Dear Editor:
The lead editorial in the June 14 Washington Post [“The Senate Energy Bill”] contains several misguided statements, but the one that made me re-read a few times says, “What Congress should do is find the courage to put a price on carbon and then let the market determine how best to limit emissions.”
Courage has nothing to do with it. Sound science and economics–both in short supply in the debate over climate change–should dictate what Congress does or doesn’t do. The Post‘s recommendation is the worse sort of top-down regulation masquerading as a “market” solution. Markets can determine what is worth achieving at what price, not simply attaining goals determined by politicians.
Jim Eiden ([email protected]) is legislative specialist on environment and energy issues for The Heartland Institute.
