Why Is the Left Ignoring the Bipartisan Carbon Tax Bill?

(Real Clear Politics) Last Tuesday a small bipartisan group of three Democratic and three Republican members of the U.S. House introduced legislation the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act to stave off a global warming crisis by enacting a tax on carbon pollution. That doesnt happen every day. In fact there hasnt been a bipartisan climate bill in this decade. Three days later a group of 10 current and incoming House Democrats led by Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez held a rally in support of climate legislation. But they did not mention the bipartisan bill let alone celebrate it. Instead they advocated for a Green New Deal" a proposal for such a massive" government investment into renewable energy that it would zero out the production of fossil fuels in 10 years. This political divergence is deeply troubling for the future of the planet. Of course no climate bill is going to clear both the House and Senate in the next Congress; Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell would never put one on the Senate floor. But the brewing House battle will have enormous repercussions beyond the next Congress. No law establishing a program to slash greenhouse gas emissions will ever pass without a coalition consisting of a unified Democratic Party and a faction of Republicans. If Democrats cleave into two or more camps today theres no guarantee they will unify tomorrow.