"Why Aren't Environmentalists Cheering Higher Gas Prices?"
That's the question that AOL News' John Merline is asking. He takes a look at data from the past few years and the recent increase in gas prices and notes that most green policies have as their goal hiking prices to curtail consumption. And that's exactly what's happening. Bigger costs, economic slowdown, lower rates of travel, fewer imports, you name it. Everything is going the greens' way.
Nevertheless, as NPR noted in a story it did a few years ago, the best environmental groups seem to be able to muster is to "quietly welcome" high gas prices.
Of course, openly cheering higher prices wouldn't exactly win these groups a lot of friends. Just look at the guff Energy Secretary Steven Chu is taking today for his 2008 comment that "somehow we have to figure out how to boost the price of gasoline to the levels in Europe." Still, whatever happened to having the courage of your convictions?
So come on, greens. Let's hear it loud and proud for higher gas prices.
Yesterday (god, it seems like so long ago), Ron Bailey looked at the connection between oil price hikes and recessions.