Senators, lead out against carbon pollution

Where are Sen. Dick Durbin and Sen. Mark Kirk on the climate issue? Apparently, they are voting for business as usual by their lack of visibility. When our own Congress fails to let the marketplace reduce our carbon emissions at no cost to the taxpayers by implementing a carbon fee and dividend approach to pollution, we need to ask who they answer to. We don't allow polluters to dump harmful waste into our land and water free of charge any more. Why should carbon producers pay nothing for the pollution their products add to our air?

Clean up estimates range up to $40 per ton for carbon pollution. Economist George Shultz has gone on record supporting a carbon fee system. Shultz and the late Gary Becker proposed that by giving money raised from charging carbon producers a per-ton fee directly back to the taxpayers, Congress could create a policy that is simple, transparent and politically viable on both sides of the aisle.

Some congressional leaders have listened and have tried to pass a fee and dividend bill. In January 2014, Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) wrote, "More than 700 companies that drive the U.S. economy - including Microsoft, Owens Corning, General Motors, the Portland Trail Blazers and candy maker Mars - have signed a declaration calling for national action on climate change."

Boxer and Sanders created a carbon fee and dividend bill in 2013 that would have returned 60 percent of the revenue raised back to taxpayers. It died in committee.

Elected officials follow the lead of constituents. Let's tell ours that we want to leave a legacy of a stable climate for future generations. Let's call them, meet with them, write them and make our voices heard.

Mary Hansen

Northbrook