Is a Green Republican Movement Growing to Support the Climate Bill?
By Brian Merchant
After Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) came out in support of working on bipartisan clean energy reform with John Kerry (D-MA), he faced some pretty harsh attacks from his party. But his many supporters have rallied, and are pushing back in what could be the beginning of a Republican movement to support climate legislation.
Just watch this video of a Republican state senator and US marine from South Carolina support Graham (via Climate Progress).
The climate bill has become such a fiercely partisan point inside the beltway, that it’s easy to forget that there are millions of Republicans who want energy independence, green jobs, and clean energy innovation as well–and many who even are willing to fight to stop climate change.
And here we see the beginnings of what could be a movement to embrace greater bipartisanship–and in the process achieve some chief Republican aims like securing local offshore drilling and nuclear power. Not exactly hippy dippy.
The Republicans for Environmental Protection have been key players in developing this, and I can only say that I’m supremely pleased that a group is stepping out of the shadows on the GOP’s side of the aisle to embrace clean energy reform.
Here’s part of their message:
“REP applauds Senator Graham for setting a powerful example of conservative leadership,” REP Vice President for Government and Political Affairs David Jenkins said. “True conservatives take seriously the risks facing our country, and they take responsibility by supporting prudent measures to reduce those risks.” REP believes that constructive Republican engagement will produce a better climate and energy bill than one produced by Democrats alone.
It could be the dawn for a new day of green conservatives–kudos to the leadership from the REP and Senator Graham shown here.
