This Is What We Mean By 'Big Government'

This gem comes courtesy of the Daily Mail in Great Britain. Apparently, their "Environmental Audit Committee" thinks a personal carbon credit system should be made mandatory - meaning the government tells people how much carbon they are allowed to use each year, and gives them a credit card to keep track of it. Every time you buy gas, you'd have to swipe the carbon card to make sure you haven't gone over your limit. Every time your heating bill comes in, it zaps your carbon allotment. The system could even extend to buying food.

Sounds like a great idea! Unfortunately, the rest of the government isn't quite on board yet, saying it's wonderful, but maybe a bit ahead of its time.

A Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs report into the scheme found it would cost between £700million and £2billion to set up and up to another £2billion a year to run.

The scheme would penalise those living in the countryside who were dependent on their cars, as well as the elderly or housebound who need to heat their homes in the day.

Large families would suffer, as would those working at nights when little public transport is available.

It would need to take into account the size of families, and their ages. There is huge potential for fraud.

Matthew Elliott of the Taxpayers' Alliance said the cards would be hugely unpopular. 'The Government has shown itself incapable of managing any huge, complex IT system.' he said.

Or, you could just do us all a favor and end your life now. With fewer of you carbon pigs out there there'd be more to go around for the rest of us.