CNBC just reported: "The investments of 125 of the world’s richest billionaires cause 393 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year, according to a report by Oxfam." ( https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/08/billionaires-emit-a-million-times-more-greenhouse-gases-than-the-average-person-oxfam.html )
For readers not so familiar with the metric system, one metric tonne is equal to 1.1 "tons" as used in the U.S. That means in terms of American terminology, the 125 billionaires are responsible for 432.3 million tons of carbon dioxide EVERY YEAR.
Also, please note, this is based on a report from Oxfam - not a radical political group.
These are the RICHEST people in the entire world. They're not doing this because they can't afford to feed their families and act responsibly for the climate. And if they all lack the intellectually ability to understand what they're doing, maybe all that money should be in someone else's control.
In school, I was taught that (at least in my state) if a driver parks his car on a hill, forgets to put on the emergency brake, and while he was away from the car it rolled down the hill and killed someone, the driver was guilty of involuntary manslaughter. Now, consider that these billionaires have not simply left their "car" parked for 30 minutes, they've had decades to be told about the risks, and they've had at least years to see the increasing number of climate-related natural disasters (and resulting deaths.) So, it's worth asking, based on that view of personally responsibility, how much penalty their continued actions deserve.
At very least, one would think they should have to pay taxes at a rate equal to or greater than people with average incomes. Yet, they fight tooth and nail to avoid that. That shows what little morality or social ethics they have. Such is not the kind of people who should be allowed to run amuck with no consequences.
They have the money. This is an emergency. At least until the emergency is over, we need to raise their taxes so that we have funds to fix the damage the billionaires caused and continue to cause.
I believe we should consider other consequences as well. Certainly, if we can’t get elected officials to enact the needed taxation, we should look into legal action which can take billions in monetary penalties.
