Mels de Zeeuw:

I’m writing to you about an issue which has infuriated me and I’m hoping that you would make a mention of it on your blog to show the dangers of the loss of freedom.

Suppose I were to tell you that in Holland you will be forced, by the government, to install a gps tracking device in your car. Every Dutch car will need to have one of these boxes installed, which will transmit information about your speed, whereabouts, the time you drove somewhere and the distance you drove. You’d think that I was a crazy conspiracy theorist…but actually this will be law in 2012 in Holland. Starting from that year Dutch drivers will need to pay 3 cents per kilometer in a tax to the government (rising to 6.7% in 2018). All in the name of countering heavy traffic and for the environment. While 2 other taxes on cars are abolished, no one seriously believes the government’s claim that it will keep tax revenue the same. This will constitute an enormous tax hike. Something which we already overtaxed Dutch people can hardly bear.

Also the government assures us that they will not look at the information gathered by the boxes. No one seriously believes this either. Keep in mind, as bad as things are in America…they are worse over here.

Sources (in Dutch):

The Dutch Ministry of Traffic:
http://www.verkeerenwaterstaat.nl/onderwerpen/mobiliteit_en_bereikbaarheid/kilometerprijs/hoe_werkt_de_kilometerprijs/privacy/

http://www.rtl.nl/(/actueel/rtlnieuws/binnenland/)/components/actueel/rtlnieuws/2009/11_november/13/binnenland/kabinet-akkoord-over-kilometerprijs.xml

The Best of Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr.