President Obama is making a major statement about where investments in new, cleaner transportation should come from. In his recent proposal, he suggests a $10 a barrel tax on all domestic and imported oil. There are several arguments for and against the idea, from making the point that already low prices could easily absorb a tax that would be shouldered mostly by major corporations and consumers alike, to the assertion by some that it would compound the problems already facing a struggling oil sector. But the real issue here, is that future proofing national infrastructure is an essential element of meeting climate goals. Politically, the likelihood of the plan getting past Congress in close to nil, but the real intention may be to open up an intellectual debate about the future direction of the country, and possibly, the world.