The activists behind Initiative 732, this year’s attempt to make global warming a state (rather than federal or international) issue, are “certainly heartfelt and well-meaning”, according to the editorialists at the Walla Walla Union Bulletin.
They also have created in I-732 an measure with the “potential to cause more problems than it purports to solve.”
As Shift has previously reported, the carbon tax plan is one which splits the environmental community between those who want to do something now – anything, not matter how flawed – versus those that want to make sure that whatever is done raises a lot of extra money in taxes so they can spread it around to help buy support for the measure.
Instead of considering that question, the Union Bulletin focuses instead on whether I-732 will actually accomplish anything. And the verdict is not a positive one. As the paper writes, “The problems associated with global warming and pollution from fossil fuels aren’t going to be solved in Washington state. In reality, actions taken in the Evergreen State won’t dent the overall impact of carbon emissions on the world. The issue has to be addressed at the national level with the intent of gaining a worldwide consensus.”
That is not the message proponents want people to hear. They want Washington voters to think that they can solve climate change, despite our state’s negligible contribution to global emissions.
The paper also shines a light on why I-732 is a bad policy approach. “Writing law regarding environmental, economic and tax policy through the initiative process is a lousy idea. Such issues need the give and take of the legislative process to ensure all facets are considered.”
But for the environmental activists pushing this tax, the only “give and take” they want to hear about is that they “give” you this great idea, so they can “take” your taxes.
