I have a solution to Global Warming, Peak Oil, and the War on Terror. Really. It won’t take massive government controls and regulations on industry. It won’t force us to enjoy full body cavity searches at airports. It won’t take away our freedoms.

By my best-guess estimations it could be implemented by the end of the week. The Month at most. No massive government handouts, no huge new department of global chaos.

Here it is: An incremental Federal gas tax. From now and until the tax is $15.00 per gallon we’re going to increase the federal gas tax by .25c every three months. Public transit authorities can get exactly 50% off of the tax. This applies to all fuels known as “gas” including diesel, regular, jet, ethanol etc. If you’re propelling a vehicle by burning something you’re going to pay for it. A little bit now, a WHOLE LOT very soon.

I don’t care what we do with the money. Pay down the national debt. Fund child health care. Build public transit. Explore Mars.

As of today, we’re paying about $1.90 for gas in the US. Back in July of 2008 we were paying $4. So with this plan in place, in two years time we’ll be back to where we were this summer. Then two more years and we’ll be paying $6.00 per gallon. If you KNEW that big SUV would cost $17 a gallon to drive in 15 years would you really want a 20 year loan on it? Suddenly the math for a Prius is looking a lot better. You’ve got some time, but in the next couple of years you know you’ll have to move closer to work, buy a bike, a smaller car, learn the bus schedule, work from home etc.

The EPA won’t need to dictate average MPG standards for car companies: the market will do it far faster. Local governments won’t need to invest in downtown redevelopment: sub-urban properties will quickly become far less attractive to developers.

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