http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/responsible-fuel-and

This is a petition designed to take advantage of the freeing up of domestic oil reserves enacted by President Bush. Among his arguably dubious actions while in office, this action has had the fortunate effect of undermining dangerous oil regimes such as Russian President Putin’s. By reducing global demand, the cost of oil per barrel has been brought down to a level which has put pressure on oil based economies and their often oppressive governing regimes. Such a trend, if pressed to continue, could force such nations to abandon adventurism in foreign affairs and force the development of domestic industries which would encourage the growth of a professional class, that is, a middle-class educated and capable of playing a greater role in their own governance. A role, no doubt, which would eschew the sending of their children into military engagements; a role which would press for greater employment and educational opportunities in their own societies; a role which would stifle a dangerous political power-vacuum at the lowest levels of the society–the likes of which, on which, oppressive regimes thrive.

Domestically, an increased fuel tax would at once create revenues to create jobs planning, repairing and rebuilding our aging infrastructure, curtail irresponsible consumption habits, while preventing oil companies from raising fuel prices to achieve again record industry profits–not to mention the potential for favorable environmental effects. Also, by raising the fuel tax we could encourage the end of pillaging and exploitation of vulnerable communities too weak economically and politically to protect themselves from the arrival of mega-manufacturing operations which can set up anywhere in the poorest most remote places because cheap shipping costs give them access to markets across the globe, and much more easily across the country. We could encourage the growth of a diaspora of manufacturing, reviving small towns with smaller operations easier for the local politicians and citizenry to bargain with for fair employment practices, in an effort on behalf of these manufacturers to defray shipping costs. Such a trend could be aided by interstate shipping taxes.
Finally, such a move would knock lobbying interests opposed to a comprehensive rail system “Great Works” improvement program back on their heels. Bring the fight to them! Force them to innovate rather than waste the resources of our economy, their profits, on lobbying to keep things the way they are despite the unreasonableness of their antiquated strategies and interests. Change is not going to come from those with money and power, it must come from those of us who can see what is going on and are capable of acting thoughtfully in the interests of our own fate and future.