Government must act boldly on global warming, wealth inequality

There are two, overarching, structural problems facing the United States (and the rest of the world as well), neither of which receive enough attention: global warming and widespread poverty/inequality of wealth.

It’s time for our government to do its job.

We must intensely question and firmly reject arguments that global warming is a “hoax” or that our economy is “booming.” The costs of human suffering and the environmental damage are too great to stand for that.

Instead, we need bold action.

An adequate response to the immediate threat of global warming would include a refundable carbon tax. Such a tax was advocated last year by 45 top economists from across the political spectrum, including numerous Nobel laureates in economics, plus Alan Greenspan, Ben Bernanke and Janet Yellen, who are former chairs of the Federal Reserve.

Their proposal includes a substantial yearly rebate of about $2,000 per family, so many of us could come out ahead financially, depending on our carbon footprint, while we make energy choices that more closely reflect the total cost of burning fossil fuels.

Additionally, we must counter widespread and growing poverty among over half of our people with substantial federal income subsidies. These subsidies would actualize Andrew Yang’s proposed Universal Basic Income of $1,000 per month for every person over 18.

This simple, but powerful, answer would contravene 45 years of stagnant wages, as computers/automation and globalization have hamstrung the wage-bargaining power of U.S. workers, while giving record profits and soaring stock values to the wealthy.

Many working families cannot make ends meet, and they find saving for the future very difficult. For example, in Baker City recently, 52 homes were scheduled to have their water cut off for over 60 days past due, and 10 were turned off until their past-due balances are paid.

The U.S. Constitution directs our government to “promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.”

Today more than ever, we must join together, debate the issues with opened minds, and demand that our government take broad, sweeping action against these major challenges that confront us.

Marshall McComb

Baker City