California proposing taxing small and large businesses for CO2 emissions

The debate about adverse world climate change seems problematic and governments need to appoint experts to thrash it out.

Meanwhile it seems to be sensible to limit taxation as much as possible on small businesses, to help them emerge from the recession.

I have been watching Glen Beck on Fox News and considered him at first rather idiotic, crass and simplistic. However yesterday he produced a rather well crafted discussion of small businesses and their problems, with several able spokesmen highlighting their present difficulties.

I wonder if it has ever occurred to anyone that Jesus was for a while a small business man after his father died and he inherited the management of his father's carpentry business?

Everbody was taxed by the Romans, but it was the very wealthy who suffered most. From the third century AD wealthy people in all the provinces tried to avoid public office (as decurions) because they were expected to support and endow their local cities lavishly from their private resources.

Then there was the "Great Inflation" after the year of the four emperors. So it is interesting that many modern problems had ancient counterparts.

Unfortunately ancient history does not seem to suggest any ready-made solutions for our present world problems.

I suggest that any major borrowing should be spent only on defence, security and infra-structure. All education and health and other initiatives need to be paid for through normal taxation.

I recommend Mr. Broadbent visit cities in other parts of the world, then come home to the fresh air of the San Francisco Bay Area and realize that we are already paying the price.