A proposed new California law would take from the guzzlers and give to the sippers:
Call it the Robin Hood approach to global warming. California drivers who buy new Hummers, Ford Expeditions, and other big vehicles that emit high levels of greenhouse gases would pay a fee of up to $2,500.
And drivers who buy more fuel-efficient cars — like the Toyota Prius or Ford Focus — would receive rebates of up to $2,500, straight from the gas-guzzlers’ pockets.
Car dealers are opposed, natch. And expect drive-time talk radio to range from apoplectic to apocalyptic — you know, both sides of the issue. But I think Dan Kalb has it right:
"Those vehicles that are polluting the most are harming society more than other vehicles," said Dan Kalb, state policy director for the Union of Concerned Scientists.
"Consumer choice is preserved," Kalb said. "But if somebody wants to buy a vehicle that pollutes a lot, they are going to have to compensate for the harm that is causing society."
Sounds about right.
