ConocoPhillips backs carbon tax plan

By Timothy Cama - 12/17/18 12:11 PM EST thehill.com

Oil and natural gas giant ConocoPhillips Co. is backing an effort to impose a tax on carbon dioxide emissions.

The company is pledging $2 million over the next two years to Americans for Carbon Dividends, an advocacy group that pushes a carbon tax, starting at $40 and rising thereafter, as part of a plan developed by the Climate Leadership Council (CLC) and its leaders, former Republican secretaries of State James Baker III and George Shultz.

ConocoPhillips, the nation’s second largest oil producer, is also joining the Climate Leadership Council. Exxon Mobil Corp., the country’s largest oil company, joined the effort in October, and BP and Royal Dutch Shell were already onboard.

Under the Baker-Shultz plan, all of the money brought in from the carbon tax would be distributed back to taxpayers as “dividends.” Axios first reported on ConocoPhillips joining.

“We are pleased to now join the CLC to continue the dialogue around carbon price policy development in the United States,” ConocoPhillips chief Ryan Lance said in a statement.

“We are delighted to welcome ConocoPhillips into Americans for Carbon Dividends and commend their leadership in supporting this important initiative,” said Trent Lott (R-Miss.), former Senate majority leader and a co-chairman of Americans for Carbon Dividends.

“The mounting financial support from companies most impacted by carbon policies sends a clear message to members of Congress that corporate America is serious about addressing this issue.”

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Carbon Taxes don't cost Conoco et al crap because they pass the bill onto the consumer. I am impressed by the generous pledge of 2 million over 2 years which will also be passed along. I am sure having Trent Lott speaking up for the cause puts feathers in his hat with others lobbyists that share in making big bucks off the taxpayers. Follow the money. These folks can never have enough, especially when it is your money.

Although COP, and all carbon emitters, will pass along the cost to consumers, the fees will be distributed to those same consumers.  Carbon emitters will have an incentive to decrease their emissions to make their products more competitive.  The company with the lowest carbon footprint will have a commercial advantage over their competition.  Alter all, consumers will choose the less expensive form of energy.

When energy costs rise, even marginally, the impact is greatest on those who can least afford them.  For that reason the money going to the poorest households will have to be greater than the increase in the cost of their energy bill.  The lobbyists are hired by and compensated by the industry.  They don't get a share of the carbon tax proceeds except as a distribution at the household level the same as every other US household.  Regardless of which segment of society may benefit marginally over others, we all win by reducing our national carbon footprint and limiting global warming.

And I think its important to remember that while similar to a "cap and trade" type policy or other permitting restrictions, a carbon tax, properly implemented, is a fair market way to achieve a desired outcome, without mandating the particular technology or methodology to get there.  

Fair market? Regardless of political perspective, there is nothing fair about the market. A free market is just that, a free and unguided market with an invisible hand guiding it. A kleptocracy, where the companies touted and Goldman Sachs can trade and three card monte derivatives, warping an already cluster foxtrotted economy with  global derivative exposure of 1.2 quadrillion, twenty times the world economy, is what Lott and company are shilling for. The desired outcome? The enrichment of investment banks, traders, large corporations with inside knowledge. Anything that James Baker and George Schultz backs, with their track records and  financial ties, needs to be avoided just as much as Ocasio-Cortez scam. The banks and Wall Street’s assertions and assurances are falling on deaf ears with the public. Touting “polls” should be bush leauge pr by now, especially polls touted by shills and their sponsors. Votes count, and no amount of condesencion and glib bs will change the persistent odor of climate freaks, Wall Street, and Goldman Sachs. When these team up, along with Exxon, run for cover and wear a bs shield

I would guess then that some would say that it all depends on what you call Winning.

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