Thank you.
I completely agree that punitive taxes has been the mantra of the green movement for decades.
My biggest problem with punitive taxes is that making fossil fuels more expensive through punitive taxes mostly punishes the average citizens who are just trying to survive. The cost of everything from heat to food goes up, driving more people into poverty.
Several years ago the New England area states established a regional tax on electricity allegedly to help provide funding to promote renewable energy. Hundreds of millions in taxes have been collected in the years since. It was just over $15 of my $48 electric bill last month. Over 30%.
After months of research it turns out not a single dime of the taxes collected has been spent directly on renewable energy as promised. Every state puts the money into their general fund. The combined renewable energy funding from all of the states general funds is far below the amount of taxes collected. So that argument fails too justify the tax. The money is being spent in ways the taxpayers never agreed to when the laws were passed with little opposition.
Your proposals make sense. Which is sadly why they will likely never happen.
