High Gas Prices Are Good

Reading the title of this article may cause confusion, but stick with me here. I want the government to tax gas increasingly until we ween ourselves off of oil. It should be small at first, but noticeable as time progresses. The current economic crisis poses a problem in doing so, but now is actually the best time to go green. Going green used to be environmental. Now it has become economical, and America must play the lead part in this crucial play.

Simple economics suggests that higher prices decrease the demand of a product, oil in this case. This drop would hurt the countries we are forced to work with due to oil, such as Russia, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. An economical attack on these nations is much more devastating then military action. Direct military conflict breeds resentment, but economic warfare places the blame on the ailing government. In addition, terrorists' funding, which mainly derives from oil revenues, would cease coming indirectly from us.

In the short term, this may be the worst idea ever. However, in the long term, America can come out on top of the new energy era using the innovation we have always thrived on. If the Big 3 Automakers have a specific plan to use bailout money to revamp their industry, please give it to them. Otherwise, let the free market we so love to solve the problem. I am sure an Asian car company is ready to confront this task. This is a high risk, high reward move that we as capitalists need to take. WWII helped America out of the Great Depression. The movement away from oil can just as easily lift us from our current downturn.