Among the fond memories of President George H.W. Bush last week were those reminding us that the environment used to be an issue of top concern for all Americans, regardless of political affiliation.
Our 41st President campaigned in 1988 as an “environmental president.” He said, “Those who think we are powerless to do anything about the greenhouse effect are forgetting about the White House effect.”
Bush made passage of the Clean Air Act, which targeted acid rain and smog, a high priority. With great determination he employed a combination of complex science and market based mechanisms to create the cap-and-trade program responsible for reducing the role of dirty coal in our energy supply.
At present, there is another opportunity to employ a bi-partisan market-based mechanism to address the current challenge of climate change: a bill called the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividends Act in the U. S. House of Representatives.
This bill was crafted by conservatives and liberals working together, and is co-sponsored by 3 Republicans and 3 Democrats. It would impose a fee on carbon fuels that would shift the economics of energy toward carbon-free sources and provide a monthly dividend check to every household to recoup increased fuel prices.
Of course, the fate of the bill depends on Congressional politics, but the role of political will should not be underestimated. Particularly in the House of Representatives, constituent voices are supposed to be listened to and acted upon. We should share our good will with them freely!
Now is the time for us to re-unite on behalf of the earth’s environment. This is our true common ground, in every sense, and in every tense —past, present and future. Our children’s children will surely agree.
Cynthia Stancioff
Chesterville
Funding for climate change is a total scam. If you are concerned about the environment then by all means do your part. I’m sick of US tax payers spending billions of dollars to fund a global agendas. We give other countries money to battle climate change and I have yet to see any results. I don’t consider myself a climate denier but I do have concerns with government thinking they can do something about it. My question is: how can you trust government to allocate funds properly given their long track record of corruption and mismanagement. I get that humans contribute to climate change but its not just Americans. Our so called leaders of the global agenda just dispensed so much jet emissions going to the last climate change summit they essentially wiped out anything we citizens could have saved on our own personal emissions for a year. Bunch of money hungry hypocrites is what they are. Do your part but don’t trust the government .
We all know climate change is happening. We also know theres no quick fix. This massive new tax would indirectly impose a huge burden on those of us least able to pay it. The cost would be passed on. Everything in our lives depends on energy and it would become more costly as a result of this tax. The so called dividend checks wouldn’t begin to balance it out. Estimates show a $25 per ton carbon tax would cost a family of four an additional $1900 a year. It would increase gasoline by 50cents a gallon. This tax starts out at $15 but increases by $10 a year. In ten years that’s $100 a ton $7600 per family. $2 more per gallon for gas. Do you really think the government will give us that much in Dividends? Come on people “were from the government and we are here to help” is a lie. We, the working class will suffer and the climate will continue changing. As it always has.
This isn’t about the environment. It’s about a bunch of millionaires and billionaires who own multiple palatial estates and fly about in their own private jets looking to scrape more money from those below them in the name of the environment.
Look no further than France to see the depths these people will drag us to.
No amount of taxation will even begin to solve the ‘current challenge of climate change’ these people are claiming to be trying to solve. It will only add to the miseries of the working class through higher fuel cost and a smaller income.
If you want to save the earth, cut out the middle man (governments, foundations, etc.) and DO IT YOURSELF, and perhaps if you are true to your ways, unlike the rich big shots who tell everyone else to downsize yet blow off more carbon emissions than dozens of households combined, you will bring others to follow in your stead willingly rather than through force.
It’s sad to see taxpayers cheering for this scheme’s passage. Our children’s children won’t even realize the supposed positive effects of this bill, as they would be too busy working trying to make ends meet while being mired in taxes signed by elites in the name of the environment that are sure to come once this Pandora’s Box is opened.
Again, remember France. The oppressive carbon tax from the Paris Accords (on top of the general high taxes imposed by a Socialist government) is what brought these people to the point of rioting in the streets. I wish we would learn from them before it’s too late.
Cheers,
Shamus
Re: Lack of trust in the government
“Since the 1970s, trust in government has been consistently higher among members of the party that controls the White House than among the opposition party. However, Republicans have been much more reactive than Democrats to changes in political power. Republicans have expressed much higher levels of trust during Republican than during Democratic presidencies, while Democrats’ attitudes have tended to be more consistent, regardless of which party controls the White House.” http://www.people-press.org/2017/12/14/public-trust-in-government-1958-2017/
Sadly, political polarization hinders our progress. “We the people” has lost its positivity in these partisan times.
Anyone who thinks this tax is a good idea should take a long hard look at France. Enough said.
The only thing the democrats on the hill are consistent about is unifying no matter right or wrong and It doesn’t look like any them trust the current president (resist,at any cost). Many Republicans (never Trumpers) refuse to trust as well. Currently the only person I trust IS our current president. Transparency has never been better. It’s awesome to see the establishment squirm when they are required to debate in a public forum. With the help of main stream media they all have been getting away with lying so long they don’t know how to act and they are freaking. I love it.
Example: He said “if we don’t get we want i’ll be proud to shut down government”. WE, meaning We the people. All the opposition talking points and the media immediately claimed he said “I”. as if to indicate it was all about him. See how just by changing one word they can re-direct the narrative. This happens every day all day long and it’s not just with Trump. The headlines are misleading on just about any subject in order to push a democrat globalist agenda. Sometimes flat out lies with no accountability. CNN should be banned.
Chuck and Nancy are the 2 of the most hypocritical biased political hacks out there. There is no arguing that.
Abolish the 2 Parties!
Tim, love it, couldn’t agree more!
Before he died the best liberals could say about H.W. was he was a perverted butt grabber. Now suddenly he’ a champion of the environment? Tim says it perfectly.