Christine Todd Whitman, formally governor of New Jersey totally convinces me that man-caused climate change is real, and that mankind is mostly/solely responsible! The original headline was something about Republicans reclaiming our tradition
Gov. Whitman: I’m glad to see Republicans recognizing climate change. Now they must do something
During my time as both governor of New Jersey and administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, I knew that I’d be judged by my actions. All the speeches and public appearances in the world won’t convince people you’ve done your job unless you produce results.
That’s how we need to judge our elected officials when it comes to climate change.
Because climate change has become needlessly partisan, I am always heartened when a fellow Republican recognizes the seriousness of the issue. More elected Republicans are now publicly acknowledging the truth: climate change is real and humans are the leading cause of it.
However, too many Republican elected officials who know better — even those who have publicly recognized the problem of climate change – are still refusing to go beyond words. The Climate Solutions Caucus in Congress has 44 Republican members, but the vast majority of them continue to vote against real solutions or in support of measures damaging to our environment and health. A recent vote brought before the House of Representatives saw Republicans overwhelmingly reject the idea of making major industries pay for the dangerous pollution they emit in our air. Most frustratingly, these same members have offered no suggestions of their own.
Funny that she’s totally for making Someone Else pay, yet refuses to give up her own big carbon life. Oh, and all this about making major industries pay means those costs trickle down to the consumers, who aren’t rich like Whitman.
Like most Republicans, I am a firm believer in free market solutions. And hearteningly, there are a small number of Republicans bringing market-based approaches to address climate change. Rep. Carlos Curbelo of Florida did just that when he introduced a bill over the summer calling for a price on carbon pollution that would bring about infrastructure investment, regulatory stability, and tax reforms based on conservative, free market principals. But unfortunately plans like Curbelo’s have been the exception, and not the rule.
She’s using a phrase I don’t think she understands. Implementing a government run tax/fee is 180 degrees away from being a free market solution (though she tries to weasel a bit by leaving out “free”). Free market solution means the market does it, not the government. When the few Republican Warmists out there go down this road, they’re even more disingenuous than the leftists who push this, because the Republicans are supposed to be for an actual free market, not yammer out weasel words in an attempt to increase the size and scope of government.
I am not saying that conservatives should simply adopt the policies of Democrats on climate change. Republicans can stand for a clean environment and market principles. But we can’t stand on the sidelines. We must enter this debate with our own ideas, and push for policies that cut the pollution intensifying havoc across our country and world. And token cuts are not enough, we must reduce emissions and move toward clean energy as fast as the science of climate change demands.
First, this is exactly the Democrats idea. Most aren’t positioning a carbon tax/fee as a free market solution (except for those few who are lying about it being a FMS). Next, why would we do anything when the proof of mankind being mostly/solely responsible is beyond weak and doesn’t rely on the scientific method and testable and reproducible facts. Third, intensifying havoc? Good grief. Wackadoodle.
And to my fellow Republicans who are in the Congress, we must do better. Our party has a great history of environmental protection. Let’s reclaim that.
Ah, that’s where the original headline came from. CO2 is plant food. It’s necessary for life. It isn’t dangerous to humans until you get into the thousands of parts per million in a closed environment. Earth has survived much higher levels, and is doing fine at just over 400ppm.
But, if she’s worried about the environment, then let’s demolish all those big liberal cities with all their fossil fueled vehicles, cities which tend to have much higher carbon footprints than suburban/rural areas, and cause a massive urban heat island effect, and have erased nature.
