Friday, July 4, 2008

Cars and Gas

So, as we all know, high gas prices finally have created less driving. Although I notice that I'm not driving less - but I was already in the lowest mileage category my auto insurance company offers. And I drive a tiny car that gets 35 miles to the gallon.

But sadly, if I wanted to get a hybrid, the tax credits will probably have expired. The government, in its anti-wisdom, said that you can only get a tax credit for hybrids for the first 60,000 cars. So in a year, no more Toyota hybrid tax credit. Honda will last a little longer.

But you can still get a tax credit for a Ford SUV hybrid that gets 20 mpg, instead of the 11 it gets un-hybrid. Which is dumb. (Not to mention the extra carbon impact of the hybrid batteries.)

Congress should extend tax credits for good technology that moves us in the right direction of energy independence. And they should close the bloody loophole that doesn't tax gas guzzlers. (Cars with low mileage are taxed, but trucks and vans aren't.) Because right now, if they closed that loophole, you could pay your guzzler tax with your hybrid tax credit. Which is stupid.

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