Tom Friedman Asks Good Questions About Carbon Taxes and Global Warming Denial

Tom Friedman asks whether things are crazy enough yet. His reference is to Governor Perry from Texas who denies global warming, which probably plays well in Exxon land. He finds it hard for Perry to take this position while Texas is fighting the greatest forest fires in its history that result from global warming. Friedman also makes the case for a carbon tax as a way to stimulate demand for green technology and green jobs. He argues that the recent failure of a solar company, backed by government, was the result of inadequate demand in the US which results from low fossil fuel prices that fail to reflect their external costs. He asks whether it is better to pay a carbon tax, and reduce the threat of global warming damages, which might also be used to provide social security and healthcare benefits, or to reduce those benefits to citizens.