Hi,

The study it appears you reference is here:

http://www.icta.org/doc/Real%20Price...20Gasoline.pdf

They included the "cost" of lower taxes on petroleum based fuel, the cost of environmental protection, deicing of roadways and even the cost of national defense policy into their rationalization. They also include the cost of parking spaces, since if we were all fuel less pedestrians we'd only have need for a shoe rack in our closets.

Any time a group considers a lower tax a "subsidy" their motives are questionable. Gasoline might be tax preferred in some areas, but its value is set by the market.

The Pentagon would love to have $15 a gallon gas, they've been paying upwards of $400 a gallon for gasoline. Apparently job one should be to build an explosion proof Quik Trip in Afghanistan.

A number not often talked about by environmental policy advocates is the fact that US gas consumption peaked in 2006 and has been decreasing steadily with the increasing efficiency of cars and light trucks. That trend is expected to accelerate as lighter materials and increased use of technology come to market. For example Ford's new F150 is faster than it's competitors and out hauls their base and optional engines while getting 23 MPG in base form and 22 MPG in the model with 420 ft.lbs. or torque. These are replacing trucks which got 11 to 15 MPG for similar performance.

The distances traveled by car, per person, peaked in 2003 and has been decreasing.

I'm no fan of fuel consumption, or sending money to those who want us dead in the Middle East, but, when it comes to airplanes v/s trains, fill me up! Our 737 seems to average around 90 MPG, per passenger, while doing about 550 MPH. Try that in a Prius.