Spending Implies Taxation

The vacuity of right-wing thinking on climate change is really astounding. They know what the right conclusion is—no curbs whatsoever should be placed on the production of climate pollution—but they have a kaleidoscopic array of reasons why this is the right answer. This can lead to some serious nonsense, like this from Max Borders at The Next Right, who encourages the GOP to embrace some risky new ideas like this one:

Global Warming: “More Technology, No More Taxes” – We’re willing to fund sequestration technology. We’re willing to fund geo-engineering technology. We’re willing to use X-prize-type contests to do it. But we’re not willing to tax the American people as they rebound from a severe recession—for all for a hypothetical “crisis” that has never quite materialized.

There are lots of approaches to the climate crisis that deserve funding, from geo-engineering to concentrated solar thermal to carbon sequestration. But guess what it takes to finance new technology? Well, it takes funds. And funds come from taxes. So how about we get those funds by charging polluters for their emissions? Doesn’t that make more sense that funding clean energy priorities through generic taxes on labor or consumption?