New York Times writer Tom Friedman’s Sunday, February 28th column about GOP South Carolina US Senator Lindsey Graham’s role in helping to create a bi-partisan bill in Congress to enable the United States to deal with our climate issues is a striking story about a Southern state leader’s constructive role in this field compared to conservative Virginia politicians who want to take on the federal government about these matters.
Sen. Graham’s work is laying the foundation for his state to play a leadership role in the South to be a manufacturing center for this new economy.
I worry that Virginia’s new face politically nationally is represented by GOP Attorney General Ken Cuccinilli’s attack on this issue and GOP Manassas Del Bob Marshall’s foolish obsession with the abortion issue which caused the state great embarrassment recently with his mangled commentary about abortions being linked to children with birth defects.
Our new governor would do well to abandon those efforts and stake out a position for himself on the climate issue that Senator Graham is advocating.
Virginia’s right wing GOP’s positions on these issues and gay rights is being used by Maryland and others to encourage Northrop Grumman not to move the company’s headquarters to our state from California because we have political leaders trying to turn back the clock to the 1950’s.
All of this will hurt our future - as we appear less progressive and more regressive in our culture.
Rodger Provo is a Fredericksburg businessman working on a number of alternative energy and green technology projects.
Leave a Reply