Hot take here I know, but good, gas is too cheap.
this post was submitted on 29 Aug 2023
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Wait, how is this a hot take? We as taxpayers subsidize gas heavily. We know how bad internal combustion engines are for the environment. Our climate is causing catastrophic disasters at an increased scale and frequency. I think it's about time we begin to stop subsidising the oil & gas industry.
It is a hot take because a big chunk of the population takes a real QOL hit on every gas price increase. Even though I agree that gas should not be this cheap because we're subsidizing car dependence, I can understand that someone that has been cutting back on groceries due to recent gas increases might find this take fuming hot.
It has to be done, the sooner the better, but it does hurt some people out there who already have it rough.
Wait, how is this a hot take?
Yeah two comments and both are refreshingly agreeable. I've shared this previously on reddit or twitter and responses are all "wow you hate the working class" or "there isn't a train from my apartment to my place of work so I need gas"
Your comment is refreshing to see. Economists across the spectrum, from left to right, agree that the gas tax is too low in Canada and the US. Here, for example, is an op-ed by an economist for the conservative National Taxpayer Union arguing against a gas tax holiday.
The US has the lowest gas tax in the developed world, but Canada is not far behind. Even BC has some of the cheapest gas in the developed world outside these two countries.
I love how the gas industry consultant has all kind of advice for consumers to lower their gas costs while completely exonerating the companies that pay him from any responsibility.