Republicans: Stop Being Stupid on the Environment

By Chuck Marshall
   

Dear loyal readers,

     As most of you know, I'm a registered Republican strictly because I have to choose a party to vote in the primary elections here in Florida.  Florida is a "closed primary state".   In addition, as someone with great passion for the power and liberty of the  individual,  I feel the Republicans fit that concept better than the Democrats.  So, I registered Republican but not enthusiastically.  (I dislike the party system in general).   The other choice, the Democrats, represent what I'm against-  more government, more bureaucracy,  more waste and less individual freedom in the name of "making things fair".   I loathe red tape and waste.  I hate that the government is so often involved in people's lives and our leaders hide behind the idea they are making things more "fair and equal" when what they're really doing is making the least of us more and more dependent on them.  They don't "empower" they enable thoughts and lifestyles of defeat and low self esteem.  The "nanny state" as conservatives call it, and rightfully so.

        There is one major topic that I disagree with the Republicans;  The environment.  I consider myself a "Greeny Republican".    Although, personal ideas and concepts of an effective government are that it be small and smart, not big and dumb as it is today there are cases where the power of the government is necessary.  Military defense and road systems are two obvious cases,  but I have to add the environment.   I have always been concerned for the issue of global warming (aka climate change) and the pollution of our beautiful planet.  I'm also a big advocate of protecting animals- endangered and domesticated that they may be kept safe and treated humanely.  I think it is the government's job to protect our planet and the animals because they are totally at our mercy.  We have to be good stewards of both.  God demands it, IMHO.  Nobody can protect the planet effectively unless the government is behind the effort.  This does not mean I think the government "has the answers",  but it does mean it can help secure a clean and healthy planet for all of us.  My logic is that it requires the world's governments to coordinate efforts to come up with real solutions to combat pollution of the oceans and keeping our air clean.    No private entity or corporation is capable of solving problems that involve the entire world- whatever that might be., so we do need government participation to protect the environment.  Teddy Roosevelt, a Republican by the way, was the first politician to go aggressively after the dangers of not taking care of the environment with the establishment of the national parks system and laws containing the greed of large land owners and corporations.

        Young people are moving towards the Democrats in droves because the Republicans are stuck on this "climate denial" insanity.  I think the Republicans would be wise to stop fighting global warming as a reality  and start coming up with solutions.   Is Climate Change "absolutely certain" ?  Not necessarily, but the odds are it is a problem and that's enough for me.  Let's take a similar scenario as an example.  Scientists have discovered a meteorite headed for our planet.  In 50 years it will arrive in our solar system but there is only a 20% chance it will hit us.  Would you say we should just "hope" for the best or would you say "we need to do all we can to make that zero %".   I think  most of us would agree to the later.  We only have one planet.  There are all kinds of "capitalist friendly" solutions to solving the issue of climate change.  In fact, I think that private enterprise has a much better chance of solving the problem than any stupid government but we must have the government behind the effort with incentives and guidance and the international cooperation as mentioned above.   So, Republicans stop being nihilistic and come up with some solutions to a problem that is most probably "real".   Ideas from conservatives and private enterprise are almost always superior to anything the Democrats and bureaucracy could come up with.  Come up with real solutions that we all can stand behind.   I think it will pay significant dividends for your party and for our planet.

In My Humble Opinion......

Evangelicals Finally Doing the "Right" Thing on Environment

By Chuck Marshall

     I was delighted to read an article yesterday morning in our local “bugle”, The Orlando Sentinel elaborating on a trend coming from the evangelicals to encourage our governor and the government to start taking climate change seriously.   It has always bothered how so many religious people are so ambivalent towards the environment.   Aren't they the ones that believe all the earth's bounty and life was designed and created by the Lord himself ?   Why would He then be OK with them to be so reckless about it by turning it into a part of our crass and never ending political debate ?   I have always been a bit of a tree-hugger as anyone who reads this blog is well aware.  (Lest the reader question my claim to always veer towards the middle.   The fact of the matter is I don't see protecting the environment as right or left….... I see it as common sense).  As I understand it this is and will be the only planet at our disposal for the foreseeable future.  Right?  Why test that fact  and risk  punching a hole in our lifeboat when any agreeable landfall is centuries away in technology?   Indeed, the Republican reluctance to address issues regarding the environment is the reason I left that party.  This is nothing to do with corporations or labor or democrats or republicans it's to do with the air we breath and the fresh water that will be available for our kids and their kids in the next century.  Finally,  yes, it has to do with our planet getting hotter because of our actions.  Global Warming, the much maligned moniker that the far right has had so much fun impugning is fast becoming an accepted fact much as the debate for the flatness of the world 500 years ago was overwhelmed by the reality that it is....... round.  

So, I was pleased to see others of my faith (I am a non-denominational Christian) stand up and move forward in defense of our planet despite the custom of fighting all things "left".   The Bible is very clear that mankind is responsible for the well being of our planet.  One thing that is never clarified is  any particular political persuasion we should all be choosing.   The hypocrisy and contradiction that comes from many "so called" Christians within the right leaning ranks of society is offensive.  Like so many other issues, these self proclaimed Christians are often the ones that least practice what Jesus taught us to do. They  judge, they're hypocrites, they covet money, they're materialistic and they neglect the poor.  So, I am pleasantly encouraged by this movement to start acting like real Christians in the battle to preserve our planet for all of mankind.   That's a lot of poor people we're helping by protecting the environment…… in fact if you think about it, it's ALL the poor people.... and the rich and the middle class and all the plants and all the animals., etc....

In Genesis from the lips of God, it's announced  this way:   "Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven". 

His opinion of it is put this way;  "And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good".

To me this holds much more water in the grand scheme of things than any other argument such as granting the corporations more levity in doing as they please to make a profit and bestow us with their low paying jobs.  In the end, all of God's creation is dependent on us to do the right thing here.  All religious affiliations from Muslim to Hindu to Buddhist should stop fighting one another and do God real honor by banding together to tackle all threats to our planet.  

In my humble opinion…..

Environmental Concerns

    Chuck Marshall's Humble Opinion on... the Environment 

By Charles Eldridge Marshall  

Well, I am happy to report that another of my letters was published in the illustrious Orlando Sentinel yesterday, April 27, 2008. I'm especially happy with this one as it takes a pretty hard dig at the lobbyists, aka "special interests".   For your viewing pleasure, titled "Tainted Springs- 2038" Once again I am reading an editorial outlining an issue of contention (in this case our endangered springs) in which the reason we should all be concerned is because special interests (in this case a "group of builders") are motivated to block any governnment requirements because it would cost them money. Why should this fact (whether it be a septic tank or a billboard or carbon emissions) stop our leaders from doing what is right for all of us? It is not our government's obligation to make sure all businesses are are rolling in the profits. In a truly capitalist society a change in the rules often simply spawns other forms of business. Opportunity for a smaller, smarter rival. Survival of the fittest. It's healthy for all of us. As it stands, our government is very much for sale. So, in 20-30 years when we're all looking at algae infested springs, we can explain to our grandchildren that these timeless pristine springs were sold at the beginning of the century for very temporary profits. Sold by our leaders to the highest bidder.