Carbon credits and carbon taxes

David Gillies commenting in Samizdata:

The carbon credits trading scam reminds me of William F. Buckley's comment on the so-called Social Security 'lockbox': that it had all the legitimacy of 13 year old girls sending Valentines to themselves.

And Fred Z:

If an idiot wants to buy carbon credits, pyramids, the Brooklyn Bridge, healing crystals or chiropractic, who am I to say no? So long as it's not tax money he's using.

And Midwesterner:

Greens are a suspect religion when they start selling indulgences.

And James Dixon:

Ah, yes. The carbon tax. Which, if passed, will finally realize the dream of governments since the dawn of time. The government will finally, actually, really, be able to tax you for breathing.

And lucklucky:

"Does anyone think that the world's biggest carbon producer, China, will cripple its economy with this [carbon] tax?"

If the money goes to the pockets of bureaucrats, why not?