Raise the speed limit, save speeders bail money

State Sen. Tom Reynolds (R-West Allis) is on a roll. He just keeps talking.

We mentioned his proposal to raise the freeway speed limit to 75 in Wisconsin the other day, with his rationale: Everybody drives that fast anyway, so let's legalize it. (His bill to legalize marijuana is still in the Legislative Reference Bureau for drafting, I think.)

In an Appleton Post-Crescent story, he offers some more reasons to go to 75:

1. They have a 75 limit in a bunch of other states. Like Utah, where Reynolds plans to vacation this summer. U. Utah Phillips, folksinger and raconteur, used to say he was from Utah, "Where the men are men and the sheep are nervous, trying to stay away from the Mormons and the Republicans." But, hey, if everybody's doing it, let's legalize it.

2. It would save people money on speeding tickets. Yes, he really said that. As one sophisticated political insider said in an e-mail (I just say that so he'll keep sending me stuff), why not reduce fines for embezzlement and make Wisconsin more business friendly? Or lower drunk driving fines, which are really expensive. Or eliminate traffic fines altogether and save everybody a bundle. Or quit writing speeding tickets. Etc. etc.

Do you detect a flaw in the argument, or is it just me?

Maybe the money speeders save on speeding tickets could help pay for the extra gas they'll use. Mileage decreases rapidly if you drive over 60, the EPA says. Every 5 miles an hour you drive over 60 is like adding 15 cents a gallon to the cost of gasoline, which is plenty high already.