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‘Burn the witch,’ and slap a mileage tax on the blue wave
Republicans suffered a sweeping defeat in the US midterms, losing control of both chambers of Congress and several competitive governor’s races. The opinion writer argues that dissatisfaction with living costs, a perceived new war and concerns about corruption helped drive the losses.
The column also discusses the public treatment of former Theranos chief executive Elizabeth Holmes, arguing that her fraud case has been used to shield other technology founders from scrutiny. It criticises California governor-elect Xavier Becerra for saying a mileage tax on electric-vehicle drivers should be considered, citing the state’s high petrol tax and poorly ranked roads; the writer also raises concerns about mileage tracking.
In short
- Republicans lost Congress and key governor’s races.
- The writer links the defeat to economic and political concerns.
- Becerra said a mileage tax should be considered in California.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters of a mileage tax argue that electric vehicles still use roads, while declining petrol-tax receipts leave a gap in funding their upkeep; charging by distance could link contributions more closely to road use. They may favour it as a way to maintain transport infrastructure as more drivers switch away from petrol, provided the system protects privacy and treats motorists fairly.
The case against
Opponents argue that a mileage tax could add to costs for drivers who have already paid a premium for electric vehicles, especially where fuel and other taxes are already high. They also raise legitimate concerns that tracking mileage could intrude on privacy, and that government should demonstrate better road management before imposing a new charge.
Explained simply
The US Congress has two chambers: the House of Representatives and the Senate. Midterm elections take place halfway through a president’s four-year term, and voters also choose many state governors. Control of Congress affects which laws can pass and how closely the president’s administration is scrutinised.
Elizabeth Holmes founded Theranos, a blood-testing company that collapsed after claims about its technology were challenged; she was convicted of fraud. Xavier Becerra is California’s governor-elect in the account described here. The column connects the election results and these figures to wider debates about trust in technology companies, public spending and how governments pay for roads.
California raises money for roads partly through tax on petrol, while electric cars use little or none of it. A mileage tax would charge drivers according to how far they travel, but measuring distance can raise questions about privacy as well as fairness and road funding.