre from the current four cents. It would cost Ottawa
$600-million per year.
This is unfathomably stupid. In one stroke, it takes two serious and pressing problems – the deteriorating fiscal situation and greenhouse gas emissions – and makes them both worse.
Update: From the CBC story, we have this gem:
Harper himself said Tuesday the diesel-tax cut highlights the choice
between the parties' two different plans in the face of uncertain
economic times.
"Our plan is practical, theirs is based on theory," he said. "That's what the election is all about."
Gaahh. The election is still five weeks away, and I'm already running out of synonyms for 'stupid'.
Worthwhile Canadian Initiative 
If Canadians fall for this new gimmick … . What am I saying? Yes, of course, they will. I’m thanking Odin or Zeus right now for the system of involuntary muscle functions we all have so people keep breathing, at least, even if they have trouble juggling ideas – a.k.a. theories.
Harper on Harper:
“The ability of governments to affect the prices of gasoline per se is so small that it’s not worth doing.” (St. Catharines Standard, May 24, 2008)
Asked about lower taxes by the Post “I don’t think government should fool people into thinking it can control the price of gas. It – generally speaking – can’t.These prices are set internationally. We are seeing increased prices around the world.” (May 22, 2008)
Its a “con” job. Its so far beyond stupid its insanity. The guy has lost all sense of reality. Think about it. Lowering diesel prices will mean that lots of people will go out an buy diesel cars. Great ! Low emmissions blah blah. But wait we currently have a North American diesel capacity shortage so guess what good ol supply and demand kicks in and the price goes up. Everything costs more…so the Giverment has less money in tax revenue, things cost more because diesel is scare and we are further back than we started. OK great logic there.
Actually 3 serious and pressing problems if you count peak oil. But otherwise, yeah, you said it.
I think it is the right direction, wrong vehicle.
It drives me crazy to see all these gasoline taxes in % of total; they are amplifying the increases! Governments are in conflict of interest here. Instead of working to protect us from rising oil prices, they are profiting from them, and we are stuck paying for everyone.
Currently, the road excise is fixed at 0.10$/L. All other taxes on gasoline should be converted to fixed rates.
All tax cuts are good, but some are more equally good than others.
I’ll take an imperfect tax cut over Steffi’s tax on energy – the plan that has no GHG targets, no known emission reductions and is really a smoke & mirrors ponzi scheme to scrape more tax revenue out of the economy so Liberals can fund their grandiose squandering of my money on their “social justice” programs.
Any day, take the tax cut.
I have run out of synonyms for “lame economic advice” to describe your blog advice to Canadians
Slashing taxes on fuel is a sure shot recipe for disaster. Lower prices would logically mean increased consumption, adding to the greenhouse effect on the earth. Seems like Al Gore’s words are falling on deaf years.
“Our plan is practical, theirs is based on theory,” he said.
And I applaud his restraint. What he should have said is, “theirs is a FRAUD!”
The IPCC and its domination of the peer review process in climate science is one of the worst examples in history of the corruption of scientists into purveyors of politically motivated pseudo-science.
Peak oil will come one day, but today is not that day. In fact, that day could still be a century away. What we face today is a politically motivated shortage of refining capacity.
The communist aparatchiks of yesterday have morphed into the global warming aparatchiks of today. But one thing has not changed: they are still trying to find the big lie that will make people willingly accept them as totalitarian dictators.
Go read “Blue Planet in Green Chains” by Vaclav Klaus. It will open your eyes. Unless your mind is closed…