I know I'm old-fashioned, but I remember a thing called the U.S. Constitution.

The Obama administration has floated a transportation authorization bill that would require the study and implementation of a plan to tax automobile drivers based on how many miles they drive.

That Constitution contains a list of things called enumerated powers, and things not on that list, like controlling people's movements in their vehicles - whether horse, carriage, or internal combustion engine - would not be included as one of those areas that the states assign the federal government power over.

The plan is a part of the administration's Transportation Opportunities Act, an undated draft of which was obtained this week by Transportation Weekly.

The White House, however, said the bill is only an early draft that was not formally circulated within the administration.

The fact that they're floating such a thing means there remains a small pang of conscience - which means a little shred of America remains alive.

“This is not an administration proposal," White House spokeswoman Jennifer Psaki said. "This is not a bill supported by the administration. This was an early working draft proposal that was never formally circulated within the administration, does not taken into account the advice of the president’s senior advisers, economic team or Cabinet officials, and does not represent the views of the president.”

But, oh, how gleeful they must be over the idea!

Among other things, CBO suggested that a vehicle miles traveled (VMT) tax could be tracked by installing electronic equipment on each car to determine how many miles were driven; payment could take place electronically at filling stations. The CBO report was requested by Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), who has proposed taxing cars by the mile as a way to increase federal highway revenues.

We are hanging by a thread.