Imagine a plan that charges polluters and puts that money into our pockets. Peter Barnes of Working Assets did:

“The simplest and fairest way to protect the poor and middle class is to give equal rebates to everyone. The money would come from either a carbon tax, or an auction of carbon emission permits…. Just as every Alaska resident receives an equal dividend from revenue from state oil leases, so every American would get an equal dividend from carbon permit auctions. The dividends would be wired monthly into people’s bank accounts, much like Social Security payments. They’d help families pay their monthly bills.

There are several nice features of such a plan. One is that it’s automatic — as energy prices rise, so do dividends. Another is that how you fare depends on what you do. The more energy you use, the more you pay. Since everyone gets the same amount back, you gain if you conserve and lose if you guzzle. This is fair to everyone, whether rich or poor. And it takes politicians off the hook for rising energy prices. If voters complain, politicians can truthfully say, “The market sets prices, and you determine by your own energy use whether you gain or lose. If you conserve, you come out ahead.”

The NYTimes DotEarth blog has an interview detailing this provocative approach to carbon caps.

Sign me up.

Stephen Johnson sold out the environment to the automakers yesterday, refusing to allow 17 states to set stringent emissions standards even though his entire staff recommended he allow the waivers. This after meetings with VP Cheney and the automakers:

“Some staff members believe Johnson made his decision after auto executives met with Vice President Dick Cheney and after a Chrysler executive delivered a letter to the White House outlining why neither California nor the EPA should be allowed to regulate greenhouse gases, among other reasons. The Detroit News reported Wednesday that chief executives of Ford and Chrysler met with Cheney last month.

“Clearly the White House said, ‘We’re going to get EPA out of the way and get California out of the way. If you give us this energy bill, then we’re done, the deal is done,’ ” said one staffer.”

From the LATimes.com

These people are evil, shortsighted and addicted to power. Don’t vote for any Republicans in any races next year regardless of your personal politics- it’s the only way they wil get the message that the environment is the problem we face this century.