Bush's Pigouvian opportunity

It is no surprise that in order to pay for massive increases in federal spending (think Iraq and drug payments) Bush will raise taxes. If Bush is smart (stay with Kitchen Linker; even a broken clock is smart twice a day) he would use this "opportunity" to join the Pigou Club and increase the federal gas tax.

Dear GWB,

Extending the payroll tax will not contribute to your legacy. Taking the first step to efficiently save the planet from climate change will. You decide.

Sincerely,
Kitchen Linker

p.s. Top Democrats have good ideas on tax simplification that should be bipartisan. Work with them.

$30/gallon water

Wired News (found here) on a very cool sounding technology Making Water From Thin Air has this:

The cost to transport water by C-17 cargo planes, then truck it to the troops, runs $30 a gallon. The cost, including the machines from Aqua Sciences, will be reduced to 30 cents a gallon, Roy said.

A single gallon jug of water costs about $1 at retail in the U.S. Maybe the money would be better spent improving Iraqi infrastructure so bulk commodities did not have to be flown in on cargo planes that are themselves boondoggles.