<![CDATA[Grist - Comment Feed for To get support for a climate bill, offer cash back to Americans, argues Rep. Chris Van Hollen]]> Grist Comment Feed en Comment #1 by Ken Johnson http://www.grist.org/article/2009-04-30-to-get-support-for-a-climate/ Fri, 01 May 2009 00:33:00 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/2009-04-30-to-get-support-for-a-climate/1 Why not just cut to the chase -- Nationalize the energy companies, and distribute their stock to citizens. What better way to get political support for pollution reduction than to let citizens profit from pollution?

]]> Why not just cut to the chase -- Nationalize the energy companies, and distribute their stock to citizens. What better way to get political support for pollution reduction than to let citizens profit from pollution?

]]> Comment #2 by SallyVCrockett http://www.grist.org/article/2009-04-30-to-get-support-for-a-climate/ Fri, 01 May 2009 09:57:25 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/2009-04-30-to-get-support-for-a-climate/2 If a rebate is what is needed to garner support, why not consider a revenue-neutral carbon tax or even a carbon tax shift approach?

]]> If a rebate is what is needed to garner support, why not consider a revenue-neutral carbon tax or even a carbon tax shift approach?

]]> Comment #3 by davefordemocracy http://www.grist.org/article/2009-04-30-to-get-support-for-a-climate/ Fri, 01 May 2009 11:13:00 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/2009-04-30-to-get-support-for-a-climate/3 Did you ask Rep. Van Hollen if he agrees that we need to invest in green energy solutions? If he agrees, where would he take the money from, if not the proceeds of cap and trade? I'd be for his version as opposed to Obama's, but it takes away money for green energy development.

]]> Did you ask Rep. Van Hollen if he agrees that we need to invest in green energy solutions? If he agrees, where would he take the money from, if not the proceeds of cap and trade? I'd be for his version as opposed to Obama's, but it takes away money for green energy development.

]]> Comment #4 by GRLCowan http://www.grist.org/article/2009-04-30-to-get-support-for-a-climate/ Sun, 03 May 2009 05:46:07 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/2009-04-30-to-get-support-for-a-climate/4 Did you ask Rep. Van Hollen if he agrees that we need to invest in green energy solutions? If he agrees, where would he take --

emphasis mine ...

the money from, if not the proceeds of cap and trade?


It is conceivable for energy solutions to be funded with money that is voluntarily invested. Perhaps "green" has some special meaning in 'davefordemocracy's keyboard that excludes this possibility.

I think the biggest damper on investment in fossil fuel substitution schemes is the fear that a vengeful government will red-tape and astroturf-protest them to death when it catches the scent of lost oil and gas tax revenue. If van Hollen's scheme succeeds, and reduces this governmental conflict of interest, it will be beneficial. (Someday, one way or another, the fraction of the civil service, and of government contractors and pogey recipients, that is supported by money from petroleum and natural gas consumers is going to be zero.)

 

(How fire can be domesticated)


]]> Did you ask Rep. Van Hollen if he agrees that we need to invest in green energy solutions? If he agrees, where would he take --

emphasis mine ...

the money from, if not the proceeds of cap and trade?


It is conceivable for energy solutions to be funded with money that is voluntarily invested. Perhaps "green" has some special meaning in 'davefordemocracy's keyboard that excludes this possibility.

I think the biggest damper on investment in fossil fuel substitution schemes is the fear that a vengeful government will red-tape and astroturf-protest them to death when it catches the scent of lost oil and gas tax revenue. If van Hollen's scheme succeeds, and reduces this governmental conflict of interest, it will be beneficial. (Someday, one way or another, the fraction of the civil service, and of government contractors and pogey recipients, that is supported by money from petroleum and natural gas consumers is going to be zero.)

 

(How fire can be domesticated)


]]> Comment #5 by davefordemocracy http://www.grist.org/article/2009-04-30-to-get-support-for-a-climate/ Sun, 03 May 2009 11:02:47 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/2009-04-30-to-get-support-for-a-climate/5 I don't know that "green" energy has any special meaning in my keyboard, or more to the point in my lexicon, but I intentionally used a broader word than, for instance, "renewable".

You are right to emphasize my use of the word "take". I support the government taking funds from the oil companies' record profits by putting a price on carbon. With cap and trade, the government would be creating a new revenue source and the president would like to have some of it diverted to green energy research, which brings me to your overall point.

I agree that it's enormously important to have private investment in newer forms of energy, in fact I think we can all agree that without private money, green energy is dead. But why is it that Germany and Spain (and others) are so far ahead of us in terms of renewable energy? Those countries are not fearful of government guidance.

American corporations have not been putting the kind of money up thus far to put us where we should be: leading the world in green energy. Private companies like Gamesa from Germany are now planting their wind farms here in the United States where the wind resources are as much as double. If you think the German government got there by closing its eyes and waiting for private investment, I've got a lovely bridge to sell you in Alaska, where I've heard the oilfields are stunning this time of year.

Let the government put some money up now; the private money will follow.

]]> I don't know that "green" energy has any special meaning in my keyboard, or more to the point in my lexicon, but I intentionally used a broader word than, for instance, "renewable".

You are right to emphasize my use of the word "take". I support the government taking funds from the oil companies' record profits by putting a price on carbon. With cap and trade, the government would be creating a new revenue source and the president would like to have some of it diverted to green energy research, which brings me to your overall point.

I agree that it's enormously important to have private investment in newer forms of energy, in fact I think we can all agree that without private money, green energy is dead. But why is it that Germany and Spain (and others) are so far ahead of us in terms of renewable energy? Those countries are not fearful of government guidance.

American corporations have not been putting the kind of money up thus far to put us where we should be: leading the world in green energy. Private companies like Gamesa from Germany are now planting their wind farms here in the United States where the wind resources are as much as double. If you think the German government got there by closing its eyes and waiting for private investment, I've got a lovely bridge to sell you in Alaska, where I've heard the oilfields are stunning this time of year.

Let the government put some money up now; the private money will follow.

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