TAX AND DRIVE

There is little disagreement, in Congress at least, that the United States should spend somewhere close to the $87 billion requested by President Bush to rebuild Iraq. The biggest question is where the money should come from.

The New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman hit upon a novel idea last week. He proposes to levy a $1 a gallon tax on gasoline, aptly called the “Patriot Tax.” This would raise $110 billion a year, but more importantly, it would encourage conservation, which in turn would decrease support for Middle Eastern countries, most notably oil-rich Saudi Arabia, that have financed terrorist groups and activities.

Now, Americans like to complain that they already pay too many taxes, but when it comes to fuel taxes, we have it good compared to our comrades in other developed countries. In Maine, state and federal taxes on a gallon of gasoline total 42 cents. Other countries around the globe levy much higher fuel taxes causing gasoline to cost over $4 a gallon in France, nearly $5 a gallon in Britain and more than $3 a gallon in Japan.

One result is that gas-guzzling sport utility vehicles continue to grow in popularity, while small, fuel efficient vehicles dominate the roads in most

of the rest of the world. Because Americans revel in driving fuel inefficient, highly polluting vehicles, we’re viewed as the world’s “energy hog,” as Mr. Friedman puts it.

So, an additional $1 tax on a gallon of gasoline would reduce U.S. fuel consumption leading to larger reductions in greenhouse gases than even the Kyoto Treaty mandated. This would boost the United State’s image abroad, a much needed move given well-documented disapproval of the countries performance on the world stage.

The tax would also mean less revenue for OPEC countries, which means fewer funds for radical groups to use to spread their anti-American brand of Islam.

As Mr. Friedman points out, such a tax would truly be patriotic because it would reduce funding for terrorist groups, boost America’s standing and improve the environment. But, as he also laments, the tax has no chance of becoming reality during an administration dead set against raising taxes, especially one that would harm the bottom line of oil companies.

That is a shame.