Ross: The rollout of the Climate Commitment Act was flawed, now it can be voted out
Sep 12, 2024, 6:18 AM
A gas pump in Washington state. (Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
We all want to save the Earth, but none of us wants to pay for it. And in November, we’ll get a chance to say so — by repealing the Climate Commitment Act, better known as the law that broke my gas budget.
How did it come to this?
The idea of making energy companies pay for the carbon they put into the air was one of those market-based conservative ideas that didn’t rely on guilting people into doing the right thing. Instead, it was based on the concept that if you just put a price on pollution, the market would do the rest. No need to threaten people! Just let the market nudge them into doing the right thing.
Just one problem: The groups who pushed this idea didn’t want to admit that it would raise gas prices. And now a lot of voters feel they were lied to.
More on the Climate Commitment Act: $200 credit for WA households struggling to pay energy bill with Climate Commitment Act’s future in doubt
At the same time, I have to ask, what did we expect? When you’re using the market to discourage the use of gas, the higher price is the whole point! Like with the express toll lanes!
Of course, there’s an important difference: With the toll lanes, you get instant relief. With the carbon tax? All you get is a promise that maybe in 20 years we won’t burn to a crisp. And the people pushing that tax knew that a vague promise like that wasn’t enough to sell it, so they downplayed the effect at the pump.
And now — voters don’t trust them.
In fairness, this kind of magical economics is not just a habit on the left. Remember how China was supposed to eat Trump’s import tariffs? Same deception.
So how about this: Just tell the truth about the price of not controlling CO2. And the truth is that the laws of atmospheric physics are ruthless. Physics doesn’t care if civilization survives or not. And in some states, the laws of physics are now burning down suburban neighborhoods on a regular basis. That’s why California just gave Allstate approval to increase home insurance rates by an average of 34%. Try repealing that!
All that time spent hoping climate change was a hoax! All that time looking for painless responses!
More KIRO Newsradio Opinions: KIRO, KTTH hosts react to the presidential debate
Now it’s too late for gimmicks. The market is taking over, and it’s giving us a choice: Pay more for gas, or be your own fire department. Happy voting!
Listen to Seattle’s Morning News with Dave Ross and Colleen O’Brien weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.
-
Tune in to KIRO Newsradio weekdays at 5am for Dave Ross on Seattle's Morning News.
