Rejecting Calls for Carbon Taxes Is Common Sense

This op-ed originally appeared in Real Clear Energy on April 3, 2024.

These days, good sense is worth recognizing, especially in Washington, D.C. The House of Representatives recently passed a noteworthy resolution, known as a “sense of Congress,” opposing carbon tax proposals as “detrimental to the United States economy.” Though the resolution passed with 212 Republican votes and just 10 Democratic votes, it represents a key understanding that should be common sense for all lawmakers: a carbon tax raises energy costs by design, with devastating effects economy-wide.

Unfortunately, despite this latest positive development in the House, a carbon tax, and its partner initiatives, including carbon accounting measures and carbon tariffs, are regularly proposed as bipartisan solutions in ongoing climate debates. Americans should be on guard for these detrimental proposals, even when framed as bipartisan, because they represent a capitulation to a radical, anti-energy agenda.

Though often presented as a “free market,” bipartisan solution, a carbon tax aligns best with the progressive Left’s other so-called green policies. It follows the same pattern as other anti-American energy policies, seeking to distort market forces in favor of a Washington-determined energy mix. This would raise costs for everyday Americans and degrade quality of life, while failing to produce promised environmental results.

Read the full op-ed in Real Clear Energy.