Courage on Climate

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) courageously stepped forward to work on a bipartisan climate and energy bill with Senator John Kerry (D-MA) and Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CT). Among many eloquent and important statements Senator Graham has made about why he wants to work collaboratively on solutions, he recently wrote, “As a conservative, I have always believed we can and should be better stewards of God's creation. I also know we can strengthen our economy and national security by becoming energy independent."

Senator Graham is not about “No.” He’s about, No, but …let’s keep working. He thinks the Kerry-Boxer and the Waxman-Markey bills aren’t the answer. Instead of joining with other Republicans in the party of “No,” he says, if “we work together …. we can balance environmental protection with the needs of business.”

“If we work together.” So he’s willing to work - isn’t that what he gets paid to do?

And for this, the Republican Party of Charleston County, South Carolina passed a resolution censuring Senator Graham because he has “weakened the Republican brand.” Uh?

And what brand would that be? A brand that doesn’t step up to the plate and work on the tough issues. A brand that is more about obstructionism than constructive dialogue. More about misinformation, dishonesty and fear-mongering. A brand that walks away and doesn’t deliver.

That Republican brand might want to revisit its roots and re-launch a new and improved brand based on the wisdom of one of its own, Abraham Lincoln who said: The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew.

Thank you Senator Graham for your commitment to do your job as an elected official and to step up and help find solutions to the climate crisis.