Friday, May 02, 2008

Too cheap to meter?

Baptists and bootleggers, according to Bruce Yandle, cooperated to give us Prohibition. Likewise, Greens and corn growers gave us ethanol and high food prices around the world. This is why "unintended consequences" is such a cop-out. Politics is zero-sum.

Plug-in autos are such a pleasant thought. Who looks at their electric meters? This morning's WSJ includes "Utilities, Plug-In Cars: Near Collision? ... Electric Firms Say Daytime Charges May Raise Costs." And electric utilities will, one way or another, be hit with carbon taxes or charges.

On a daily basis, we now get feel-good stories about how some high-minded person or group has "gone green". As if it's all free.