I think Friedman has been reading EJ's book....

[metalman]

Re: I think Friedman has been reading EJ's book....

I'm a little confused because I don't think this a rip off of EJ at all. He says many of the same things he has always said. For example, May 2010:

"I suggested a $1-a-gallon ''Patriot Tax'' on gasoline that could have simultaneously reduced our deficit, funded basic science research, diminished our dependence on oil imported from the very countries whose citizens carried out 9/11, strengthened the dollar, stimulated energy efficiency and renewable power and slowed climate change."

Moreover, the generic comments about making America competitive again are repeated ad naseum throughout establishment mainstream economic forums.

agree. first time i saw the oil import tax for all these goodies was...

[ST]

Re: I think Friedman has been reading EJ's book....

agree. first time i saw the oil import tax for all these goodies was...

January 6th, 2006
The New Red, White & Blue - Thomas Friedman, NY Times

"We need a president and a Congress with the guts not just to invade Iraq, but to also impose a gasoline tax and inspire conservation at home. That takes a real energy policy with long-term incentives for renewable energy - wind, solar, biofuels - rather than the welfare-for-oil-companies-and-special-interests that masqueraded last year as an energy bill."

or how about

Expert View: Cheney has chance to pour oil on troubled waters
By Mark Tinker
Sunday, 23 October 2005

The current economic situation presents a perfect opportunity to solve most of America's problems all at once. In one move the US government could act to slow wasteful energy consumption; encourage development of alternative energy sources; improve the budget deficit; and - ultimately - reduce the trade deficit. What's more, it could seriously reduce the perceived geopolitical risk to the US economy by removing its dependency on Middle Eastern oil, and reduce the diplomatic strains due to emerge as a result of competing with China for energy in Russia, Africa and South America.

The move? An oil import tax. If the US government were to move now and lock in current crude prices as a minimum, then while the US consumer would forgo a windfall from lower oil prices going forward, the US producer would gain sufficient confidence to invest in the more expensive developments such as tar sands and oil shale. With no prospect of gasoline going below $2 (£1.25) a gallon, the US consumer would increasingly adopt more fuel-efficient cars (appealing to the environmentalists), as well as more alternative sources of energy.