RE: Fuel Efficient Cars (was Oil Economics)

From: Rafal Smigrodzki (rms2g@virginia.edu)
Date: Wed Feb 12 2003 - 08:35:54 MST

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    Kai wrote:
    > Am Sonntag, 9. Februar 2003 21:08 schrieb Rafal Smigrodzki:
    >> ### No, you got it backwards - it is the punishment of polluters that
    >> reduces pollution and saves lives.
    >
    > Ah! Punishment. By Big Bad Government! That's a threat to my freedom
    > to burn and pollute as I want to...
    >
    ### Ah, Kai, you know I am a right-thinking guy, how *can* you suspect me of
    supporting the jackbooted thugs? :-)

    Actually, while using the direct regulatory powers of the government is one
    of the ways of diminishing the harm to third parties (as in people getting
    poisoned by exhaust), there are IMO better options, such as a well-regulated
    liability insurance market. Imagine that all participants in the economy
    would be required to obtain a general liability insurance of certain
    quality, in a market with many independent providers, and with a free-market
    court system.

    The upshot would be a very flexible system where harming somebody with your
    exhaust would entail an increase in your insurance premium. You would be
    still free to burn and pollute as you want to, except when you actually harm
    another person. This would be different from the current system, where you
    are forced to obey laws with only a very tenuous link the welfare of others,
    laws which in the case of federal fuel efficiency standards were enacted for
    pure political calculation, as a knee-jerk response to the 1970's oil
    crisis.

    The Big Bad Government is frequently the first solution that comes to mind,
    but the last solution that should be used.

    Rafal



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