[We are barreling headlong into "catastrophic" 5-7°C warming by 2100. Bill Becker says it's time for the federal government to stop subsidizing humanity's self-destruction. That means the green eyeshades -- fiscal managers, accountants, and economists -- must start fully accounting for the harm that carbon emissions do to our health and well-being and for the cost of destroying ecosystem services.]
As Congress gets ready to debate an economic recovery package – and President Obama gets ready to sign one — they should use a simple test to determine who and what gets the money: Is the project friend or foe in regard to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing America’s energy security?
At some point, our energy producers, road-builders, auto manufacturers, building contractors and other sectors of the economy need an unequivocal message from Washington that public funds must pass a strict litmus test from now on. Unless there are legitimate overriding factors of national security or economic trauma, public funds will no longer support global climate change and our dependence on fossil fuels.
In other words, when it comes to taxpayer money, the carbon economy need not apply.
Language Intelligence: Lessons on persuasion from Jesus, Shakespeare, Lincoln, and Lady Gaga
