Here we go again—Democrats have found yet another way to squeeze more money out of taxpayers, this time by slapping a retroactive tax on fossil fuel companies for carbon emissions dating all the way back to the year 2000. Yes, you read that right. Not content with simply taxing people in the present, New York and Vermont are now taxing the past, demanding that oil companies cough up $75 billion for emissions that were perfectly legal at the time. If this sounds insane, that’s because it is. But don’t worry, other blue states are already lining up to jump on the bandwagon.
Travis Fisher, an energy expert from the Cato Institute, points out the obvious flaw in this scheme: how exactly do you change behavior by taxing something that’s already happened? You don’t. This isn’t about curbing emissions—it’s about finding a sneaky way to extract even more money from companies that, let’s be honest, will just pass the costs along to consumers. That means higher gas prices, higher electricity bills, and yet another financial burden on hardworking Americans.
If politicians were serious about reducing carbon emissions, they’d push for a straightforward carbon tax—at least that would be an upfront, transparent policy. But they won’t do that because they know voters would hate it. Instead, they’ve decided to punish oil companies for doing what they were legally allowed to do, all while pretending that the average person won’t end up footing the bill.
And of course, we have California Governor Gavin Newsom leading the charge with his usual theatrics. According to him, fossil fuel companies are to blame for everything—wildfires, floods, droughts, probably even his bad hair days. It’s all part of the left’s favorite game: blame someone else, never take responsibility. Maybe if California focused less on demonizing oil companies and more on, say, preventing wildfires by properly managing forests, the state wouldn’t be in such a mess.
But hey, Democrats argue, Big Oil is just too rich. They can afford it, right? CNN certainly thinks so, with one correspondent calling their profits “obscene” and “unconscionable.” Funny how that logic never applies to the federal government, which rakes in trillions and still somehow never has enough money.
Climate Activists Are Passing Laws To Tax the Past
“A New York law demands fossil fuel companies pay $75 billion for carbon emissions dating back to the year 2000. Other Democrat-controlled states plan to follow suit.”https://t.co/Vze7w62RaA via @reason
— a12iggymom (@a12iggymom) March 13, 2025
And let’s be real—this isn’t about justice. The left is trotting out the tired comparison between fossil fuel companies and Big Tobacco, claiming oil executives have engaged in a “strategy of denial, deflection, and delay.” But let’s not kid ourselves. Unlike cigarettes, which people can quit with zero impact on modern society, fossil fuels power everything. Eighty percent of our energy still comes from coal, oil, and natural gas. If we actually cut off fossil fuels tomorrow, the country wouldn’t just suffer—it would grind to a halt.
These new retroactive taxes won’t do a thing to change the climate. Even if New York completely eliminated fossil fuel use overnight, the global impact would be… absolutely nothing. The U.S. isn’t even the biggest carbon emitter—China is. But of course, Democrats would rather punish American businesses and consumers than acknowledge that inconvenient fact.
And let’s not forget who really benefits from all this. When states went after Big Tobacco, lawyers walked away with an $8 billion payday, while smokers—not the companies—ended up paying the price. The same thing will happen here. It won’t be oil executives feeling the pinch. It will be everyone who drives a car, heats their home, or runs a business. In other words, you.
Oh be quiet Kathy it couldn’t be the fraud waste and abuse that goes on in New York State daily that makes it one of the most expensive states to live in. Highest tax burden state in the nation. pic.twitter.com/XwbjTXKBfv
— Miriam Riviera (@miriam_riviera) March 11, 2025
The left is coming after fossil fuels, not because they have a better alternative, but because controlling energy means controlling people. These taxes aren’t about climate change. They’re about expanding government power and making sure you have less money and fewer choices. And if you live in California, New Jersey, Maryland, or Massachusetts, buckle up—your state is probably next.
Travis Fisher is right. America could be more prosperous, but politicians won’t let that happen. Instead, they’ll keep finding new ways to take more of your money while pretending they’re saving the planet. And if you can’t afford to fill up your gas tank or pay your electric bill? Well, that’s just the price of progress.
