:rolleyes: what does carbon dioxide plus sodium hydroxide yield?

CO2+NaOH=Na(CO3)+H this is

2NaOH + CO2 → Na2CO3 + H2O
Sodium hydroxide - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_hydroxide)

Yet this turns universal indicator orange, more of an acid. Would carbonic acid be formed?

I think, not sure though, that another reaction takes place after the reaction stated above, like Ca(OH)2 + CO2, namely

2NaOH + CO2 → Na2CO3 + H2O

Na2CO3 + CO2 + H2O → 2NaHCO3

Which may be acidic.

Yes Carbonic acid is formed. If NaOH is aqueous at the time of reaction, the initial reaction would be
CO2 + H2O → H2CO3

Which goes on to combine with NaOH to form the hydrocarbonate
NaOH + H2CO3 → NaHCO3 + H2O

The hydrocarbonate further reacts with sodium hydrocarbonate to form the carbonate
NaHCO3 + NaOH -> Na2CO3 + H2O

The reaction is self sustaining as long as NaOH molecules remain, because the water molecules formed as by-products of the reactions would continuously combine with CO2, which is always readily available. That's why the universal indicator is turning orange, because the products left after while is the salt (Na2CO3) and the weak acid (H2CO3)