CBS - Officials in car-clogged California are so worried they may be considering a replacement for the gas tax altogether, replacing it with something called "tax by the mile."

Great. That's all the citizens of California need. A tax that will tax their movement.

Seeing tax dollars dwindling, neighboring Oregon has already started road testing the idea.

"Drivers will get charged for how many miles they use the roads, and it's as simple as that," says engineer David Kim.

Kim and his team at Oregon State University equipped a test car with a global positioning device to keep track of its mileage. Eventually, every car would need one.

So not only is the government going to tax movement, it's also going to track your movement. I can't see this going over well with the general public at first. But over time people will come to believe that it's perfectly acceptable for the government to track your vehicle. Watch for this program to start as a simple counter in one's car. It will become a mandated tracking tool later as the public becomes more palatable to the idea.

Just think of the coming arguments! "Saving the environment" and "fighting terrorism". This one is going to get ugly.

Update:

Think of what this is going to do for common courtesy. One will think twice before lending that car out to a friend. If a time tax for certain clogged freeways gets implemented, expect road rage to soar.