Tuesday, January 26, 2010
If Federal Outlays Were U.S. Carbon Emissions...
...we would have had a deficit of $52 billion in 2009, rather than the $1.44 trillion that we had (see historical tables here).U.S. carbon emissions were an estimated 5,495 million metric tons in 2009, roughly 9.4% more than they were in 1990 (5,022).
If federal outlays had grown at the same pace, our spending would have been about $1.739 trillion (constant 2000 dollars) last year, while revenue would have been $1.687 trillion. We would had a surplus of $208 billion (Kyoto-Protocol-style 7%-below-1990 levels).
...And yet everybody thinks we've been irresponsible with carbon emissions.
Written by David A. Ridenour, vice president of the National Center for Public Policy Research. Write the author at info@nationalcenter.org. Please note if you prefer that your correspondence be kept private, or only published anonymously.
Labels: Climate, Economics, Environment, Government Spending
Posted by David A. Ridenour at 5:32 PM
