> “Nobody is going to propose a tax on all Americans and the cynical side of me says, yeah, we kind of know that but it gives us a talking point that we can say, ‘well what is ExxonMobil for, we’re for a carbon tax,’” McCoy said.
> McCoy also told the interviewers that Exxon had poured money into “shadow groups” in order to fight against climate science.
That appears to be the worst of it and I'm not sure it compares to what Exxon has already been caught doing in the past. A bit like finding out a convicted murderer was jaywalking on their way to the scene.
> A bit like finding out a convicted murderer was jaywalking on their way to the scene.
Given the seriousness of the climate situation and the importance of carbon tax as one of the solutions, I think that in your analogy, all the things Exxon has been caught doing in the past are the jaywalking part.
But they're not undermining a carbon tax. They're supporting it, based on their understanding that American voters are extremely sensitive to gas prices, far beyond an extent that could be considered reasonable, and that for that and other reasons a carbon tax is politically unviable in the US.
To be clear, I'm an extremely strong supporter of a carbon tax, to the point that I would vote for any politician who supports one regardless of their position on any other issues, and I would support the US creating ultimatums with other countries, including allies, to effectively force them to implement carbon taxes of their own. But I'm also open-eyed to the fact that the median American voter commutes something like 30 miles a day and has never taken an economics class.
The idea that a carbon tax is the best policy is itself an ideological position supported by certain entities with an agenda.
Economists love to push it a lot. The same economists also like to downplay the cost of climate change (the costs incurred due to the damage it causes).
And then there is the small matter of how much should a ton of CO2 be taxed at. Imagine all the lobbying efforts to reduce that number. It will never be anywhere near what it should be.
And EXXON's propagandists have a point. People don't want to be taxed more, and a blanket carbon tax would definitely hit the bottom majority hard.
> McCoy also told the interviewers that Exxon had poured money into “shadow groups” in order to fight against climate science.
That appears to be the worst of it and I'm not sure it compares to what Exxon has already been caught doing in the past. A bit like finding out a convicted murderer was jaywalking on their way to the scene.