Finally, Energy Talk on the Exchange
October 19th, 2007 by Carbon CoalitionSenator Chris Dodd and host Laura Knoy dedicated a decent portion of time to climate and energy issues on The Exchange this morning. Dodd is the only candidate running for president who advocates the implementation of a corporate carbon tax. Dodd recognizes that in New Hampshire there is a stigma attached to the word ‘tax,’ but urged people to not ignore the fact that we are paying for ”a billion dollars every day to buy foreign oil.” On the issue of price Dodd explained:
“If you do not deal with price, then you are always going to have a problem moving to the alternatives because average families can not make the decisions about cleaner technologies when you are trying to put food on the table or take care of a mortgage or a rent.”
Many advocates for a cap and trade system, including each of Dodd’s Democratic competition, believe that a cap and trade would achieve similar ends. Watch this E&ETV video comparing the carbon tax and cap and trade approach.
Both the carbon tax and cap and trade approaches would create revenue. Dodd says that his corporate carbon tax will create 50 billion dollars. With this revenue, Dodd hopes to ”fast track” cleaner forms of energy like cellulosic ethanol from switch-grass, corn, and wood and provide assistance to low income families hurt by the increased energy prices.
Dodd criticized his running mates for not being honest with the American people about nuclear power. Dodd made it clear that he does not “take nuclear power off the table. We have serious issues of waste and transportation that need to be dealt with, but I think that if you are going to be honest about global warming, you can’t avoid the fact that 53% of our grid is operated on a coal base. So you are going to have to talk about an alternative.”
Dodd continues to make climate and energy a centerpiece of his campaign while his ideas provide diversity to the climate change discourse in the Democratic field.
Listen to Dodd on The Exchange
