An economist discussing the Obama administration's Clean Power Plan argued, "The best solutions would involve replacing EPA-centered regulation with better-suited tools, including a carbon tax."
a. Why might implementing a carbon tax be a better approach to reducing carbon dioxide emissions than an approach that relies on directly regulating how power plants in each state generate electricity?
b. Why might a command-and-control approach to pollution control be more politically popular than an approach that relies on taxes? Include in your answer a brief discussion of the difference between the normative analysis and positive analysis of this policy issue.