Eric Murray wrote:
On Mon, Oct 01, 2001 at 09:55:34AM -0500, Harmon Seaver wrote:
Besides which, the true cost of gasoline at the pump would be $10-15 @ gallon without all the gov't subsidies to the oil industry.
The study says $5.60 to $15.14, not $10-15.
Sorry, other studies say $10.
A quick glance find some glaring errors--
-it completely ignores taxes paid by the oil industry.
No, it points out that they are not taxed at nearly as high a rate, that's part of the subsidy.
-under Environmental Health and social costs they count: "noise pollution ($6 to $12 billion), and improper disposal of batteries, tires, engine fluids, and junked cars ($4.4 billion) also add to the environmental consequences wrought by automobiles."
It's quite a stretch to claim those as costs of oil. We'd have significant costs for those kind of items even if we all used electric cars or even horse and buggy. Although I suppose that unlike a car's engine, when your horse fails, you can eat it.
True - but most of their points are pretty damning. Let's get rid of all those that *are* direct subsidies and see where the true cost of gas is -- I'll bet close to $10. -- Harmon Seaver, MLIS CyberShamanix Work 920-203-9633 Home 920-233-5820 hseaver@cybershamanix.com http://www.cybershamanix.com/resume.html