At Least Dem Socialists Don't Pose as Pro-Capitalists

In case anyone needs reminding that we do not actually have a pro-capitalist  political party in the United States, the Washington Times has run an eye-opening editorial which took even me by surprise. The piece, by Gerard Scimeca of Consumer Action for a Strong Economy, critiques a Republican-sponsored, economy-wide carbon tax bill with automatic increases above the rate of inflation baked in. Scimeca is absolutely correct to point out that this measure is absolutely not "free market" despite disingenuous efforts by some Republicans to tout it as such:

An unidentified Republican friend of the carbon tax (left) is seen sniffing around Lady Liberty. (Image via Wikimedia Commons.)

Even Canada, which nobody will confuse with a red state, wants nothing to do with the idea. Canadians are in near revolt over Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's carbon tax, slated to take effect next year. Provincial ministers have called it a "job killer" and a "cash grab" by Ottawa they say will drive investment out of their region and depress their economy. Politicians there who have vowed to fight the carbon tax have surged in the polls. When Republican politicians find themselves to the left of foreign environmental ministers, perhaps that is a sign they've taken a detour off the free-market freeway.

Still, Mr. Curbelo is not the only Republican promoting a carbon tax. The Climate Leadership Council (CLC) recently released its own plan to push for carbon tax legislation. Backed by big funders and well-known Republicans George Schultz and James Baker, the CLC is doing the heavy lifting in the orchestrated plan to rebrand the tax as "conservative" and "market-based," but a more thorough examination exposes it as the exact opposite. In fact, if you take a closer look, the Climate Leadership Council's proposed plan is just a repurposed version of legislation introduced earlier this year by Democrats, Sen. Chris Van Hollen and Rep. Don Beyer, two of the most liberal members of Congress.

Please do read the whole thing, and spread the word.

-- CAV