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It’s a fat regressive tax at a time when the lower working class is already rebelling. Invest more in technology and instead increase subsidies and build transm
by rhegart 7y ago
It’s a fat regressive tax at a time when the lower working class is already rebelling. Invest more in technology and instead increase subsidies and build transmission lines
- dwaltrip 7y agoYou can make it non-regressive by paying a dividend that is funded by the carbon tax revenues. This is also a possible mechanism for making it revenue-neutral, which could be politically advantageous. I believe the common name for this approach is "fee and dividend". I'm surprised I don't see it discussed very much. I would think that it should be palatable across the political spectrum.
- skitout 7y agoCarbon generates negative externalities paid by everyone : current system heavily subsidies carbon (and many polluting stuff)... IMF says "Globally, subsidies remained large at $4.7 trillion" https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WP/Issues/2019/05/02/Global-Fossil-Fuel-Subsidies-Remain-Large-An-Update-Based-on-Country-Level-Estimates-46509 https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WP/Issues/2019/05/02/Glo... Seems a fat regressive subsidie...
- tonyedgecombe 7y agoI don't think the poor are emitting that much CO2, they aren't getting on a plane to Bali for their holidays or driving to the Hamptons every weekend. The solution is to shift taxes and benefits rather than just adding new ones.
- imtringued 7y agoWorking examples of carbon taxes are revenue neutral by design but people don't understand that it would redistribute the money to low income people who can't afford e.g. expensive international flights. They would rather have no tax instead. So nothing will happen unless it happens through a backdoor.