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Carbon taxes are a terrible idea. "Hey, this is a serious problem, but if you pay us, you can go ahead and contribute to this problem." Yeah, no.
Basically that just enables the rich to do what they want and tough shit for the developing nations and the companies who have to compete with the rich.
No one should be gaining anything monetarily from this and be taken seriously about trying to fix it.
Carbon taxes would be a significant disincentive to produce carbon dioxide and would make alternative energy more cost competitive with fossile fuels. To me it looks like a pretty good government imposed market solution to pollution, not much different than having higher tolls on toll roads during rush hour. The people who can get away with producing less carbon will, and everyone else will pay more. We could also use the revenue to lower taxes in other areas, which frankly I think would be a constructive role for the GOP to play (making sure that happens because I don't think Dems really would lower many other taxes, it's not really their style).
Like I said, there would be winners and losers. There is no solution to the problem that doesn't hurt industries that make lots of money by emitting (or contributing to the emission of) lots of CO2, so I don't consider that a valid reason not to proceed.