Former South Carolina Congressman Bob Inglis continues to lead the effort to promote a responsible business model for addressing climate change that is the biggest threat to our state’s future tourism economy. He might have lost his re-election some years ago partially because of his willingness to tell the truth about climate change, but he has a positive attitude about it.
“Losing an election is not the worst thing that can happen to you. Losing your soul is considerably worse,” says Inglis.
Read the two stories below.
The Hill
May 5, 2013
May 5, 2013
Carbon tax backers quietly forge ahead
By Ben Geman – 05/05/13 06:00 AM ET
Activists are quietly forging ahead with their campaign for carbon taxes despite long odds on Capitol Hill.
Bob Inglis, a former GOP House member from South Carolina, is part of a very loose collection of policy wonks and advocates fighting to change the politics of taxing emissions.
“It’s a longer-term play here,” Inglis said.
Inglis, who launched the “Energy and Enterprise Initiative” at George Mason University last year, sees several forces converging that will enable a carbon tax to surface in a broader fiscal policy deal.
It would happen, he said, by “immaculate conception,” but not until 2015 or 2016.
| Politico May 6, 2013 |
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Bob Inglis going the distance on carbon emissions tax
By: Darren Goode |
| Former Rep. Bob Inglis knows that his devotion to a carbon tax might have cost him his job.
But the South Carolina Republican has no regrets as he dedicates his post-congressional career as well to the battle to persuade fellow conservatives to embrace a revenue-neutral carbon tax.
“And really, I am the worst commercial for this, because I got my head blown off trying to do it,” he told POLITICO, sitting at a coffee shop a short walk from the Capitol. But he added, “Losing an election is not the worst thing that can happen to you. Losing your soul is considerably worse.”
The controversial tax proposal has long won the backing of many economists, who say it is the simplest and purest means of reducing emissions blamed for contributing to climate change. And while it has also won tentative backing from oil giants like Shell and ExxonMobil, it’s been pilloried by many oil-state politicians and conservatives, who say it would raise energy costs and hurt fossil fuel industries.
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