Probably because It would be a royal pain to determine whether Exxon, Mobil, Duke Energy and other subsidized oil and power companies deserve precedence over the institutionalized duopoly on power held by the Democratic and Republican parties.

While Democratic and Republican gubernatorial candidates argue over who does or doesn't support a vicious conspiracy theorist at a church in Chicago, North Carolin Libertarian candidate Mike Munger is writing op-eds.

I was doing a live television interview. An earnest young woman had a question: "I'm a student, and I have a lot of bills. I'm finding it harder and harder to buy gas for my car. As governor, what would you do to cut gas prices for students like me?"

This question is common, but still my mind raced: What could she possibly mean? No one, not the president, not even Coach K or ol' Roy, can control gas prices. Further, as a matter of policy, our gas prices are, if anything, too low. The only way people are going to cut back on carbon emissions, and use less oil, is if gas prices rise and we all have real incentives to conserve.

So, I gave my usual answer: "Thanks for the question! I think our real problem isn't gas prices. It's gravity. It's not fair that I can't dunk a basketball, since I'm 6 foot 1. And lots of other North Carolinians are short, and couldn't dunk if they had a trampoline. So, I'm proposing a selective suspension of gravity, with short or non-jumping people getting the biggest boost."

OK, I didn't really say that, but I wish I had. Because the idea of legislating gravity is just as sensible as suspending the laws of supply and demand in fuel markets…

The author, a professor in political science at Duke University, has written something well worth reading in its entirety for any who may be interested in how government distorts the energy market before a penny of gas tax is paid. Even if the governor of North Carolina can't do a damned thing about the price of gas, it's refreshing to find a candidate willing to say so.

Last 5 posts by Patrick Non-White

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