Earth Equity News

Support the Carbon Tax Bill. Commentary by Scott Baker, OpEdNews, September 28, 2009. "If you are concerned about Global Warming, AND want a bill that can actually pass the rural-dominated Senate, and is not regressive, you should support HR 1337, which taxes polluters directly for their carbon emissions. The alternative currently favored by the Administration, Cap and Trade HR 2454, would issue permits to companies in a complicated exchange scheme whereby they would get some permits for free - actually, quite a lot in the early years, quite possibly enough to pollute with CO2 MORE than the currently do - and be able to buy more permits from companies or countries engaged in Green initiatives - like planting trees, erecting Wind Turbines etc. The problem is that these permits might be obtained for things their Green counterparties were going to do anyway, negating the positive effect of Cap and Trade... The alternative HR 1337, would be a straight tax on carbon that would return 96% of the money collected directly to the taxpayer, on a pro-rated basis in order to reduce the burden of regressive taxes like the payroll tax. In Al Gore's Vernacular, it would 'Tax what you Burn, not what you Earn.' The non-profit Carbon Tax Center answers 30 FAQs as to why a direct Carbon Tax is better than the byzantine Cap and Trade scheme."