When it comes to the spread of socialism, Trump and the GOP have launched a campaign of fearmongering and deception on the topic in a desperate attempt to save the party in November.
Now, I’m not saying socialism isn’t a serious threat to liberty and America’s survival; one need look no further than the rise of Bernie Sanders and the growing acceptance of socialism by the next generation of voters to know how close we are to losing our Republic.
The reason I’m accusing Trump and the formerly conservative Republican Party of fearmongering and deception is because they love socialism just as much as those they are demonizing. The only difference is they want it done in the name of Nationalist Conservatism; it’s still socialism, only Republicanized.
One policy area where this is true — and there are many — is so-called climate change.
For example, despite their “opposition” to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Green New Deal, Republicans have been working with Democrats on a “conservative alternative” to the radical plan. One of the alternatives being bandied about is a renewed push for the creation and implementation of a “carbon tax.”
Inspired by Trump’s recent declaration that he would be “softening the rhetoric” on the global warming issue to free him up to “shift his position” on the subject in hopes of appeasing radical environmentalists in states like Florida, Republicans in Congress have decided that now is the perfect time to begin making carbon taxes a reality.
Hoping to win over young so-called conservative voters, House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy recently released a package of global warming legislation that focuses on carbon capture tax subsidies, planting trees, and funding clean energy innovation. Though not specifically addressing the carbon tax issue, the plan “puts a price on carbon” that will make it easier to monetize in the future.
Meanwhile, 18 business leaders of major corporations — aka campaign donors — met with senators from both parties last week to join in the push for a carbon tax scheme proposed by the Climate Leadership Council, a group led by former Secretaries of State James Baker and George Schultz.
The Baker Schultz Carbon Dividends Plan — dividends is code for tax — will allegedly cut CO₂ emissions in half by 2035, an amount greater than what was promised under the Paris Accord. But the best socialist part of the plan will redistribute collected dividends in the form of a $2000 annual check to a family of four.
A new entitlement that saves the planet? Where do I sign?
Back in November, I wrote an article about the push for carbon taxes, and I featured a video from an ad campaign by another Republican-backed group: Americans for Carbon Dividends.
Will Trump sign a carbon tax bill if it reaches his desk? Besides the fact that it’s an election year and he has no core convictions on the matter, Trump has already delegated this department to his de facto climate czar, Ivanka, who’s been running the show in this area.
As an Al Gore devotee, she’s been behind every climate policy decision, from the fake withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord to the decision last year to make Kelvin Droegemeier — a proponent of government-financed intervention to address so-called climate change — Daddy’s science advisor.
With Republicans desperate to save the party in November, and with Trump desperate to save his presidency, none of this should come as a surprise. In fact, based on a prediction by Vice President for Policy at the US Chamber of Commerce’s Global Energy Institute Dan Byers, we should only be surprised if we don’t get new climate legislation.
According to Byers, Trump is likely to sign “a nice package of climate energy innovation-focused legislation” before the end of this year, making a pre-election carbon tax very possible, if not probable.
David Leach is the owner of the Strident Conservative.
Follow the Strident Conservative on Twitter and Facebook.
Subscribe to receive podcasts of radio commentaries: iTunes | Stitcher | Tune In | RSS
1 comment for “As election draws nigh, GOP makes push for socialist’s carbon tax scheme”