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Next week, I and other Republicans around the nation will have the privilege of participating in a virtual lobby session with Republican members of Congress. I will be meeting with members representing western NY and other parts of NYS. We will be asking Congress support initiatives to address climate change with common sense solutions such as permitting reform and a carbon based tariff.
I have been a Republican all my life and living in a rural farming community has taught me that we all must live with and depend on the natural environment. We ALL have to be good stewards. It is not for one side of the aisle, it is for all the people.
It pains me to see politicians, across the spectrum, portray climate change as a partisan issue. Scientific knowledge transcends politics. There isn’t separate science for each side of the aisle. Advancing scientific knowledge is crucial to improving the human condition.
I also believe that respect for the environment does not conflict with free market capitalism. Subsidizing polluting unsustainable industrial practices (contrary to what some would have you believe) is not consistent with capitalist or libertarian principles. Reforming the permitting process would expand the economy by building out the electric grid. A carbon-based tariff would level the playing field for American business and hold our dirty trading partners to account.
I hope that Congresswoman Claudia Tenney will follow in the footsteps of Republican environmental giants of the 20th century like Teddy Roosevelt and Richard Nixon and support solutions that harness the forces of capitalism to address environmental problems. By expanding clean energy we can strengthen U.S. leadership and competitiveness.
We at Citizen’s Climate Lobby support real solutions that favor jobs, economic growth and enhance our global competitiveness.
As a lifelong Republican and a member of Citizen’s Climate Lobby, I know that Conservation is Conservative!
Robert Johnson
The Beacon welcomes comments and letters from readers who adhere to our comment policy including use of their full, real name. See “Leave a Reply” below to discuss on this post. Comments of a general nature may be submitted to the Letters page by emailing [email protected].
Another observation here, even some of the most ardent Climate-Change evangelists seem to be of flexible opinion on the subject recently. Last fall, Bill Gates noticeably toned down his Climate rhetoric with comments like Climate Change isn’t doomsday for mankind, and its not the most critical problem faced by mankind etc. Some skeptics might conclude that the change in outlook is tied to the need for massive data centers in our AI future, thus the need for more energy and the Gates Foundation’s investments in fossil fuels. I’d argue this is another example of advocacy not science. https://www.newsweek.com/bill-gates-delivers-tough-truths-on-climate-before-u-n-talks-10951942
There are many different sources, across the political spectrum, that have repudiated Gate’s recent downplaying of climate change. But, one I think is particularly good is this one from Bill Mckibben: https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/bill-gates-climate-change
Dan; I assume you agree with at least part of my comments. I went to the sources you suggested. I have reviewed most of these in the past. Almost all if not all of these groups are funded by liberal and leftist sources who want certain outcomes. In addition, most of scientists are the same. Otherwise they wouldn’t get funding. So many of these are looking for evidence of their predetermined opinions. Finally, 90% of the media have the same bias. It sounds like you may have been affected by these forces.
Yes – I certainly agree with you that climate change should not be a political / partisan issue. But, what I’ve observed in my readings and interactions with fellow citizens in my community is that, looking at the big picture, it is conservative groups and interests that are more prone to reject or downplay the science and data showing the dangers posed by climate change (and, science more generally) in comparison to “liberal and leftist sources” as you call them. As Stephen Colbert so aptly put it, “Reality has a well-known liberal bias.”
I have read so much more than the few sources I cited. A few more to suggest are “Fixing Climate: The Story of Climate Science – and How to Stop Global Warming ” by Robert Kunzig and Wallace S Broecker, and “The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming” by David Wallace-Wells.
I’m not a Republican but believe that man made climate change is exaggerated. The sun is the major cause of climate change. Over recent years there have been historically high solar flares which have affected Earth’s atmosphere. 14,000 years ago the Rochester area was covered by a 1-2 mile high glacier which melted without man’s influence. Furthermore, carbon dioxide is essential for oxygen levels and green plant life on earth through photosynthesis. In junior high school I learned that green plant life thrives on carbon dioxide and produces needed oxygen on earth through photosynthesis. Green plant life is a major food source along with thousands of other products like lumber. It’s ironic that the man made climate change activists rarely discuss these facts. I wonder why?
I think you’ll find this explanation from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) helpful: https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/debunking-eight-common-myths-about-climate-change. I’d also highly recommend you watch the many PBS NOVA episodes that have discussed the many mass extinction events in our planet’s history (there have been at least 5), and how those devastating mass extinction can help enlighten the climate threats we face today.
fyi- Agriculture is getting its piece of the Albany Pie
More than $11 million in state funding coming to Finger Lakes farms for climate resilience
https://local.newsbreak.com/new-york-state/4571894477293-more-than-11-million-in-state-funding-coming-to-finger-lakes-farms-for-climate-resilience?s=dmg_local_email_bucket_3.web2_fromweb&emailId=jU4TCYt&uid=-1
I agree that climate change is not a political issue (nothing supported by overwhelming scientific data is, or should be). So, I think it is more accurate to say that “Conservation is conservative” (small “c”), but unfortunately the current conservative movement is primarily responsible for rejecting the scientific evidence demonstrating that climate change is indisputable fact. For example, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, who has a history of denying climate change and opposing environmental actions, rescindeded the 2009 Endangerment Finding, which found that greenhouse gas emissions threaten public health and welfare.
As a NY-24 resident who is pursuing farmland protection, I’ve tried many times to reach out to Representative Tenney to persuade her to support legislation to promote conservation. But, she has a horrible track record in this area, which has earned her a scorecard full of anti-environment votes from the League of Conservation Voters (https://www.lcv.org/moc/claudia-tenney/).
Wow, what a touchy-feely post. Assuming some Editor didn’t create the title (as is done in many Corporate newspapers), what “conservative” office holders have you voted for? Did you vote for Ms Tenney? The President? You ticked-off many of the Focus-Group catch phrases, which make me hold on to my wallet. “Common Sense”. “Permitting Reform” “Carbon Tariff” ??? First of all, I’ll bet your so-called common sense is different from mine. You are in one of the biggest polluting industries (agriculture) in the State, given animal waste, agricultural and fertilizer run-off (and a lobby in Albany with plenty of protection & subsides) That industry alone is in opposition to most of your stated principles here. Permitting reform? That’s code for ramming Albany’s projects down local communities’ throats. I remember when Zoning was introduced here, it was sold partially on the fact that members of the community would have a say via local government and Planning Boards. Apparently your common sense version of that is Albany decides everything? I’ll bet your “Carbon tariff” will have a exemption for Agriculture. “Climate change” is a theory, yet to be proven (science is discovery, not indoctrination), much of it presently based on models. I’ve also concluded that its Albany’s environment, not ours. Ex: Albany pushed back on hydrofracking years ago, for many stated reasons including traffic and water quality. Fast fwd to today, and the Micron Chip Plant in Clay, (another dirty industry btw), it had many of the same so-called issues as hydrofracking and the DEC rammed thru permit approval, including eminent domain and reneging on property agreements. Even the Governor realizes that ramming Climate Change thru might be bad politics and she’s backed-off some of the extremes. Please don’t paint your agenda as Conservative .