Reason Foundation Founder Robert Poole Weighs in on Carbon Cap-and-Trade

Ronald Bailey | April 23, 2009

Robert Poole, over at the Reason Foundation's Out of Control policy blog, takes a look at the leading Democratic congressional proposals to ration carbon dioxide and finds them lacking:

The idea of using market mechanisms such as cap-and-trade or a carbon tax is a good one, in principle. Instead of government attempting to micromanage all sources of carbon emissions—and inevitably attempting to pick winners and losers—the market approach is to put a price on carbon and allow competitive market forces to sort out the least-cost way to reduce the output of carbon throughout our economy.

Alas, that simple and efficient approach seems increasingly unlikely to be implemented. Congress and the Obama administration are moving steadily toward a version of cap-and-trade that combines the worst of micromanagement and pork-barrel politics. If implemented, it would make this country poorer while reshaping transportation in undesirable ways.

See whole Poole column here. Some additional thoughts at Reason on the flaws of proposed cap-and-trade legislation can be found here. 

Comments

|4.23.09 @ 10:17AM|#

Congress and the Obama administration are moving steadily toward a version of cap-and-trade that combines the worst of micromanagement and pork-barrel politics. If implemented, it would make this country poorer while reshaping transportation in undesirable ways.

It's getting harder every day to convince myself this isn't an intended effect.

|4.23.09 @ 11:10AM|#

Cap-and-trade? More like kneecap and trade.
Brings to mind Martin Cruz Smith's remark that the biggest Mafia of all is government.

|4.23.09 @ 11:32AM|#

Are you serious? the government isn't just trying to save planet earth from life killing pollutants and stop the continent from flooding?you mean mercury and SO2 and NOX are going to be spewed out as much as ever? while human exhalation is going to be targeted as poison? ...

you mean they are really just using this as a power grab green/left cover for more corporate welfare?....This is too much to comprehend...who here could believe such cynical lies!!? but but what about all the scientist?!? it has been proven that we need to implement theses policies...your not against science are you?