Opinion Pieces by Get America Working!

Working Together: A Tax and a Tax Cut

admin — Sat, 26 May 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Proposals for energy taxes and carbon taxes have been around since the 1970s, but a carbon tax recently has become more admired in the American political dialogue. Some believe it would be a powerful tool to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Others see it as the most economical and efficient means of reducing those emissions.

Global Warming Response — Markets or Taxes?

admin — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 16:52:11 -0600

Testifying before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on global warming this week, former vice president and now climate-change evangelist Al Gore urged Congress "to reduce taxes on employment and production and make up the difference with pollution taxes," principally on carbon dioxide emissions. Like the predictions of climate change, the idea of using revenues from energy (or, if you will, pollution) taxes to reduce payroll taxes is not new, but Gore deserves credit for bringing both to congressional attention at a critical time.

Making a lean-green tax shift

admin — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 16:53:08 -0600

Al Gore gave a speech at New York University recently in which he proposed lowering the payroll tax and substituting a "carbon tax" to make up the lost revenue. Conservatives and progressives, tax-cut hawks and Inconvenient Truth tellers alike should pay attention. Viewed from the right or left, tax shifting is an idea whose time has come.

Better To Tax Energy Usage Than Payrolls

admin — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 16:53:36 -0600

Unveiling its recommendations last week, the president’s Tax Reform Commission took two swings at fundamental tax reform . . . and missed. The commission proposed substantial changes in the tax code, but missed the opportunity to address what’s fundamentally wrong with the American economy.