Why should the Federal Government stay out of Global Warming Issues-(Debate question)?

Question

I'm looking for reasons why the fed gov. should stay out of global warming. I need facts and resources for the "con" side of a debate. I could use any references you may have.

Answer 1

The United States Constitution does not give the Federal Government the authority to regulate "Global Warming" issues, domestically.  Such issues, if they exist, are legally an issue for the States to decide individually.

Answer 2

If the US federal government does not intervene who will? The US economy is dominated by corporations run by very short-sighted executives who are paid exhorbitant salaries to maximize shareholder value and their bonuses in the short-term. You cannot count on those people to give up money so that they can save the world. They will not.

It's up to the US government to step up and set rules that prohibit excessive carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions into the air. In coordination with other countries, they can impose a carbon tax or even a carbon cap that will prevent the ever increasing amount of carbon from being emitted into the atmosphere. Corporations understand economics, but they are not good about incorporating environmental costs in running their business unless the government can do it for them.

Ralph Nader saved millions of American lives by forcing the government to impose strict health and safety standards on the job and in the consumer products that we purchase. (Read Ralph Nader's "Unsafe at any Speed") Ralph Nader would impose economic costs and start forcing standards for efficiency that will make a huge impact on the environment.

http://www.votenader.org/issues/

We must start being more efficient and stop wasting energy if we are to save the planet from ecological disaster.

Answer 3

If global warming were limited to some individuals property, then the government (federal or otherwise) should have nothing to do with it.  But when it comes to the public atmosphere (something shared by all and owned by none), then the Federal Government (and every other form of government) are the only entities capable of addressing t he problem.

Trying to keep the Federal Government out of the Global Warming issue is like trying to keep the city of Los Angeles Police out of random acts of violence committed in their streets.  It simply ridiculous. Individuals or corporations are NOT the ones in charge of the public atmosphere.

How the Federal Government responds (via research grants, tax incentives, carbon taxes, etc.) is certainly open to debate.  But anyone taking the position that it's not an issue for the Federal Government is wrong.