Get ready to pay more….Obama’s newest tax….
So, in his first week in office, Obama signaled a hard shift away from the previous administration’s “protect Americans at all costs” policy, back towards a twentieth century mindset of the Geneva Convention. That was bad enough, although if you are willing to trade American lives for popularity in leftist countries, as Obama is, you should be elated.
Now comes the latest dagger from the new administration: Not only is the U.S. auto industry on rapidly melting ice, but Obama has picked the very worst possible point to tell automakers that he will allow individual states to increase their demands for pollution control. Of course, California is leading the way (because all of their draconian measures have worked so well so far) along with thirteen other states. Living in a state that does not belong to one of the thirteen, as well as does not currently have any sort of emissions or safety testing, I can understand implementing some sort of emissions standards on older cars. However, to change to nationwide hodge-podge of standards will prove to be (a) costly and (b) unworkable, not to mention quite possibly unattainable, depending on the measures used.
Bottom line: If you live in one of those thirteen states, expect to pay more for your next car. Expect to pay more for your curent car if it doesn’t meet newer standards. Next up: a “sin” tax for those of you driving really old, really out of date vehicles. Let’s face it – one 2009 vehicle probably has the carbon footprint of ten or twenty 1990 era vehicles. If your real goal is to reduce emissions, then the strategy ought to be to reduce the number of those vehicles on the road by “encouraging” you to buy a newer vehicle by hammering you at registration time and/or implementing a “smog tax” if your vehicle does not meet newer standards. Hey, if they can get you to ditch your old junker and buy a newer car, they’ve both helped the environment and stimulated the economy! Except, of course, you now have a car payment that you didn’t before and paid more for that new vehicle than you would have before. Ooops. Looked good on paper, though, didn’t it?
Interestingly enough, this is the exact same strategy they’re trying to use to ban guns. Taxing the bullets out of existence and requiring gun manufacturers to implement safety standards that are impossible given the current state of technology.
So, to review, week one: Drastically reduced safety of American citizens through the anticipated closure of Guantanamo (without a plan, mind you) and banning “coercive” interrogation techniques. Now, raising the cost American’s will pay for their next automobile, while plunging a dagger into the heart of the U.S. automotice industry at the same time they are giving them bailout money. I guess Chrysler may want to think again about asking for some of that money, now that they’re going to have to retool their facilities to meet the requirements of a patchwork of states. Brilliant. Is Jimmy Carter writing his policy? Is it 1977 all over again?
