It's all about the green...

[Feanor]

No.
--no
--no
--no
--no
--no
--no
--no

Effective, partially but probably not.

I say yes - yes - yes.

'Sticks, I credit you with understanding the government spending works just like consumers spending to stimulate the economy -- there is no difference. Well, unless that you count that spending by the former on, e.g., infrastructure, education, healthcare, green energy, etc., in the domestic economy, might have a higher multiplier effect than consumers spending it on made-in-China gadgets.

The big problem in the current NA economies is that the large corporations and super rich individuals aren't spending their money -- or if they are, it isn't by investing in the domestic economy which is the only rational justification of keeping their taxes low. (There are a few right-wing pundits who say that this is so because the rich are afraid on higher taxation; this is totally disingenuous nonsense -- the really reason is that they fear the consumers won't have money to buy their wares. And they strategies could be self-fulfilling; the trend of real middle class incomes has been downward for the last 30 years.)

If there is a criticism of a carbon tax, it is that it's a regressive tax, i.e. one that hits the poorest hardest. But note that this hasn't kept "socialist" European governments from keeping gasoline taxes very high. (Let's not get going on the failures of a few EU counties to control deficits: more than profligate spending, their problems are due to their failure to collect fair taxes -- in this respect they are no different than the US.)

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

I read about this more than three years ago. It went absolutely no where because it would prevent the poor and elderly from driving.

[dean_martin]

I read about this more than three years ago. It went absolutely no where because it would prevent the poor and elderly from driving.

That's the problem, T. Ideas that were rightly rejected in the past are coming back with fancy new labels and are being presented as new ideas. It's happening in state legislatures, too, where parties that were once minorities are now in control.

Who at your state house or in Congress actually gives a damn about the poor and elderly now? Those that do are certainly not in the majority.

Oh, and can't you Canadians a/k/a Canadiens just call for a new election? : )

[Feanor]

...
Who at your state house or in Congress actually gives a damn about the poor and elderly now? Those that do are certainly not in the majority.
...

Right on, Dean. Damned few politicians who oppose higher gas taxes actually do so because they give a damn about the poor. But politicians are a disingenuous lot.

...
Oh, and can't you Canadians a/k/a Canadiens just call for a new election? : )

The election has come and gone. Apparently most Americans are blissfully unaware it happened -- but they can't be blamed because it happened in same week as the Royal Wedding and the Killing of Bin Laden. I didn't hear a single word about in CNN for example.

[dean_martin]

The election has come and gone. Apparently most Americans are blissfully unaware it happened -- but they can't be blamed because it happened in same week as the Royal Wedding and the Killing of Bin Laden. I didn't hear a single word about in CNN for example.

Yes, I saw the Canadian Royal Wedding. I was horrified when the Royal Pudding tipped over and the Princess was beamed away in some isometric cube. It was certainly a break from tradition. But everything turned out ok in the end. Ultimately, it was a great day for Canada and therefore the world.

[Feanor]

Yes, I saw the Canadian Royal Wedding. I was horrified when the Royal Pudding tipped over and the Princess was beamed away in some isometric cube. It was certainly a break from tradition. But everything turned out ok in the end. Ultimately, it was a great day for Canada and therefore the world.

Well, I think perhaps you watch the wrong Royal Wedding, but, hey, close enough. Of course either of the Royal Weddings was watched by more Americans than Canadians.

[dean_martin]

Well, I think perhaps you watch the wrong Royal Wedding, but, hey, close enough. Of course either of the Royal Weddings was watched by more Americans than Canadians.

The off-the-wall randomness of the first ceremony touched off my funny bone for some reason. The ceremony after the princess was rescued didn't quite cut it. Anyhow, I didn't post it to offend my Canadian friends. It just appealed to my sometimes juvenile sense of humor.

HOWEVER, I do believe I watched the RIGHT Royal Wedding.

[ForeverAutumn]

Oh, and can't you Canadians a/k/a Canadiens just call for a new election? : )

You'd think so wouldn't you? The election that Feanor mentions resulted in a majority gov't so, for better or worse, we're stuck with the current gov't for the next four years.

However, the villian who taxed gas by an additional 8% is Provincial, and Ontario's next provincial election is in October. So he could be history by the end of the year. But it won't matter...the damage is done. No gov't in it's right mind is going to reverse an 8% cash cow.