Go, carbon tax, GO!

Lots and lots of agreement with this. 

Lawrence Summers:   Oil's swoon creates the opening for a carbon tax



"The core of the case for taxation is the recognition that those who use carbon-based fuels or products do not bear all the costs of their actions. Carbon emissions exacerbate global climate change. In many cases, they contribute to local pollution problems that harm human health. Getting fossil fuels out of the ground involves both accident risks and environmental challenges. And even with the substantial recent increases in U.S. oil production, we remain a net importer. Any increase in our consumption raises our dependence on Middle East producers.

All of us, when we drive our cars, heat our homes or use fossil fuels in more indirect ways, create these costs without paying for them."
...

"Progressives who are most concerned about climate change should rally to a carbon tax. Conservatives who believe in the power of markets should favor carbon taxes on market principles. And Americans who want to see their country lead on the energy and climate issues that are crucial to the world this century should want to be in the vanguard on carbon taxes. Now is the time."

And, I may add ... we can fund emission-free nuclear energy as well, particularly both maintenance on existing plants and R&D for things like mini (aircraft carrier-scale) neighborhood nuke plants.

Let's go with the right tax at the right time.  Now.