GM president wants $1.00 hike in fed. gas tax

is this true internationally?

 

At least we don't have it subsidized as heavily as they do in Venezuela where it per Low gas prices plague Venezuela - MarketWatch it recently was still 12 cents/gallon.

 

Yep. Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update shows what we pay at the pump.

(Even though Saudi Arabia doesn't supply most of our oil) Regarding the price of crude oil as a commodity, skip to 3:30 of

. Per https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2178rank.html, they have the world's largest "proven" oil reserves.

One can see that per Oil: Crude and Petroleum Products - Energy Explained, Your Guide To Understanding Energy, the US consumes almost 19 million barrels of oil/day. In better times it's ~20 million and our net imports sometimes reaches ~70%.

When we had oil prices, we had http://money.cnn.com/2009/01/30/news/companies/exxon_earnings/index.htm:

 

Watch the video at Video: The true cost of gas in the U.S. is closer to $15 a gallon — Autoblog Green.

 

Is what true? In what nations? You notice that the price of gas in Europe is way the hell higher than here - the main reason is that they stuff the tax on at the pump where it belongs, instead of hidden in other places where it makes the fuel SEEM cheap. In general, they still aren't taxing it enough, but they're doing a way better job than we are.

 

Outstanding! I hadn't seen that before watching it just now. Pretty much makes a lot of my points. Leaves out the HUGE externality of military protection, but I'll let that slide for all the other great stuff it does point out.

 

And it also goes somewhere. If it is a straight tax, then other taxes can be reduced in direct proportion to the gas tax. Alternatively, it can be returned on a per capita basis (which ought to be a progressive tax). The thing to be avoided would be spending it on things that don't help.

 

Enlightening video conceptualizing externality costs of greenhouse gases, healthcare and other polution-related expenses. I suppose this is true of other manufacturing processes where pollution is created. Global consumers can not really afford goods/services if externality costs are factored into pricing.

 

I am confused by what you are saying. They are paying the price either way. A cheap TV and an expensive health care bill is NOT better than an expensive TV and a cheap health care bill.

Reducing the externalities, and making prices reflect true cost is better for everyone since goods will only be created if they are truly worthwhile rather than just a way for someone to put costs on everyone else, while keeping profits for themselves.

 

Don't forget vehicle taxes. Denmark is the most extreme on this, I believe. They charge a minimum 105% tax on a new vehicle purchase. Above ~10,000 euros the tax is 180%.. and that's after a 25% VAT!

 

Well said, Corwyn! It is the point I keep trying to make! We are already paying these costs (like the external costs of gasoline) we just aren't paying them at the pump, so people can't make proper financial decisions about their actions. Remember many MANY people don't buy a Prius or an EV because they buyer can't justify the higher price against the money savings in gas (If gas were $15/gallon at the pump, wouldn't this answer be different? Wouldn't EVs be an amazingly CHEAP way to get into a car?)

Brilliant. And look at that... their economy is doing great.

 

is it true that countries don't figure the total cost of energy and price it that way. i know it's more expensive in europe and some other areas, but, do they use those taxes to pay for the real cost, or do they use them for non related costs or the budget in general?