Greens, Liberals, LOVE High Gasoline Prices

Quite unconcerned with the suffering of his fellow Americans, green lefty blogger Chris Bowers of Open Left is positively delighted that Americans are paying an arm and a leg for their gasoline.

Bowers opines that sky-high gasoline prices constitute a “major progressive victory” and are actually good for America: “Higher gas prices have created a broad shift in American behavior that is good for the environment and good for progressives.” The fact that mass transit ridership is up, while driving is down, helps the environment, he argues.

Bowers contends that increased reliance on mass transit and reduced driving is good because:

* It helps the environment, by reducing our carbon emissions.
* It makes people more invested in social investment programs like mass transit.
* It will stunt, if not stop altogether, population growth in Republican leaning areas like exurbs.
* It creates a positive feedback loop, as the first three points here continue to reinforce each other in an upward spiral.

Bowers’s words help to drive home the point that environmentalism isn’t primarily about saving the planet: it’s about controlling people.