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TARIAN_CONTRA_SUV

                                          April  4, 2003

An outline of a stab
at making a libertarian
case against the SUV.

   The "externalities"
   flowing out the tail
   pipe

   The blood and taxes
   that get poured in
   the tank.


The libertarian core
principle is not "individuals
can do whatever they want".
There's always a rider like
"unless they mess with other
individuals", and that's
always the rub, eh?

      So don't ask me to breath
      your exhaust.

      And don't make me risk my
      life crossing the street.

      And don't ask me to pay
      for your highways.


You want to commute in a 10 mpg
vehicle, please don't ask me to
subsidize the gas.

   (You don't think I am?
   Whose paying for Bush Jr's
   Crusades? The phrase            (October 1, 2004:
   "defending our national          actually, at the
   interests" sometimes means       moment it looks
   something besides "making        more like Bush Co.
   sure the oil keeps flowing",     is in the business
   but not very often.)             of keeping oil
                                    prices -- and one
                                    presumes, profits --
   But: couldn't this argument      as high as possible.)
   be used against *all* cars?
   Yes that's right.  If you
   want to think about taking
   it that far, I'm game.


   But: aren't the subsidies
   for mass transit worse?

      Possibly: when they've got to
      compete against "free"
      highways and cheap gas.

   And don't trains pollute more
   than cars?

      Some places, yeah: when the
      power comes from burning coal.

      So don't burn coal.

                   (Someday I would like to see
                   anti-nuclear "environmentalists"
   Maybe           take some responsibility for the
   tens of         thousands of people who have died
   thousands...    for their principles.
                   Well, I can dream.)


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