The new tipping point: UK motorists rebel against additional taxes by shutting down highways.
After hundreds of angry drivers shut down highways in England Tuesday in protest against green automobile taxes, and drivers and fishermen in France and Spain paralyzed their ports and roads in a fuel-tax protest, politicians began to signal Europe’s ambitious emission-control policies may soon have to be abandoned. While Europe has led the way in using tax incentives to encourage people to buy low-emission cars and to build carbon-neutral houses in order to meet Kyoto targets, it has become increasingly apparent that inflation-battered voters are no longer willing to go along. Political leaders in Britain and France are seeking the reversal of tax policies designed to make polluting vehicles more expensive, with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and some British ministers calling on their own governments and the European Union to relax ecologically friendly taxes in order to give relief to citizens suffering from fast-rising food and fuel prices.
—Doug Saunders, Globe and Mail, 28 May 2008
The fuel protests hammer home a clear message. After the 10p tax rebellion, the local elections, and the Crewe by-election, no one can doubt the mood of the country any more. There is insurrection in the air. The British people are ready for change and they don’t believe Labour can deliver it.
—Nick Clegg, The Daily Telegraph, 28 May 2008
Gordon Brown has been urged to stand firm against calls to abandon green tax rises on fuel as environmentalists warned that scrapping the proposals would risk undermining Britain’s drive towards a low carbon future and send the wrong message about the Government’s commitment to tackling greenhouse gas emissions. Amid fears that the gloomy financial outlook could sap the political will needed to combat climate change, Charlie Kronick, senior climate adviser at Greenpeace, said: “When they are willing to spend millions of pounds shoring up their vote in a by-election they can do this as well. How serious can they be about using the tax system to try to affect environmental outcomes when, if they are under political pressure, it is the first thing that goes?”
—Ben Russell, The Independent, 28 May 2008
Drivers should not be “hammered” by the Government, Cabinet Minister John Hutton declared yesterday in a clear sign of a road tax climbdown. The Business Secretary spoke out as senior Labour sources admitted planned increases of up to £245 a year that could hit millions of family car drivers were a “mistake”.
—Bob Roberts, The Mirror, 28 May 2008
Huge rises in road and petrol taxes for millions of motorists could be scrapped after two Cabinet ministers hinted at another U-turn in government policy.
After warnings from MPs that the party was alienating ordinary voters, Jack Straw and John Hutton suggested that the Pre-Budget report in the autumn would contain changes to plans set out by the Chancellor in March. But, in a further sign of government confusion, Downing Street and the Treasury insisted that no plans were being considered to revise the vehicle excise duty changes announced in the Budget.
—Philip Webster, The Times, 28 May 2008
It’s a perfect storm …. or a series of them … cooling, failed harvests / low yields, oil producing countries outside the West squeezing supply, Western countries levying anti productive taxes and enviro regs, peaking Western fecundity (in many nations, already in steep decline), dumbed down masses, populist and socialist demagogues spewing envy charged lies and hatred, general inflation, weakening dollar (other Western currencies soon to follow), hoarding by non / anti Western nations, increasing anti Western rhetoric, etc.
Yes, storms are rising.
All you blokes reading this blog ought to recall why the Boston Tea Party became a landmark event in American history.
If you want those greedy taxing bastard, control-freak politicians to finally get the message, you have to sometimes take loud and clear action. There’s nothing criminal about defending freedom. So come on – stand up for your bloody rights.
When you look at the chart provided by Anthony, I’d say you blokes are being taken to the royal cleaners. The situation is hardly different here in Germany.
Today 1 liter is €1.55. That’s US $2.43. That’s about $9.20 a US gallon! If you have a 15 gallon tank, you can figure out how it costs to fill up.
Fellow Americans, I strongly suggest you wake up and think about a Boston Tea Party II. The European gas prices are in the pipeline – headed your way. It’s in the tea leaves. Obama will be the next Prez – Gore in the Admin. Brace yourselves.
In Europe they call green people “watermelons”. That’s because they’re green the outside, and red inside.
REPLY: You mean like this?
http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk225/Mike-LA/image007.jpg
What these UK scheming Tax grabbing toe rags don`t understand is that the poorer in society don`t buy new cars. these idiots are ripping off the voters that keep them in power, talk about shooting yourself in the foot.
In the US, higher fuel prices don’t make things any more efficient. In fact, despite more efficient vehicles, efficiency keeps getting worse.
This is great! Yes, the Europeans are shaming us Americans. But our police are not as polite as yours and we risk all kinds of conspiracy charges, tassering, etc.
This is not to discourage resistance just caution prudence and patience and planning.
I reckon we will wait till that bull-headed Bush is out of office.
How serious can they be about using the tax system to try to affect environmental outcomes when, if they are under political pressure, it is the first thing that goes?”
Last hired, first fired. That’s the union way.
Fellow Americans, I strongly suggest you wake up and think about a Boston Tea Party II.
A “Texas Tea” Party?
—————————————-
OTOH, if I were around back then, I’d probably have been a Tory.
Sacrifice my rights as an Englishman on account of THOSE drunken terrorist crazies? When only a third of the colonies are in favor of it, and call it “democracy”? A tax revolt over 1/8th of 1% in taxes (far less than paid in England) We, the freest, richest (far more than in England), least taxed–and best represented people on earth? Yes, our reps are appointed, but are FAR better advocates than the average “elected” MP.
Say, WHAT?
Never, ever in the history of mankind was there less justification for revolution!
Lurker of the world, unite! You have nothing to lose but your hydrocarbon chains!
Well, I happen to think that high taxes on petrol can be justified, if offset by lower taxes on payroll and income.
I do indeed prefer my taxes to contribute to a better environment, as taxing oil does, rather than having my taxes contribute to unemployment, as payroll and income taxes does.
It is the overall tax rate that burden us, not the one or the other of the myriad ways politicians and technocrats use to part us from the wealth we create.
The problem in Sweden for example is clearly a tax burden of 50% of GNP rather than paying less than 2 cents worth per kilometre we drive in gas taxes. Taxes need to be raised somewhere and preferably were the side effects are beneficial. The overall tax rate is way too high but that is another issue.
(And no, petrol taxes are not justified from a poorly projected global warming but from other envionmental effects burning gas have.)
Hi,
Here is a conversion kit to make your car a hybrid.
http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/innovation/converting-car-electric-hybrid-require-invasive-surgery/
Pierre: “If you want those greedy taxing bastard, control-freak politicians to finally get the message, you have to sometimes take loud and clear action. There’s nothing criminal about defending freedom. So come on – stand up for your bloody rights.”
Now the intent and wisdom of our 2nd Amendment shines bright and clear.
Steve:”I reckon we will wait till that bull-headed Bush is out of office.
Check your time lines on when things started to go downhill. I believe is was about March 2007 right after the Democrats gained control of Congress. Things have been worse since.
Evan :Sacrifice my rights as an Englishman on account of THOSE drunken terrorist crazies? When only a third of the colonies are in favor of it, and call it “democracy”? A tax revolt over 1/8th of 1% in taxes (far less than paid in England) We, the freest, richest (far more than in England), least taxed–and best represented people on earth? Yes, our reps are appointed, but are FAR better advocates than the average “elected” MP.
Say, WHAT?
Never, ever in the history of mankind was there less justification for revolution!”
The American Revolution was much, much more than a revolt over taxes.
“… The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.”
Quite a bit more!
It looks increasingly like the main political parties here in the UK have become rather out of touch with their electorate. Although it is amusing to note the recent lack of green rhetoric, and also interesting that the government has shelved the notion of personal carbon ration cards because the scheme would be, ahem, “ahead of its time”. The message is clear – ordinary folks are less interested in their carbon footprint than they are in keeping their families fed and their homes heated in winter.
And the price there is “only” 95.1p a litre.
When I left the UK a few months ago (due to getting too fed up with watermelons, lefties and other inmates taking over the asylum) the price was 110.9p around where I lived.
From talking to friends who haven’t yet left (but are actively looking at emigrating) the price is getting up to 120p a litre.
For the (affectionately named) septics out there (septic tank = yank in cockney rhyming slang) that equates to about $9 a gallon.
Will the last person out of the UK please turn off the lights? (Well that should help the carbon emissions somewhat! 🙂
The price of petrol in the UK is now between £1.12 and £1.19 per litre, the diesel is another 20p higher.
If we had positive proof that CO2 really damaged the environment, a carbon tax might make sense. Look at the proposed ban on some plastics used in bottled water: based on the theory that it might cause harm. If we ban everything that ‘might cause harm’, we will soon die of dehydration and starvation as everything would be banned.
The inmates are running the asylum.
Tom in Florida:
First, the great majority of those things simply ain’t true, prima facie. Words like “outrageous lies”, “grotesque falsehoods”, and “blood libel” spring to mind. Most of the rest are gross exaggerations. The rest are either rather trivial or justified. (The dems going after dubya on Iraq aren’t even THAT unfair, though not for lack of trying.)
You want REALLY justified revolutions? Look to France and Russia. The results were lousy (to put it very mildly), but the provocations were real.
Yes, the American Revolution has resulted in the last, best hope of mankind. The most moral and beneficent superpower in the history of the world by such a long shot there is no comparison. The best thing that ever happened in the history of the world. Civilization’s savior.
But those are results OF the revolution. Not justification FOR the revolution.
But this is so off topic that we really should just agree to disagree. (You may want to check out some of those specific charges, though, out of curiosity.)
Hurray for the British people! Stand up to the taxing bastards! Throw the bums out!
Tom in Florida,
I’m a Libertarian so I am not just anti-Bush and the Republicans (except Ron Paul) but also the Demoncrats. But perhaps the Demos will be less inclined to trample civil liberties than the loathsome Repubs. It might take Obama a while to get nasty.
Sorry, I forgot I was not talking to fellow Libs.
Retired Engineer is right on target.
And we can always change course if the evidence changes.
The alarmists are trying to forestall this by claiming that if drastic action (to very little actual effect, by any measure) is not taken NOW, the sky will fall. I think it’s a rather crass, manipulative tactic, not based in any way on science, and I don’t buy it. I need actual evidence.
Retired Engineer:
On another blog somebody said that CO2 emissions should be taxed according to their external costs. I asked just what they were and apart from a reference to some bad IPCC science fiction from the duty warmenist, didn’t get a sensible reply.
Anyone care to do an estimate?
Analysts have found that investors spooked by the peak oil theory — the belief that crude production has topped out and is in decline — are partly behind the soaring oil prices. Someone should set them straight.
Peak Oil: An Idea Whose Time Is Up
A nicely argued piece from Investor’s Business Daily:
http://www.ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=296867272526661
Off suject: A record low in New Hampshire
http://www.mountwashington.org/
Evan Jones,
How about a Brent Crude Tea Party?
Avfuktare krypgrund vind
http://www.mountwashington.org/