How is `auto` and not `alias` appropriate for alias sequences?

[ZombineDev via Digitalmars-d]

On Friday, 11 December 2015 at 14:56:01 UTC, ZombineDev wrote:
> On Friday, 11 December 2015 at 14:25:45 UTC, Timon Gehr wrote:
>> On 12/11/2015 03:12 PM, ZombineDev wrote:
>>>
>>> alias can refer to types, templates, template argument lists 
>>> and
>>> compile-time expressions. It can't refer to run-time 
>>> variables.
>>
>> Yes it can.
>>
>> void main(){
>>     int x=0;
>>     alias y=x;
>>     y=2;
>>     assert(x==2)
>> }
>>
>> It cannot refer to a field or method of a runtime variable 
>> though (it still compiles, but the 'this' reference is just 
>> thrown away).
>
> Yeah, I forgot to add that it can refer to symbols. Using this 
> featue, you can implement a pass by name function (in addition 
> to pass by value and pass by reference / address).

To clarify: By using alias you can refer to one symbol through 
another name.
So alias can refer to variables, but not to values.
Currently, I think this is restricted to only symbols of run-time 
variables in the same scope (same function, same class, etc.) - 
only one level of indirection.