UK Government Petition to lower fuel prices

[Martin Naef]

Hi Paul

paul.maddox.mail-list at synth.net wrote:
>> whereas heating your house
>> is a necessity - hence the different taxation. Although, a lot of
>> British houses could be made more energy efficient, the incentive for
>> which again increases with high energy prices.
> 
> WTF?
> no, what it does it make it hard for people on mid->low incomes to afford
> basic essentials, like driving, whilst the rich morons carry on driving
> their 5 litre V6 landrovers not giving a sh1t.

 From an ecological point of view, energy consumptions is a numbers' 
game - it's the total that matters, not who gets to "spend" it. You can 
never steer the consumption of the richest 1% through taxation, but you 
can affect the other 99%. While this is indeed utterly unfair, it's a 
different problem.

>> Now if you ask the government to reduce taxation on petrol to offset the
>> recent hike caused by speculation, you're a) supporting a non-efficient
>> use of resources, b) make the oil companies even happier because people
>> keep buying their overpriced product at the same rate, and c) don't even
>> attack the source of the price hike which is market speculation and a
>> monopolistic behaviour of the providers.
> 
> What I want is for me to be able to afford to work and provide for my family.

I fully accept that. But I feel that the status quo is just plain wrong: 
If it makes sense for you to drive 50 miles to work, there's a desperate 
need for a change. We shouldn't ask the government to lower taxes so we 
can keep going on like this. I realise that it hits you personally and 
that there are lot of circumstances and reasons why you ended up in this 
position. But the problem that needs addressing is not the cost of 
petrol, but the fact that you need to travel that far.

> And going back to my first point, and your own point, if you feel that
> strongly about the use and abuse of oil, you'd not be using any products
> that used oil either in them, or as part of their manufacture/delivery
> process.

You should have guessed by now that I don't feel that strongly about it, 
I rather take a pragmatic approach. But I do accept that excessive 
energy consumption is bad, and hence pay the price when I do.

>> Yes, but you pay a lot more extra for those things that rely heavily on
>> petrol, whereas other, more "eco-friendly" products don't get the same
>> hit. And if the price increased is caused by taxation, the money coming
>> in can be used to reduce other taxes.
> 
> I'll say again, Locally grown food costs MORE than stuff imported. so
> saying "you pay a lot more extra for those things that rely heavily on
> petrol" isn't a good example, sorry, you have your facts mixed up.

That's exactly my point: Today, it costs MORE because the factors such 
as local salaries, efficiency of production etc. outweigh the cost of 
transportation. Hence, transport it too cheap. If energy prices 
increase, that balance is shifted in favor of the local produce.

> Paul (wondering if anyone actually added to the petition and wishing he
> hadn't expressed an opinion)

Hey, don't feel bad about it! It certainly sparked an interesting 
discussion that so far has been pretty much flame-free and well behaved.

Bye
Martin