Biden’s American Jobs Plan
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784 Posts
Needs Review

I'm sure many of you have seen that the Biden administration released information today on their American Jobs Plan, an infrastructure and jobs proposal that includes many climate related provisions. We are excited to see climate change get such focused attention from the administration and it is a good sign that real action on climate will be on the top of the agenda for Congress this year.

The plan includes a broad array of policy suggestions and proposals, including many things that CCL has been lending support to, like tax incentive provisions from the Green Act.

Although the proposal does not include a carbon fee or any price on carbon, there is still plenty of time for us to push for a carbon fee to be included in whatever Congress passes this year.  

This outline from the White House is just the opening of a conversation. We still expect robust debate in Congress about what will be included in legislation, and that is where our advocacy is key. We will build on the successes and conversations held in our recent lobby week, and continue the campaign to demonstrate the support for carbon pricing in our communities through our outreach. In addition, we’ve launched a Postcards to the President campaign to make sure he is also hearing directly from voters. 

While this plan makes climate a priority, now is the time to take the biggest and boldest action possible to reduce emissions. We know that a price on carbon is the single most powerful tool to reduce emissions, and we will continue our work to make certain it is included in whatever climate legislation advances this year.

5 Replies
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784 Posts
Some of you will also note that Biden's plan does call for a Clean Electricity Standard. We have a new page on community that provides background and a comparison of a Clean Electricity Standard and Carbon Fee and Dividend.
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270 Posts
Biden promises no taxes unless you make more than $400,000 per year. Will the dividend be in-adequate for some quintiles that make less than $400,000 per year?
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Tony Sirna:

I'm sure many of you have seen that the Biden administration released information today on their American Jobs Plan, an infrastructure and jobs proposal that includes many climate related provisions. We are excited to see climate change get such focused attention from the administration and it is a good sign that real action on climate will be on the top of the agenda for Congress this year.

The plan includes a broad array of policy suggestions and proposals, including many things that CCL has been lending support to, like tax incentive provisions from the Green Act.

Although the proposal does not include a carbon fee or any price on carbon, there is still plenty of time for us to push for a carbon fee to be included in whatever Congress passes this year.  

This outline from the White House is just the opening of a conversation. We still expect robust debate in Congress about what will be included in legislation, and that is where our advocacy is key. We will build on the successes and conversations held in our recent lobby week, and continue the campaign to demonstrate the support for carbon pricing in our communities through our outreach. In addition, we’ve launched a Postcards to the President campaign to make sure he is also hearing directly from voters. 

While this plan makes climate a priority, now is the time to take the biggest and boldest action possible to reduce emissions. We know that a price on carbon is the single most powerful tool to reduce emissions, and we will continue our work to make certain it is included in whatever climate legislation advances this year.

Let’s also add more focus to renewables and battery technology as thats the biggest hurdle to widespread adoption of renewables and combat people huge consumption  of resources like food waste! 

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My quick check of statistics on the internet shows that about 98% of households make less than $400,000 per year including investment income.  Unfortunately, it would seem, Jan, that this could be a problem. Even if we could stretch Biden's statement and halve the $400,000 amount assuming two adults per household, ("no one making under $400,000 will see their federal taxes go up.  Period.") to mean no individual instead of no family, nearly 90% of all households make less than $200,000. If the CF&D could be sold as a market correction instead of a tax or as a voluntary mechanism since each household could choose to reduce their carbon footprint low enough so that the dividend covered the effects of the fee, we might resolve this issue. But there's a better, more accurate framing. I think that the best way to get around Biden's statement is to present this as a tax on fossil fuel companies, not on individuals. Biden plans to raise taxes on corporations - this is just a special tax on certain corporations, among the most profitable in the history of mankind. Part of the effect of taxes on corporations may be that goods and services that they produce will cost more, just as is the case for fossil fuels.
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784 Posts
I agree with Robert Hendricks‍. Here are some related thoughts:

Carbon Fee and Dividend is a tax on corporations. It is a tax on polluters.

Biden's plan shows he is willing to tax corporations. Why tax all corporations when we can just tax the ones selling pollution?

Biden did not say he would never raise the costs for anyone making under $400K. Regulations, such as a CES that he suggest in the plan, would likely raise costs on people. 

A dividend sends money directly to American households to support them through the clean energy transition. No regulation will do that.
 

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