Five months ago, as COVID-19 cases were rising for the first time across the United States and the economy was taking a long walk off a short pier, congressional Democrats and Republicans were busy hashing out the details of a third coronavirus package. One piece of the package became a sticking point for both parties: emissions from airplanes and cruise ships. The aviation industry and cruise lines had been hit particularly hard by the pandemic — a highly infectious and deadly disease doesn’t exactly inspire people to pack into an airplane or cruise ship with throngs of strangers. Democrats wanted those industries to adopt stricter environmental practices and reduce their emissions in exchange for a $50 billion bailout. Republicans accused Democrats of trying to score political points while Americans suffered. Democrats eventually caved and Republicans got a relief package without the climate strings attached. But new research shows that […]