reflections

Green Republicans

No, that title is not an oxymoron. There really are green Republicans. The list might start with Martha Marks and Jim DiPeso of Republicans for Environmental Protection. Unfortunately, in a party where members like Tom DeLay, Richard Pombo and Donald Young wield so much power, it just seems like it is hard to put those two words so close together.

For myself, I was just as upset with current Republican policies on the environment as were Marks and DiPeso. However, my differences did not stop there. I was concerned that the Southern Democrats who fought civil rights had become Southern Republicans. I was concerned that the word that came out of Newt Gingrich's pen were being implemented by Tom DeLay and others who never saw a lobbyist that they did not love. I was concerned that the Cato Institute driven goal of eliminating governmental waste was in fact an effort to eliminate government. I had grown up in Flagstaff, AZ when Barry Goldwater was my Senator and I understood that being conservative meant conserving our national heritage, not selling it off to the highest bidder.

On returning to California in 1993, I was even more disturbed by the anti-imigrant sentiment that was disguised in the rhetoric of being against "illegal" immigration. This just hid the underlying issues rather than trying to fix them.

I looked at other parties and considered just registering "decline to state." But, I have an activist aspect to my nature so that was not attractive. I found that the Green Party maintained many of the policies that I valued. It is clear from the Green Party's 10 Key Values that they were serious about the environment, social justice and a responsible government responsive to citizen's needs.

There are two directions that "green" Republicans can take. Marks and DiPeso took one, choosing to try and stem the tide of environmental destruction from within the party. I took the other, choosing to leave the party for one more in line with what I truly believe. This was not easy for me. My family had always been Republican. My parents only referred to FDR as "that man".

I would encourage Greens and Republicans to join this discussion. Which way is right? Marks and DiPeso or mine. Click the comment button and let's talk.