Letter: America deserves climate solution that upholds conservative values

There’s a shift happening in this country. More and more people are growing concerned about drought, strange weather patterns and poor air quality. Just think about what we’ve experienced here in Utah in recent years. If Republicans don’t get out in front with a credible climate solution, there’s a real risk Democrats exploit the issue to turn America into a socialist paradise.

We don’t need to reorder our economic system and guarantee government jobs to everybody to solve climate change. We can do it by unleashing two of our greatest assets: American ingenuity and the free market.

Leading conservatives and business groups have suggested a plan to charge companies for their carbon emissions and return all the money to the American people in quarterly checks. Called “carbon dividends,” this plan would simplify regulations that tie businesses’ hands and encourage the technological breakthroughs we need to drive down emissions around the world.

Some groups have denounced the plan as a tax. But I’ve never heard of a tax whose revenues get returned to the people. No, a carbon price paired with dividends is an incentive Americans will respond to. It rewards everyone in the economy for reducing their emissions and lets the market work so businesses can develop the clean technologies of the future.

America deserves a climate solution that promotes conservative values and turns carbon pollution to our advantage. Carbon dividends get us on the right track.

Suzanne Gleed

South Jordan