From the "bad idea gets worse" department

Naturally, government is involved:

A House committee chairman said Tuesday that he wants Congress to enact a mileage-based tax on cars and trucks to pay for highway programs now rather than wait years to test the idea.

Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn., said he believes the technology exists to implement a mileage tax. He said he sees no point in waiting years for the results of pilot programs since such a tax system is inevitable as federal gasoline tax revenues decline.

Naturally the idea involves more inventive ways for government to take more money from the individual. The idea of course gets worse:

The tax would entail equipping vehicles with GPS technology to determine how many miles a car has been driven and whether on interstate highways or secondary roads. The devices would also calculate the amount of tax owed.

This presents a conundrum for hard-bitten statists: all in favour of the take more money bit, but even the most dense leftist might have a brief (note, brief) mental flicker in terms of the abuse awaiting such GPS tracking information in the hands of government.

Every good story needs a touch of levity though:

"At this point there are a lot of things that are under consideration and there is also a strong need to find revenue," Oberstar spokesman Jim Berard said. "A vehicle miles-traveled tax is a logical complement, and perhaps a future replacement, for fuel taxes."

"perhaps a future replacement"? Perhaps? Hilarious, one of the best bits of comedy to come out of a governmentalist mouth-piece in some time. No doubt delivered deadpan-style with a truly straight face.