Pay the Tax
It's, April 15, tax day here in the US, and Eli and Brian have been thinking about how to save the world.
Everybunny knows that a carbon tax is the best way to minimize the damage from climate change that is coming, and we all know that the chance of a real carbon tax anywhere depends on changing the political climate.
The elevator version is that it is fairly simple to calculate one's own emissions, just electricity, heating and fuel (yes, there are other things, but that is not a bad estimate and fudge factors can always be added). With those three number and the amount of CO2 generated for each (easy to find on the net) one can pick a price of carbon of one's liking and calculate the tax on your cell phone (Millenials), spreadsheed (GenX) or the back of an envelope (folks as old as Eli)
Eli will even provide a Google Sheet to calculate the tax. The example covers what we used in the hutch in March.
Since this sheet is live, Eli is going to paste the initial values at the bottom of this post so that anybunny can check if somebunny messes about with it, but the structure it should be trivial to reproduce.
With the spreadsheet you can calculate your own personal carbon tax. Donate that amount to people who will change the political climate and to support mitigation in the underdeveloped world. Split it as you like, but let the people and organizations you donate to know WHY you are donating.
Using Eli Rabett's handy dandy Carbon Tax Calculator, bunnies can calculate their own carbon tax. What to do with it.
Eli suggests donating to those supporting a carbon tax, such as, and he will be happy to add names here for USAans, donations from others are a nono, but they have their own politics
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) - running this year
who have introduced the American Opportunity Carbon Free Act
and also support those running against types like Lamar Smith, Chair of the House Science Committee who has swallowed the complete ball of denial. Even in cases where a win may not be possible, putting down a marker can concentrate minds. Smith is opposed by
Tom Wakely in TX-21
YMMV, and Eli looks forward to a lively discussion, but excuse him for a moment there is a check to mail. Suggestions welcome also for donations to support mitigation in the developing world
This has been a short version of Eli Rabett's (and Brian's) Simple Plan To Save The World, or at least help get rid of the Lamar Smiths.
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13 comments:
It's not carbon. It is carbon dioxide. As every chemist knows.
So it is a carbon dioxide tax.
Do not help spread scientific illiteracy.
I had enough of that listening to Bill McKibben on Thursday.
"calculate your own personal carbon tax. Donate that amount to people who will change the political climate'
Better to stop right there, donate half that amount to people dedicated to curbing taxation in general , and pocket the difference.
"Taxes are the price we pay for a civilized society."--Oliver Wendell Holmes
Judging by the current state of the Republican party, this is precisely why the party opposes taxation.
It's not carbon. It is carbon dioxide
That's right, and taxing it isn't going to help you turn all that carbon dioxide you put into the atmosphere back into carbon.
So you have a two fold problem to deal with now, since you neglected the original problem.
The income Tax did not exist when Holmes said that in 1904, the Supreme Court having ruled it unconstitutional in 1895, in Pollack vFarmer's Loan & Trust Co.
When imposed by the 16th amendment, the top rate was 7 % on income over $500,000-
The order of magnitude rise in tax rates since then has advanced civilization and civility almost as much as blog comments .
Moving to Libya soon Rrrussell. Eli understands income taxes are low there or do you intend to use your senior citizen free rider card?
Price-Watership Down reports that per Law 44 of 1970, native born Libyan bunnies pay 10% of income plus Jehad Tax assessed at the following rates:
1% if income does not exceed LYD 50 per month.
2% if income does not exceed LYD 100 per month.
3% on incomes over LYD 100 per month.
Palestinian nationals are subject to a a hare raising additional 7% tax on income.
It's worse than Vermont !
RS: The order of magnitude rise in tax rates since then has advanced civilization and civility almost as much as blog comments .
BPL: You want to do without Social Security and Medicare, I take it.
Low taxes work if everyone was a useful idiot savant with benefactors. In the real world of money-changers, fancy-men, snake oil vendors, wage-slaves, shit-heels, layabouts and braggarts, taxes are a necessary governor against revolution.
I rest my case
IIUC any carbon (dioxide) tax is not intended to raise money but to change behaviour. As such it should be revenue neutral and compensated for by reductions elsewhere.
Im with Russell. If only we could go back the the late twenties, or even 1913. Good times.
http://www.richardfitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/US-Income-Tax-Marginal-Rates-copy.png
Nigel Franks: "IIUC any carbon (dioxide) tax is not intended to raise money but to change behaviour. As such it should be revenue neutral and compensated for by reductions elsewhere."
Disclaimer: IANAE, even if I do look like one on account of my brother has a PhD in Economics (I haven't discussed carbon taxes with him, either). Nor do I play an economist on TV.
That said: what is intended by a carbon tax depends on who is doing the intending, but my understanding is similar to yours. The idea is that by reducing and eventually eliminating the artificial price advantage fossil carbon currently enjoys, energy buyers would be given incentive to substitute carbon-neutral sources for fossil carbon, and energy producers to ramp up production and distribution of alternatives.
Rather than reducing taxes elsewhere, Hansen-style tax-and-dividend proposals would return all carbon-tax revenue to consumers in equal amounts, as a periodic dividend. That means, of course, that consumers who use more fossil fuel than the national average would, in effect, pay those who use less. That would give everyone an extra incentive to use less, while leaving the tax money available for private investment in carbon-neutral sources and infrastructure. The expectation is that both social and market forces would then drive down carbon-neutral energy prices until they are competitive with fossil carbon without the tax, whereupon mission accomplished: the Earth is saved without wrecking the nation's economy ;^).
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