Right on the policy but dead wrong on the politics
In “A carbon tax is an effective and progressive solution for climate change. Why won’t Democrats embrace it?” the Post is right on the policy but dead wrong on the politics.
On the policy: A strong fee on carbon emissions would harness markets to help America achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. It ought to be a cornerstone of comprehensive climate legislation. Indeed, that is why I have led the fight for a carbon fee in the Senate.
On the politics: The fossil fuel industry funds a vast machine of climate denial. Recently, a report from scientists at Harvard, the University of Bristol, and George Mason University describes how the fossil fuel industry “actively orchestrate[s] and fund[s] denial and disinformation so as to stifle action and protect its status quo business operations.” The (so-called) U.S. Chamber of Commerce — the biggest lobbying spender in Washington — has been a key attack dog in that machine. The nonpartisan watchdog Influence Map just issued a report showing the Chamber to be one of the worst obstructors of climate action in America. Few Republicans will admit this is even a problem and no Senate Republican supports a comprehensive solution. The problem is Democratic candidates not signing on to a specific carbon price? I think not.
