Big Oil proposes taxing itself and giving cash to Americans

[Ruprecht]

I don't consider the change of heart likely, given their history of funding climate change denial.
Is this a policy which is guaranteed not to pass?

 

[VivaRevolution]

Let's actually see the details of carbon tax proposals from Goldman and exxon before we automatically assume they're evil.

The version I support requires it to be written into law, that all carbon taxes are put into a fund, that is issued in equal share to every American citizen to make efficiency upgrades.

I will not support a carbon tax where the revenue goes into the general fund.

 

[voxom]

So...

1. Tax carbon

2. Use carbon taxes to curb climate change, drive clean energy, and de-pollute the world

3. ???

4. Global domination

Because they realize it's in their best interest to have a planet to live on?

How will shareholders react when the planet is not habitable and there are no profits? It's really not difficult to imagine that it's in the corporations best interest to have a planet to make money on and keep the gravy train rolling rather than going extinct.

ok, so let's say they are doing this to depolute the world... but why are they in support of this?

"The tax proceeds would then be paid out to Americans — regardless of income level — in monthly installments through the Social Security Administration.

The Climate Leadership Council said the carbon tax could generate an estimated $2,000 for a family of four in its first year."

and

"Products imported into the U.S. would also be taxed based on their carbon content. Proceeds from this border adjustment tax would be paid directly to Americans."



what benefit do they get from just giving money to random americans? how is that going to curb pollution by giving away free money. why are the share holders supportive of just giving the money straight to americans instead of themselves?

big oil companies just want to start lowering their own profits, help stop pollution, and they want to give free money to americans!?! WOW. it all seems too good to be true. surely they don't have any ulterior motives here.


wait a sec... what's this?

"The group also suggests that some environmental regulations won’t be needed if the tax on carbon emissions is high enough."

and

"“ExxonMobil will try to dress this up as climate activism, but its key agenda is protecting executives from legal accountability for climate pollution and fraud,” Greenpeace campaigner Naomi Ages said."


you'd need to be very naive to think these companies are now environmentalists who had a change of heart and are expecting nothing in return for this.

 

[Ruprecht]

Here's the proposal by the way.
I think the unspecified "regulatory rollbacks" could be why they support it.

 

[voxom]

More likely their voluntary self-taxing has been calculated to protect them from some other actual tax while equating to billions in positive public relation efforts they would have also paid more for.

I wish i could see the world through such a childhoodesque lens...

this. the level of naivety is staggering

 

[JSnake]

Because they realize it's in their best interest to have a planet to live on?

 

[Quipling]

I think its easy to conceive that oil tycoons are and have proven to be among the greediest people on the planet.

How does one break to their shareholders that their profits are dropping through the floor because they want to give away free money to your average Joe? Like i said, doubt it.

.

Let's actually see the details of carbon tax proposals from Goldman and exxon before we automatically assume they're evil.

I haven't checked to see if it's the same companies as are suggesting this, but in the last month, several oil companies have experienced shareholder fights that resolved in favor of the sides pushing action on climate change. This is almost certainly related. You're getting major investment firms pushing it because they believe that climate change threatens the global economy, and oil companies because their shareholders are making them. (Some of those shareholders are investment firms, some are universities, etc.)

 

[Der Eisbär]

.


I haven't checked to see if it's the same companies as are suggesting this, but in the last month, several oil companies have experienced shareholder fights that resolved in favor of the sides pushing action on climate change. This is almost certainly related. You're getting major investment firms pushing it because they believe that climate change threatens the global economy, and oil companies because their shareholders are making them. (Some of those shareholders are investment firms, some are universities, etc.)

There is nothing to lose and everything to gain by large energy companies getting ahead of the curve and transitioning into green energy tech. Dont change = perish and lose billions of dollars. Change + invest some money = keep the gravy train profits rolling and push innovation while not being hated by society.