Special interests rule the world, except where a recent revolution happened. Special interests by definition have a stronger desire than the general population for certain policies, and thus get them installed even when it harms most citizens. Thomas Jefferson said that a nation needs a revolution once a generation to keep it's freedom. Either that or there needs to be a constitutional clause that automatically sunsets all government legislation and agencies every seven or ten years.
EU draft exempts private jets, cargo from jet fuel tax
131–140 of 265 posts
Re: EU draft exempts private jets, cargo from jet fuel tax
#132Earlier quoted context omitted.
Private jets are completely irrelevant to global warming because there are not enough of them. They’re a convenient distraction from the problem that actually curbing global warming will require huge changes in the lifestyle of the global middle class. Not just the super-rich.
> Private jets are completely irrelevant to global warming because there are not enough of them. They probably are irrelevant, so why exempt them? > actually curbing global warming will require huge changes in the lifestyle of the global middle class. Not just the super-rich. I'm of the impression that "middle class lifestyle" itself isn't a big contributor to global warming but rather the manufacture and supply chai…
> They probably are irrelevant, so why exempt them?
Because not exempting them may make it harder to pass the bill?
Re: EU draft exempts private jets, cargo from jet fuel tax
#133I struggle to find one (1) reason for this exemption but political leverage. Embarassing.
Re: EU draft exempts private jets, cargo from jet fuel tax
#134The EU has been completely bonkers for the last few years. Just staggeringly stupid policy I mean look at them literally banning encryption and then this I'm confused but the ppl running the eu are more confused
The EU (especially the Eurozone) was designed when neoliberal paradigm was in fashion (1980s-1990s). That's why currently its core institutions are less democratic than they should be.
I would say the main deciding factor for that was the rejection of the Treaty for Establishing a Constitution for Europe (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_establishing_a_Constitu...), which would have given the European Parliament far more power, in plebiscites in Belgium and France, causing other countries to bail on theirs.
Re: EU draft exempts private jets, cargo from jet fuel tax
#135So, like TAX off-shoring, some airlines will just fill up outside this remit of tax, so your flight from EU to Australia as an example - may have enough fuel to hit the next refuel outside the EU and then carry on, saving lots of money for the airline in what will be a completely legal avoidance move.
Turkey will love this - as they are not an EU member and have just built the biggest airport in the World.
Re: EU draft exempts private jets, cargo from jet fuel tax
#136Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Private jets are completely irrelevant to global warming because there are not enough of them. They probably are irrelevant, so why exempt them? > actually curbing global warming will require huge changes in the lifestyle of the global middle class. Not just the super-rich. I'm of the impression that "middle class lifestyle" itself isn't a big contributor to global warming but rather the manufacture and supply chai…
> They probably are irrelevant, so why exempt them? Because not exempting them may make it harder to pass the bill?
This attitude is how corruption begins.
Re: EU draft exempts private jets, cargo from jet fuel tax
#137Earlier quoted context omitted.
Private jets are completely irrelevant to global warming because there are not enough of them. They’re a convenient distraction from the problem that actually curbing global warming will require huge changes in the lifestyle of the global middle class. Not just the super-rich.
> curbing global warming will require huge changes in the lifestyle of the global middle class. Except it won't. It will cause some large industries to cease to exist though.
If large industries will cease to exist it will cause big rise in unemployment. This will for sure affect lower and middle classes
Re: EU draft exempts private jets, cargo from jet fuel tax
#138Earlier quoted context omitted.
Me dumping a bunch of tyres into a nearby river would be absolutely negligible compared to global pollution, yes it's still not allowed. A single private jet flight is incredibly polluting yet we allow it to be exempt from pollution tax because......on a grand scale it's nothing? Hmmmmmmm.
All of your points are valid. I guess I struggle with the hypocrisy around that fact that if we really want to curb CO2, there is a bigger fish to fry. For example, millions of people travel for pleasure on airplanes. From one point to the otherside of the globe. No one gives a damn about that, but hey! Look, rich people on fancy airplanes. Even just today, GitHub copilot Twitter thread was full of “Rich people (Micr…
It makes sense to consider things on a per-capita basis as well as an in-total basis, because there needs to be some measure of fairness in how we do things.
Re: EU draft exempts private jets, cargo from jet fuel tax
#139I am wondering how these exemptions can be used as a loophole.
Private drivers were one, why not private jets now ?
Re: EU draft exempts private jets, cargo from jet fuel tax
#140Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think that every country deserves a fair opportunity to grow with cheap energy. We took advantage of it, and in the process we created huge externalities. We should clean after our mess first and then try to lecture the developing countries.
By that exact same logic, the next generation of people in every country should be allowed to use as much polluting energy as the last one, because the established generation did so and they are the developing generation.
By the same logic, the next generation of people should have access to the same intact climate as the last one.
Obviously though, you can't have both. The difference here is that rich countries are rich, and can afford to take on the extra financial burden via the very same finances that they obtained via cheap energy.