Dodd: Tax carbon emissions
By LISA ROSSI
REGISTER AMES BUREAU
May 3, 2007
Democratic presidential candidate Chris Dodd promoted his environment agenda in West Des Moines today, calling for a tax on corporations on their carbon dioxide emissions and more efforts to create fuel-efficient automobiles.
Dodd, 62, a U.S. senator from Connecticut, told an audience of young Democrats at the 21st Century Democrats Forum at Jimmy’s American Café that taxing businesses for carbon dioxide emissions could generate $50 billion to $100 billion a year, money he would spend reinvesting in alternative energy research.
“What we’d like to see (is) the Midwest become the center or energy production – not the Mideast,” he said. “We’d like to see technologies emerge that don’t contaminate our environment or put generations at risk.”
Democrats at the forum said this appearance was the first time they were able to learn more about Dodd, after previously getting more exposure to other presidential candidates.
Some were concerned that his corporate tax proposal might turn off donors during the primary season.
“Business issues tend to be a hard sell in Iowa,” said Shawn Bown, 40, from Des Moines, who is a member of the 21st Century forum. “I don’t want to say it’s an anti-business tax – I’m afraid that other candidates will want to put that on him.”
Dodd defended himself against critics by saying the country already spends $300 billion to purchase oil products from nations all over the world. Of that total, he says $60 billion to $100 billion goes to countries hostile to the interests of the United States.
He said he hopes the tax would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 80 percent of what it was in 1990 by the year 2050.
Dodd also said he wants to create a 50-mile-per-gallon standard for all automobiles by the year 2017.
Some of the young Democrats who attended the event said they were still shopping for a candidate to support, but they listened with interest to his proposals.
“He’s very precise in his platform,” said Nicole Hinton, 30, from Waukee, who said she’s been leaning toward supporting Hillary Clinton. “To be honest, I didn’t know much about him before.”
Dodd used his appearance as an opportunity to distinguish himself from other contenders, specifically touting his experience.
“I think it’s a time that clearly experience matters,” he said. “I’ve been involved in every major foreign policy and domestic policy debate over the last 25 years.”