This is Just Stupid

From Reuters Senate blocks debate of clean energy tax credits -

The U.S. Senate on Tuesday blocked debate of a bill to offer about $17.7 billion in tax incentives for consumers to build renewable energy sources like windmills and solar arrays, and buy plug-in cars that run on electricity rather than gasoline.

The Energy Independence and Tax Relief Act of 2008 would have extended a tax credit to build windmills by one year through December 31, 2009, and extend for three years similar credits for renewable energy sources like biomass, geothermal, landfill gas and trash combustion.

The bill failed to garner enough votes to limit debate and move to a vote, leaving the fate of the clean-energy credits uncertain.

Extension of renewable energy credits was the most expensive portion of the bill, at about $7 billion over 10 years.

The bill also offered incentives for demonstrating ways to capture heat-trapping carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired electric plants, and offered at least $3,000 in tax incentives for consumers to buy plug-in electric vehicles.

215 days 2 hours 27 minutes until the conversation changes.

Are We Serious Yet?

In his new book, A Question of Balance: Weighing the Options on Global Warming Policies
, Economist William Nordhaus cuts through admirable heaps of impenetrable econometrics and boils down a yes no test for assessing progress towards reversing climate change -

Whether someone is serious about tackling the global-warming problem can be readily gauged by listening to what he or she says about the carbon price. Suppose you hear a public figure who speaks eloquently of the perils of global warming and proposes that the nation should... [long list of good ideas redacted for brevity] but nowhere does the proposal raise the price of carbon. You should conclude that the proposal is not really serious and does not recognize the central economic message about how to slow climate change.

This has the lustrous quality of a simple truth. It may not be true in the end (and Freeman Dyson has his doubts) but what a simple guide these few sentences are.

It will be a challenge to get people to bring this litmus test to the polling booth.