NYC mayor Bloomberg calls for national carbon tax
New York Times blogger Sewell Chan has a detailed post up about New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg's call for a national carbon tax. You might remember how earlier this fall, there was talk of a congestion charge in the Big Apple (didn't happpen) as well as banning all vehicle traffic from Times Square (And, let's not forget the mayor's strange commuting practice, just as an aside). Bloomberg's latest is not something that his city would implement, but is instead an idea for the entire country to try and figure out. He also called for an end to corn-based ethanol subsidies and higher federal fuel efficiency standards along with the carbon tax. Bloomberg, according to Chan, says that a cap-and-trade system is "politically more feasible, but argued that it obscures costs and is less effective than a carbon tax. Based on his decades in Wall Street and as head of his financial services company, Bloomberg L.P., Mr. Bloomberg argued that 'the certainty of a pollution fee - coupled with a tax cut for all Americans - is a much better deal.'"
You can read the entire speech in which Bloomberg talked about the carbon tax (it was delivered at a national mayor's conference in Seattle) over at Chan's post.
Related:
[Source: Sewell Chan / New York Times]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
sally rushton 6:39AM (11/05/2007)
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Tyo 8:21AM (11/05/2007)
Does anyone realize that the icecaps and permafrost on Mars, Saturn,Jupiter and their respective moons are melting as well. Other plants in our solar system are also experiencing "Climate Change", is there any possible way the exhaust from my SUV is causing that?
Climate change exists, as it has for milenia, the planets climate never has and absolutely cannot be static. The sun, and our planet are going through their normal cycles and changes.
Also hate to break it to most people, but YOU ARE MADE OF CARBON! A carbon based tax is a tax on humanity, couple that with the plans of a one-child policy for the US and EU, welcome to the police state.
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Tim 10:00AM (11/05/2007)
It's not really about "global warming" or even about money. It's about CONTROL! The socialists and the neocons will do and say anything to convince the weak minded to “trade” their rights freedoms for the “protection” of a top-down government which is controlled by the global oligarchy of the very wealthy and connected. When friends and families rule, freedom dies…
China which is the world's largest polluter will NOT obey the Kyoto treaty, but the US will and it’s people will suffer for it with millions of lost jobs and a significantly lower standard of living.
Ron Paul on Global Warming: http://pesn.com/2007/11/05/9500456_RonPaul_on_GlobalWarming/
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dhofmann 11:22AM (11/05/2007)
Unfortunately, we don't yet completely understand how humans affect the climate. Until we do, shouldn't we try to limit our impact on the planet?
It's easier to conserve an egg than to uncook one.
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Snark 12:09PM (11/05/2007)
"Does anyone realize that the icecaps and permafrost on Mars, Saturn,Jupiter and their respective moons are melting as well."
Actually, no, they're not. Mars' southern hemisphere is warming, because it's now summer there. Saturn and Jupiter are not warming; their upper cloud tops are changing chemically. Various moons are experiencing climate shifts of different types. And none of that has anything to do with Earth, which is fundamentally different in its atmospheric chemistry and orbital geometry. Equating climates on other planets - all vastly different from our own - is retarded. They're not even substantially equivalent.
"Climate change exists, as it has for milenia, the planets climate never has and absolutely cannot be static. "
Way to point out the obvious. The difference is that this change is outside the historical range of variability in its magnitude and severity. The climate always varies - but it never varies this much or this fast. That's the whole point.
"The sun, and our planet are going through their normal cycles and changes."
They are not. This has been demonstrated for fifteen years; Stott et al 1999 was the final nail in the coffin for this particular assertion. This isn't normal, because it can't be explained through the normal factors that influence climate. The sun's output hasn't changed, volcano activity hasn't increased, geological carbon emission is unchanged, sunspots can't explain it, orbital wobbles can't explain it. The only thing that can explain it, the only thing that's changed enough to force the climate to warm, is human CO2 emission.
If you're going to hold an opinion on science, you're going to have to educate yourself enough to hold an opinion that holds weight. Your arguments hold no weight to anybody with even a passing understanding of the climate, and the tired old "this is normal" argument could only be trotted out by an ignorant buffoon.
Go educate yourself. Read RealClimate.com, for a starter. If you're going to presume to hold an opinion, understand the science first. As it stands, we've got the chessboard out and you're playing whack a mole. Either that, or you're just another willfully ignorant political extremist who thinks his opinion (or rather, what you hear on talk radio and adopt as your opinion) trumps science. Not the case. Science is not an opinion-based enterprise, and unless you know what the hell you're talking about, shut up and stop wasting everybody's time.
"Also hate to break it to most people, but YOU ARE MADE OF CARBON! A carbon based tax is a tax on humanity"
It's a carbon emission tax. Good GOD you are dense. It's not a tax on carbon in general, it's a tax on carbon coming out of tailpipes.
What are you, some total intellectual failure? Or is your obvious political bias blinding you to the glaringly obvious?
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Tim 12:49PM (11/05/2007)
Snark, you need to educate yourself…
If we tax carbon emissions, will it stop or slow "global warming?" Who knows?
If we tax carbon emissions, will it increase the cost of goods and services to the poor and middle class? Yes. ALL costs are always paid by the end consumer.
Who will get the money if we tax carbon emissions? Politicians will use the money to buy campaign contributions from lobbyists and rich corporations.
Will more manufacturing jobs be lost to Communist China who ignores "international regulations” so they can produce goods cheaper?" Yes.
Will trade deficits increase? Yes
Will public and private debt increase? Yes
Will more land and water be used to produce fuel for cars instead of feeding people? Yes
Why concentrate on “global warming”? http://www.rense.com/general76/holhoax.htm
Richard Haass, the current president of the Council on Foreign Relations, stated in his article 'State Sovereignty Must be Altered in Globalized Era,' that a system of world government must be created and sovereignty eliminated in order to fight global warming, as well as terrorism. 'Moreover, states must be prepared to cede some sovereignty to world bodies if the international system is to function,' says Haass. 'Globalization thus implies that sovereignty is not only becoming weaker in reality, but that it needs to become weaker. States would be wise to weaken sovereignty in order to protect themselves...' Everyone, regardless of your position on global warming or the environment, must take into consideration the solutions that we are being given, as well as the forces behind them which seek to create a global system of domination and control."
Which 2008 presidential candidates are members of the CRF and are in favor of the North American Union which will dissolve US Sovereignty and constitutionally protected rights & freedoms? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vo5CZvD3-QM
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Snark 1:05PM (11/05/2007)
"Snark, you need to educate yourself…"
I've already got a PhD in the field. You still want to argue with me?
"If we tax carbon emissions, will it stop or slow "global warming?" Who knows?"
No. Nobody is willing to take the steps required to stop or slow global warming.
I'm not taking a position on carbon taxes. I think they're probably ineffectual, but I lack the economics credentials to make my evaluation of that particular issue relevant. I'm taking the very strong position that global warming is real, is happening, and that if people are going to hold opinions on the topic they damn well better be informed opinions - because there's way too much riding on energy and environmental policy to have the debate muddied by partisan idiots. Any debate must start from the basic science behind global warming - and that science is very conclusive and extremely convincing.
Also, if you want me to take you seriously - or anybody to take you seriously - do not quote rense.com as a source of information and commentary. Hysterical conspiracy theories are out of place in a discussion of science and policy.
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Tim 3:21PM (11/05/2007)
Snark - I find it difficult to believe that you have a PhD in any field since you resort to name calling any opponent. As we all know, name calling is a tool of the ignorant and maybe even the stupid. No, I’m not calling you either. Then again, I’ve spent enough time with professors to know that a PhD doesn’t necessarily mean that intelligence is also present.
Is the earth warming? Yes. Is man the primary causal factor? Yes, if you also believe that cave men ended the last ice age with all those damn campfires.
As a doctor, I’m sure that you have an open mind and a strong craving for information. Therefore for your further study and review, I have attached a link to 224 articles regarding the Global Warming Hoax including an internal call to review the corrupt IPCC's policies and procedures.
http://technorati.com/tag/Global%20Warming%20Hoax
Then again, real knowledge is often called heresy by religious zealots. To some the world will forever remain even flat and others will happily trade their only cow for a hand full of magic beans.
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