The Political Climate: an ongoing commentary on the NH Primary and Climate Change

There has been a lot of talk about climate change among the GOP field lately.  Recently, the Republicans for Environmental Protection (REP) threw their support behind Sen. McCain as the candidate they hope to see lead the charge.  REP policy director, Jim DiPeso, comments on the endorsement in his blog The Daily Green. 

DisPeso writes that “Today, climate change is the topic of the hour” and “Republicans are climbing aboard the bandwagon.”  He notes the increased bipartisan work in congress for cap-and-trade legislation stating that “congress is debating how, not whether” and that “business leaders, states, cities, conservationists, academics, and ordinary citizens have accepted the science, moved on, and are ready to discuss practical solutions.”

DisPeso writes that ”No other GOP candidate has given the interrelated web of energy and climate issues the kind of thoughtful consideration or offered the legislative solutions that he [McCain] has”, and ”most importantly for Republicans, he has framed the issue in conservative terms.”

In another entry titled “Global Warming is a Republican Issue.  Here’s Why” DisPeso wrote concerning Al Gore and climate change that “it was inevitable that his high-profile association would give the issue an ideological tinge that does not serve the broader public interest.”

DisPeso urges his Republican friends to remember how conservative values such as prudence and responsibility “dictate that we act.”  He notes that “knuckle-dragging on climate issues is causing regulatory uncertainty and stifling opportunities to grow clean energy technology markets.”

Dispeso cites four reasons for why conservatives should about climate change more than Gore and get out in front of the climate issue:

1) Lowering oil dependence would be good for security.
2) Developing new energy sources would boost the economy.
3) Ceding the issue to liberals is dumb politically and an irresponsible abdication of leadership.
4) Good stewardship is every conservative’s moral obligation.

To date, McCain and Huckabee are the only Republican candidates who support specific actions to combat climate change such as cap and trade and raising fuel economy standards.  As the debate over “how” picks up between these Republican contenders, one can only wonder if other candidates such as Romney and Giuliani will join them. 

Check out what all the candidates have been saying about Global Warming in NH.