HOW ABOUT A CAP-AND-TRADE DIVIDEND?

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... the real action on climate control commences on Jan. 20, 2009, when a new administration takes over. Both Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain are on record in favor of cap and trade; the main difference between their proposals is how the carbon permits would be allocated:

• McCain's proposal would initially give out most of the permits for free to the nation's biggest emitters of greenhouse gases; however, he has not completely ruled out a carbon auction.
• Obama has proposed allocating the permits through an auction; every company -- large or small -- would have to buy the rights to emit greenhouse gases.

It's important that all revenues from carbon auctions be cycled back to citizens, says Reich. Rather than launch another endless debate over how and to whom, it would be well to agree to the simplest possible formula: Every adult citizen should receive an equal share:

• If the carbon auction yields $150 billion in the first year, for example, each of America's 150 million adult citizens should receive a Treasury check that year of $1,000.

[the bottom half is fantasy, but look at the top half again: every company in the US bidding to buy the 'right' to use energy? This is coming - unless we mobilize to stop it as we did 'comprehensive' immigration reform.]

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