Greening the budget

The normally sober and well-judged Treasury Department has made some decisions that rely almost wholly on political propaganda, and not on economics or science.

And, these will be costly and harmful steps.

Despite the reports of the IPCC, and the propaganda put out by Mr Gore, it has NOT been scientifically shown that CO2 is causing increases in temperature to any degree that is harmful to mankind.

And even if it were true, there is no attempt to demonstrate what actual effect or benefit could arise from the proposed tax measures.

We do not need more expensive cars - this harms our economy, and the costs added create no benefit for the environment. We do not need to throw away tax revenue on a system of carbon credits that is so open to fraud and manipulation as to make arms dealing seem angelic by comparison. And while there may be merit in raising the prices of energy-inefficient bulbs (for reasons unrelated to carbon), why is there no corresponding subsidy of energy-efficient bulbs?

Let's hear the evidence cited before costlyy and damaging taxes are imposed. Or, are these just convenient ways to squeeze money from an unsuspecting puiblic?

@ Mike Atkins.

The IPCC, which has concluded that human beings are pumping damaging amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, represents some of the very finest scientific minds on the planet, and the overwhelming consensus of the world's climatologists.

Even without their conclusion, common sense suggests that if you take very large amounts of something that's been underground for milennia (carbon in the form of fossil fuels) and start adding it in large quantities to the atmosphere, there are going to be consequences.

You, however, are telling us that despite the evidence produced in extraordinary detail by the IPCC, there is "no scientific proof" for climate change. Just what would constitute scientific proof, then, in your books, if anything?

We do know that Exxon and other oil companies, just like the tobacco companies, have spent extraordinary amounts of money producing pseudo-scientific propaganda to try to confuse the public.

http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/campaigns/global-warming-and-energy/exxon-secrets

It would seem that either you're an Exxon troll, or you've allowed yourself to be duped by those who are.