Carbon Price

It's innovative and committed, but it also points to a massive global failure of leadership on climate policy. We should put a price on carbon across the entire economy.

Blame it on the recession or natural gas prices or politics or whatever else. But we cannot deny that we are in green financial crisis, and one that is steadily worsening.

As another Republican candidate debate came and went, it has become fairly clear that the issue of climate change isn't going to get much of a hearing, apart perhaps from some questioning of the science.

Cap and trade has proved infeasible. But it remains critical to put a price on greenhouse gas emissions. We need to do it right this time. Let's avoid complexity and adopt a straightforward carbon charge.

This is not the 17th century, when "beliefs" trumped science, forcing Galileo to recant his understanding of the solar system. The president should unequivocally support the climate science community.