Today in American politics: All of the Republicans who are paid to be Republicans are super mad that some other Republicans who are also paid to be Republicans are being bad at being paid Republicans!
Last week, we noted the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank, hosted a discussion about implementing a carbon tax. Here’s how we ended that post: “In about 15 seconds, the right-wing blogosphere is going to go apoplectic.”
Apparently the 15 seconds are up.
ThinkProgress has a few select quotes from angry pundits. Here, the National Review: “Disturbing reports are reaching us of a hitherto-secret meeting at the American Enterprise Institute Wednesday afternoon looking at the feasibility of persuading Congressional Republicans to back a ‘revenue neutral’ carbon tax.” Disturbing! Hitherto!
The Hill got reactions from congressfolk.
Boehner spokesman Michael Steel had a one-word answer when asked, on Friday, whether the Speaker would ever consider a carbon tax to help address climate change and the deficit: “No.”
Similarly, McConnell spokesman John Ashbrook said Monday that “Leader McConnell opposes a national energy tax.”
They sound really mad, I guess!
Politico notes that the carbon-tax gathering “included lunch,” which is an important detail. It also quoted the Competitive Enterprise Institute (which is different from and hostile to the American E.I.): “In general, when left and right join forces, the appropriate question is: Who is duping whom?”
Whom indeed, Competitive E.I.! Whom indeed.
As was the case last Friday, the current Congress will never pass any carbon tax, nor would they have under any possible discussable scenario short of alien invasion, so this whole conversation and the blood pressure points it has raised are of limited utility. But all of the people who gave those quotes can drive home to northern Virginia knowing that they earned their paychecks.
