In this Episode of The GRID, host Chris Kuhlmann compares the Federal Government’s economic solutions to the children’s game, Whackamole.

SHOW NOTES Some Details

• Gas tax
• Federal Tax – 18.4 cents/gallon
• State Tax (Illinois) – 59.56 cents/gallon - 78 cents/gallon
  • History of Gas Tax – June 6 Revenue Act of 1932
  • Current Federal Tax: 18.46 cents/gallon for regular unleaded
• Efficiency Standard for Gas Mileage has gone yo-yo over the years.
• 1 Barrel of oil yields 20 gallons
• US Travelers – miles driven per year
  • 40 years ago 1.5 Trillion per year
  • Today 3.2 Trillion miles per year

Whackamole Effect – Unintended Consequences

A solution for one issue causes a problem in another area.

• Tax dollars raised by fuel tax go to the Highway Trust Fund to build and maintain roads. Increasing fuel efficiency decreases tax revenue because less gas is needed, fewer taxes are paid. fewer taxes means fewer dollars for building and repairs. Fuel efficiency drives tax revenue down. The perfect storm. Decreasing our dependence on fossil fuels is detrimental to revenue for roads and bridges where travel has more than doubled in 40 years.
• Abortion up (dead citizens who don’t pay taxes) - Social Security contribution down (fewer paying in because they are dead)
• Covid-19 Lockdowns – Mission: flatten the curve > quickly became eradicate the disease (mentality – no grater mission for our country (government’s mentality)

Unintended Consequences?

• 45% Adults who lost income avoided medical treatment

• 1/3 who did not loose their jobs didn’t get treatment

• 40% age 18-24 suicidal thoughts up from 3% prior

• 5% in Opioid deaths

• 60% higher depression

A White Paper was written by the Center for the Study of the Administrative State of the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University, titled the Unintended Health Consequences of the Lockdown.

On page 3 the writer says, “Rather than invoking Newton's Third Law, "for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction," the principle for unintended consequences should be called the Law of Whackamole.”

CREDITS

Host: Chris Kuhlmann

Written by: Chris Kuhlmann

Produced & Directed by: Shaun Griffin

Music composed by JD Kuhlmann

Art: Shaun Griffin

Sound: Shaun Griffin

Sponsor: Mercantile Mountain

Be sure to visit www.mercantilemountain.com

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