Quote:
Originally Posted by Lanny_MacDonald
WTF??? Crippling an economy? Where are you coming up with that line of thought? What economy would be crippled by becoming more green and being more efficient with the energy we have? How would halting the imports of fossil fuels, using our own reserves instead of imports, and supplanting the loss of energy with alternative sources "cripple" our economy?
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An example would be if a strict carbon tax was in place. The lobbiests would dance in the streets for a couple days. However presuming we do not have commercial sized substitutes in place we quickly realize that we need natural gas or heating oil for our houses, electircal power for our everything and refinied hydrocarbons for our vehicles.
Turns out a great part of our demand would not go away, things like gasoline could double in price, simply to pay off the carbon taxes. If the cost of transport doubles the cost of all goods that require transport goes up significantly. Cost of living goes up sharply, which inflation will absorb for awhile then a recession.
That's why governments don't just run out and say 'emissions cut in half!!', there are real life consequences that need to be weighted off.