At a recent Sutherland Institute event, during a discussion on carbon reduction, I believe Sen. Romney assessed the Democrats’ colossal climate spending package correctly, that it is akin to “straightening deck chairs on the Titanic,” as he put it.
In my assessment, if Democrats honestly want to address climate issues, they would develop affordable ways to fund the reduction of carbon without imposing energy price hikes on the backs of consumers!
Instead, they decided to sink hundreds of billions of dollars into making the U.S. economy just a little bit cleaner, when countries like China and India drive the per-Capita emissions growth to triple digits and more.
Let’s be clear: the Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act will lower U.S. emissions. But the legislation — passed along party lines without any Republican input or support — suffers from a lack of vision about the nature of the climate problem and what is really needed to address and ultimately solve it.
Sen. Romney stated at the Sutherland Institute event, “The only way we’re going to reduce global emissions is if we and others find technologies that are low emitting and low cost and therefore are willingly adopted, not just by us, but by everybody.” A U.S. price on carbon can deliver this innovation that the world so badly needs.
So, as the world gears up for the next round on climate — and there will be a next round because the Democrats’ package doesn’t offer a real solution — let’s focus on policies that will actually help the climate and find solutions to carbon reduction that will not create more inflation and economic down fall. A bipartisan approach for advancement of carbon reduction for all parties working together towards an effective and fair U.S. and global policy that will be a lasting stepping stone in reducing carbon in our country and the world. To achieve these lofty goals without the support of both parties may be unattainable.
Bill Rappleye is president and CEO of the Draper Area Chamber of Commerce.