Yet Another GOP Warmist Failing To Understand How The Free Market Works

Rep Elise Stefanik (R-NY) is another Big Government type Republican who fails to see that Government running the market is not free market, no matter how she puts it

Market-Oriented Solutions to Climate Change – InsideSources

The environment is the economic lifeblood of my district in New York’s North Country. Our community understands that clean air and clean water are not just political issues — they are a core aspect of our lives. It’s imperative that we step up in Congress and make smart environmental choices for future generations. Sustainable options depend not just on climate outcomes, but also on reinforcing personal liberty and responsibility.

We must tackle this generational challenge with bipartisan, serious policies. Proposals like the Green New Deal are non-starters because they would not only restructure our energy systems, but also the relationship between the people and a vastly expanded federal government. Free markets, strong property rights, and consumer choice aren’t protected under this kind of sweeping legislation.

We can combat our climate and environmental issues through market-based solutions. That’s why I am focused on ideas to diminish market barriers, reduce pollution, and increase economic growth and justice through free enterprise.

Market-based policy approaches encourage behavioral changes through signals to the market — often focused on changes in prices — rather than through explicit governmental directives. Market-based approaches encourage businesses and individuals to undertake pollution control efforts that are in their interests, and that collectively meet policy goals when they are well-designed and properly implemented.

Except, if the government is making the policies to encourage behavioral changes, that means it is not the free market. When Apple came out with the first iPhone, that was a sea change. Smartphones were around, but, not that big of a deal, excepting Blackberry’s for business use, mostly email.

Tax credits for wind and solar have helped jumpstart an industry that is now one of the economy’s most dynamic. Solar photovoltaic installers and wind turbine service technicians have been the first and second top-growing jobs over the past decade. These tax credits are scheduled to phase-out over the next few years because the subsidies were originally intended to help a nascent market get off the ground, and that goal will be largely achieved by the end of the phase-out.

Combined with the transition from coal to natural gas, this market-based approach had made it so the U.S. leads the world in emissions reductions. As of 2018, our carbon emissions were 10 percent below 2005 levels, which is roughly two-fifths of the way to the Paris Agreement target of 26 percent below 2005 levels by 2025.

Those policies are government, not free market.

We also should give incentives for good private sector action. Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions proposes a voluntary federal framework for public and private entities to highlight their efforts to reduce carbon emissions and increase renewable energy procurements. This system would increase transparency and accountability in the emerging carbon economy, highlight successful local and federal programs, and create incentives to participate in the voluntary framework.

People who worked in government creating a group that gets government involved.

We recently celebrated a big victory with passage of the Natural Resources Management Act. The legislation designated 1,340,000 acres of new wilderness, 367 miles of new scenic rivers, and 2,600 miles of new national trails. The bipartisan law also authorizes and allocates dozens of land exchanges to state and local governments to enable further economic development. This is a leading example of legislation that uses federal support to achieve environmental goals with a focus on local priorities and national economic growth.

Government.

Republicans need to be an active part of climate change legislation, which is why I’m working with GOP colleagues in the new bicameral Roosevelt Conservation Caucus. We’re supported by groups in our states and districts including the American Conservation Coalition, a nonprofit founded by young Republicans.

Legislation is free market? Huh.

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9 Responses to “Yet Another GOP Warmist Failing To Understand How The Free Market Works”

  1. Elwood P. Dowd says:

    Do all taxes disrupt free markets? How about the usurious taxes on tobacco products to help gov’t pay for the treatments for COPD and cancer caused by tobacco? Or gasoline taxes to pay for roads? Or tariffs on imports?

    In fact, doesn’t all government action interfere with free markets? Why do governments build roads, bridges, ports, airports, dams, libraries, parks and schools? Why do they support old age pensions, old age medical care, food stamps, medical care for the poor, clean air, clean water? Why do they allow labor unions, why do they create corporations? Why do they regulate medicine and food and child labor and worker safety?

    Can you think of any free markets?

    • Kye says:

      Yes, Elwood all taxes disrupt the free market. Taxes will cause you to do something or stop you from doing something. That’s disruption. Taxes take money from consumers and spends it on thing the consumers probably wouldn’t. That too is market disruption. Taxes are by the fact that it steals one man’s labor and gives it to another who did not earn it is both immoral and disruptive to the free market. But in life Elwood we as adults accept trade-offs. We pay taxes to protect ourselves with the military, the police and fire fighters and border patrol, etc.. The object is to tax the LEAST not the most people, commodities or companies. We all realize those things you listed disrupt the free market but in most of those cases we have agreed to allow the disruption because we think the results are better. A trade-off. You know how much most of the commenters here including myself hat taxes. You should also realize we are willing to accept a certain level of taxation to perform duties that are necessary and very difficult or impossible for individuals to do themselves. So we need taxes.

      That said, they should not be used to punish people or companies. That’s what the law is for. They should not be used to help people either as the free market will help those who earn it and the tax man has no particular expertise in knowing who “deserves” someone else’ money.

      Trump 2020

      • Elwood P. Dowd says:

        Economists talk about market failures. We have Medicare, Medicaid, public works, accommodations laws, environmental regulations, worker protections etc to correct market failures. Even tariffs (taxes) can correct market failures as can other taxes. That is not to say that gov’t can’t overreach (over or underregulate or tax) to achieve market efficiency. It’s inexact.

        So the debate is not about whether taxes are good or bad, it’s just a matter of opinion.

        When someone like the Representative talks about market approaches they’re talking about regulating the price by taxing.

        Do you agree then with TEACH that the representative doesn’t understand “free” markets, since “free” markets are a myth?

        trump reduced the deductibility of state taxes to punish citizens in blue states. Was that fair?

        Dump tRump 2020

        • formwiz says:

          We have Medicare, Medicaid, public works, accommodations laws, environmental regulations, worker protections etc to correct market failures.

          We do?

          I remember that public works thing Sambo started. We still had to wait 8 years for a real President to fix things.

          So the debate is not about whether taxes are good or bad, it’s just a matter of opinion.

          It is? This like that there are no good or bad cultures nonsense.

          I recall that weasel, George Mitchell, conning Bush 41 into a luxury tax. Crashed the economy like a B-17 over Schweinfurt.

          Even the Demos wouldn’t renew it when it came time.

          When someone like the Representative talks about market approaches they’re talking about regulating the price by taxing.

          It’s never worked, you know, so Teach is right and you wouldn’t know a free market if you saw it.

          Trump reduced the deductibility of state taxes to punish citizens in blue states. Was that fair?

          That was politics. And Congress did it.

          All those people who don’t like Andy Cuomo or Newsom have another reason to vote R next year.

          And you can bet they will.

    • formwiz says:

      Just because something is sold as being for payment of roads doesn’t mean it goes there.

      Everything goes into the general fund, from which Congress makes its appropriations.

      So, yes, they all disrupt free markets.

      Someone needs to tell the bunny suit about the Whiskey Rebellion.

      Next stupid question.

      Why do governments build roads, bridges, ports, airports, dams, libraries, parks and schools? Why do they support old age pensions, old age medical care, food stamps, medical care for the poor, clean air, clean water? Why do they regulate medicine and food and child labor and worker safety?

      I’ll take Power and Buying Votes for 20, Alex.

      Bunny suit ignores the fact roads, bridges, ports, airports, dams, libraries, parks and schools are local efforts and keeping the state and the Feds as far away as possible is the best thing one can do.

      Why do they allow labor unions, why do they create corporations?

      You tell us, Mein Fuhrer. Last I looked, government did not create corporations and it was not their place to allow labor unions.

      Sounds like you want them abolished or under government control

      • Elwood P. Dowd says:

        Kleagle Klown of Kleveland,

        There you go again.

        Mr KKK typed: “Last I looked, government did not create corporations and it was not their place to allow labor unions.”

        You need to look harder then.

        • formwiz says:

          No, you do.

          Tell me when the Feds created Ford or DuPont or RCA or IBM.

          PS The only clown is the drag queen that champions things such as homosexuality and child sex trafficking around here. And that sure ain’t me.

          NAMBLA pay your minimum wage?

          • Elwood P. Dowd says:

            King Kleagle of NAMBLA,

            Are all KKKers obsessed with child sex trafficking?

            Do you not know what a corporation is?

  2. formwiz says:

    Are all KKKers obsessed with child sex trafficking?

    Clearly, you are not. You think it’s just fine. Sex before 8 or else it’s too late, right? I’m sure your boy, Mayor Buttpeg, feels the same way.

    Yes, NAMBLA’s your outfit and liljeffy is 100% right about your background.

    Do you not know what a corporation is

    Clearly you don’t. People or a company or a group of companies register to be viewed under law as a single entity. Government does not do anything to allow them to do so.

    You seem to think corporations are chartered by government. That went out with the British East India Company.

    Zippy tried it as an exercise in National Socialism with the GM Bailout, but, like everything else he tried, that was a flop, too.

    And the only King of NAMBLA and such practices is you. You just love the gays, don’t you?

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