Climate Change: The Death Knell for the GOP in 2016?

This week, the Pope visited President Obama at the White House. He gave a speech and addressed some very pressing issues facing both America and the world as a whole. In his speech he lent his support to President Obama’s regulatory program aimed at climate change. He avoiding spending much time on social issues (e.g. abortion, marriage) instead offering an endorsement of Obama’s policies on the environment.

Pope Francis said, “I find it encouraging that you are proposing an initiative for reducing air pollution. Accepting the urgency, it seems clear to me also that climate change is a problem which can no longer be left to a future generation. When it comes to the care of our common home, we are living at a critical moment of history.”

Yes, climate change. An issue that many are saying could end the Republican party’s hope for the presidency in 2016. A few of the candidates have received criticism for remarks on this subject at the last presidential debate. People say that the GOP is behind the times on this issue and that in order to win, they must present a stronger stance on climate change.

Is that true?

Here at Paineful Truth, we like to examine things from a bigger perspective. To step away from what appears to be the issue to find the real source of the problem.

Most people make it out to be that there are the the “Scientists” (yes, with a capital “S”) that believe in man-made climate change. And then there are the “deniers” who are living in the dark ages and are quite happy to deal the planet a slow death by emissions.

If those are the only two options, then it is impossible to disagree with the man-made climate change theory, without appearing to be a horrible person. And that is exactly where they want you. However, those are not the only two options.

Real Option 1: A person believes climate change is man-made and government is the only way to solve the problem.

Real Option 2: A person believe climate change is man-made and that it is not government’s role to control the climate via controlling its citizens through economically crippling regulations.

Real Option 3: A person believes that earth’s climate is always changing due to a vast variety of reasons (which may or may not include human activity), and further this person believes that it is not government’s role to control the climate via controlling its citizens through economically crippling regulations.

So don’t let yourself be boxed into one of the “only two” options. Break free, think for yourself. Because besides the options I listed, there are a million other ways to look at this issue, few of which actually make you a horrible person.

Jonathan Paine

@painefultruth76

painefultruth1776@gmail.com

P.S. If you missed the debate, click here for a summation of all you need to know. Thanks for reading!

“Every proposal they put forward are going to be proposals that will make it harder to do business in America, that will make it harder to create jobs in America.

So we are not going to destroy our economy. We are not going to make America a harder place to create jobs in order to pursue policies that will do absolutely nothing, nothing to change our climate, to change our weather….So the bottom line is, I am not in favor of any policies that make America a harder place for people to live, or to work, or to raise their families.” ~Senator Marco Rubio

 
“[I]n fact we don’t need this massive government intervention to deal with the problem…. I agree with Marco. We shouldn’t be destroying our economy in order to chase some wild left-wing idea that somehow us by ourselves is going to fix the climate. We can contribute to that and be economically sound.” ~Governor Chris Christie