The climate certainly has changed on its own in the past. It has also changed enough to have nearly wiped all life on Earth. What caused those changes in the past? Scientists know it was greenhouse gasses. When the gasses increased, the planet became warmer. When they decreased, the Earth became cooler. Sometimes it was sudden, sometimes it was gradual. With sudden changes came mass extinctions. Scientists also know that since the industrial revolution we are spewing CO2 into the atmosphere at an artificially high rate. But even if you do not believe me or the overwhelming number of scientists don't you think it is best to err on the side of caution when it comes to taking care of our planet?
Of course we should be good stewards of the only planet we have. But I think we should be focusing on doing so without damaging the economy on which so many people depend on for the essentials of life (unless of course you volunteer to be the first).
Also, we will have to recognize that even if we do magically eliminate all CO2 emissions, that it still may not have any significant impact on climate, that the warming period would continue regardless, but none of the climate redistributionists want to even talk about that, and it's as valid as the other side of the coin.
It is not.
Unfamiliar with this argument. Link?
This whole "cratering the economy" argument is just a scare tactic. We do not need to destroy the economy or return to a paleo lifestyle to repair the damage.
If you hike energy prices, who, exactly do you think is going to carry the largest part of the cost burden? That'd be the middle class.
Not only will the middle class be paying more for the energy they use in their homes for heating, cooling, cooking and so on, they'll also be paying more for having the mere privilege of moving about using their cars and trucks. They'll also be hit with price increases for all the food and goods they buy because the transportation and manufacturing consume energy and their costs will go up and be directly passed long to the middle class.
Which is the largest segment of the population that purchases the most goods and services? That'd be the middle class. So I'm not seeing how it's unavoidable to crater the economy by putting yet more cost burden on the already stretched thin and struggling middle class.
To pretend that this excessively regressive energy tax isn't going to have a detrimental impact on the economy is pretty much sticking your head in the sand, reducing, if not eliminating, credibility.
Why not a special 'climate change tax' on those who purport to believe in this? I see it as just as fair.
