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Costello Joins Americans for Carbon Dividends As Managing Director

Former Congressman Ryan Costello (R-Chester) announced in a Wall Street Journal op-ed that he’s the new managing director of Americans for Carbon Dividends.

The group, co-chaired by former Sens. John Breaux and Trent Lott, advocates for a business-backed proposal to fight climate change with a carbon tax.

“As one of many Republican congressmen who just packed up their offices to make way for the Democratic majority, I’ve had time to reflect on what went wrong for the party. There are seismic political shifts under way on issues ranging from climate change to immigration to gun violence,” Costello writes in the opening paragraph of the op-ed. “If Republicans don’t adapt by offering meaningful solutions, the midterm losses could be only the beginning.”

Costello, who served two terms representing the 6th District in the Philadelphia suburbs, decided to not seek reelection last year due to a number of reasons, pinning President Trump and Stormy Daniels as one of the main reasons for stepping away.

Americans for Carbon Dividends, (AFCD), specifically advocates for the “Baker-Shultz plan”, from former GOP Secretaries of State James Baker and George Shultz to “tax carbon dioxide emissions and return the money to individuals and families on a quarterly basis, according to The Hill.

Costello specifically cites the exodus of millenials from the Republican Party as a reason to tackle this issue.

“While climate change may not be a top-tier issue for many older Americans, it certainly is for millennials, who will soon be the nation’s largest voting bloc,” Costello writes in the op-ed. “Over the past two years, 23% of young Republicans abandoned the GOP for the Democratic Party.”

“The Republican Party needs to listen to these voters,” Costello writes referring to millennials. “Their generation is no longer passive: Young voter turnout in the midterms jumped 10 points above the 2014 numbers, a historic high. That electoral math should keep GOP strategists awake at night.”

The former Congressman also believes that “environmentally sound policies can benefit business”, citing Exxon Mobil, Walmart, and Apple for touting climate commitments and referencing their support for the U.S. to stay in the Paris Agreement.

Costello ends the op-ed by writing the Baker-Shultz plan is the climate solution best for the nation and the Republican Party.

“America could thereby lead the way in developing the clean technologies of the future and solving the most pressing global challenge of our time,” he writes. “In short, this is the climate solution that the American people and the Republican Party have been waiting for.”

16 Responses

  1. No. You’ve got this wrong. Costello’s basis for saying this now is it got him a paycheck with a lobbying firm. He doesn’t actually “believe” in anything in particular. Just what will get him paid. The right thing for the people won’t really enter his mind.

  2. I’m disappointed (but not surprised) in that it appears to me that Costello’s basis for the GOP to “adapt” on positions is based predominantly on winning elections. Whatever happened to just trying to do the right thing for the people?

  3. Republicans lose because they offer us political hacks like Ryan Costello. Incompetent, inept and gutless. The election defeat was more about folks like him- he deserted his district-and gave it to dems. Lousy candidates like Dent, Meahan, Costello and Fitzpatrick are why the Republican Party should be renamed the Stooge Party. Only extremely flawed
    Democrats like a Wallace will lose- and even then narrowly.
    Southeast suburb Republican establishment has become a joke- you can’t win elections with the mediocrity and hacks they present as candidates- Good riddance to Garbage Man Costello!

    1. Do you blame all of them for “Lou” and Wagner? As a Dem, I will tell you that Costello is a fraud trying to build a brand with MSNBC.

  4. This is hilarious. Costello has always been one of those dumb guys that just fell into a congressional seat. He knew he couldn’t win re-elect (Fitzpatrick stuck around for the fight and he won!). And now he works for some bogus lobbying group that with take donor/investor money and never accomplish anything! Costello is a wimp and loser!

    1. LOL I see why your name is “Hahahaha” because you’re a joke. Leave the man alone. He is standing up for what he believes in and in this case, he is absolutely right. The environment needs to be addressed and it should be done in a business friendly manner. Get a grip ya old fart.

      1. I’m a college Republican and I saw Representative Costello at the Berks County GOP dinner 2 or 3 years ago. While he was nice he had nothing to say. Sadly our table of young people who was there largely to see him was pretty disappointed. Carly Fiorna was the other speaker that night and she blew it out of the water. Rep. Costello had less support amongst us than Carly Fiorina. You read that right. A candidate who got less than 1% and went on to be Ted Cruz VP nominee for a week or so. My point is on an issue like climate this group should have gotten a better person to talk to and engage millennials and my generation. The other Haha comment may have been from an older person but I agree -Still a CR

      2. And yet didn’t have the stones to actually say or do something when he was a congressman

        1. Yes, you are correct that as a college freshman I did not go up to a sitting Congressman and tell him I was disappointed that he turned out to be an empty suit because that would have been a real classy move. My action was that since I was disappointed with him I no longer supported his endeavors. Unlike you I still believe in civility in politics and will use my time and talent to help those I believe in instead of tearing people down. -Still a CR

  5. Oh, now that he is out of Congress and not scrounging for deplorable votes, Costello can admit that carbon dioxide is a problem.

    1. Fraud??? In your case, you should be saying “Freud” because clearly former Rep Costello is on to something. The Republican Party is playing from an outdated playbook and you know it too. Climate change and responsible gun laws are just the start of a seismic political sea change that is consuming the Republican Party. You are sleeping when you should be weeping. The Republican Party ran one of the most incompetent candidates for Governor ever in this history of the Republican Party in Nov 2018 and got “trounced” “walloped” “thumped” with a Dem over Republican vote spread of more liberal states like California in a state that is more centerist. And Val the Republican leader can only come up with the brain storm to “have a contract with America.” I mean the dude rehashes Newt Gingrich’s 90’s “golden oldies greatest hits” as a solution and this is passed off as wisdom.

      1. Brought to you live by the mind of the World famous political operative James Buchanan.

      2. He’s a fraud because he had an ability to push for this as a member of Congress and chose not to. In fact, last July the House voted on a resolution saying essentially the opposite of Costello’s position here, yet he didn’t vote at all, rather than vote for what he “believes” in and happen to side with Democrats, he didn’t vote at all.

        Yes. He’s a total fraud.

        1. Agree. If you look at his record, it was far right. His rhetoric now is to build a brand and make $. I am a Dem and am saying this. I don’t buy into his conversion.

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