NEW YORK, July 16, 2007
Two GOP Govs. Go Green
Calif. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Fla. Gov. Charlie Crist Team Up For Environment
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Play CBS Video Video Pair Of Republicans Go Green Harry Smith has an exclusive interview with California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, who have teamed up to fight for limits on greenhouse gas emissions.
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Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger R-Calif., left, and Gov. Charlie Crist, R-Fla., are teaming up to put pressure on the federal government to protect the environment. (CBS/The Early Show)
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Who's Who Live The Green Life Learn how you can live in a more environmentally conscious way.
Some people might be surprised to learn that this charge is being led by two Republicans, but both men said the issue is so pressing that it should know no party lines.
"Well I think that there's still a lot of people that still think that the world is flat," Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger R-Calif. told The Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith. "But the bottom line is that we know thousands and thousands of scientists have come out and said that this is real. We've created this mess and now we have to change. If we act quickly to really stop the global warming — and that's what we want to do, we want to jump into action. Whenever you see a problem, don't think and debate forever. Let the debates come, but at a certain point you have to act and that's what California did."
Crist says the debate is also important for his state because of where it is located.
"It's incredibly important for Florida because look we're a peninsula, we're out in the ocean. Leaders in the Southeast have really not latched on to this. We feel a responsibility and a duty to do so," he said. "We want to reduce the carbon emissions; we want to reduce the greenhouse gases. Florida is a beautiful state like California. We want to protect her and we want to do what's right so future generations of Floridians can enjoy what we're enjoying today."
The most recent warnings from the Union of Concerned Scientists say that it's just a matter of decades before Florida loses part of its coastline, putting many of its beautiful beaches may be under water. Crist said that even if someone doesn't believe the scientists, taking action will help the environment anyway.
"So why wouldn't you do it? It makes sense. It is common sense and it's the right thing to do. It protects Florida and it protects our planet," he said.
Schwarzenegger said that it's important to act soon because the signs are apparent now, not 10 or 20 years in the future.
"We see it now in California with the fires," he said. "We usually have the fires starting end of summer, beginning of the fall. We now have a year round fire season. We've had so many fires already this spring. So we see global warming, we see it with the melting of the snow packs, reducing the floods in the winter, less drinking water in the summer. So we have to act now."Photos: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Most importantly, this is not an issue for Republicans or Democrats, Crist said it's a people issue and matters to everyone.
"It really shouldn't matter what your party is," he said.
"The only thing I have to add is — and you have to admit — that when you're Republican you get more attention if you do something that's an environmental issue," Schwarzenegger said. "Because people are, 'They're Republicans! What's going on here?' So it creates more news."
Many people within Crist and Schwarzenegger's party say that taking extra precautions for the environment is bad for business. But Crist said "there is gold in green."
"There are so many innovative, new entrepreneurial opportunities that will stem from this — it's amazing," he said. "New innovations will sprout from this and create new opportunities for more people, different ways to develop cars, different ways to utilize appliances, solar technology that we can learn from and benefit from economically."
"We are changing from the industrial revolution to the green clean revolution," Schwarzenegger said. "The green clean technology is the new revolution. The Wall Street Journal just called California the new gold rush, because of the new technologies that we're developing, because of the standards that we're setting, because of the cap in trade that we're setting — all those kinds of things."
Crist said Washington, D.C., doesn't have the same sense of urgency that he and Schwarzenegger do because politicians in D.C. are not connected to the people the way they are as governors.
"You know, as I travel around Florida, and I'm sure as the governor travels around California, the response is overwhelming," he said. "People want this and they want us to respond and lead in the best way we know how. That's exactly what we are trying to do here. All I can do is speak for Florida and you know if Washington comes along — that's great, but in the mean time we have a duty as governors of large states to do what we can."
Schwarzenegger said that the United States extends far beyond the capital.
"Washington is one city so what we want to do is, since Washington is not responding, we're going to go and form partnerships with the cities, and with the counties and with the states. We come together and we're going to go and send the signal to the rest of the world that we're getting our act together," he said.
For two years California has been battling the Environmental Protection Agency to either force the federal government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or be allowed to do it themselves. A Supreme Court ruling in April rebuked the Bush administration for not doing more. Schwarzenegger is not sure how much longer he can wait for the EPA and the White House.
"Well, as we have told them this spring that our clock is ticking and, so, come this fall, October, we are going to sue," Schwarzenegger said. "There are no two ways about that because we are not going to wait. My preference is if the federal government comes in it is our partner. Always with everything. We never want to fight the federal government, we always want to be partners with the federal government and on many issues the federal government has been a great partner for us if it's health care and other issues, but in this particular case we are going to fight the federal government, because we have no choice."
Crist said he spoke with Sen. Bill Nelson, R-Fla., who is working with Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., and Sen. Diane Feinstein, D-Calif., to speed up the process. They would add an amendment to an EPA appropriations bill that would say the agency must respond to California and Florida
"Hopefully they can get that amendment passed, but if they don't we will partner with our friends from California and make sure we get this action done," Crist said.
"Yes," Schwarzenegger said. "We're partners."
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Self interest and preservation is exactly what is behind the concern with climate change--we're talking about potential for loss of life, loss of crops, loss of livable land area, shifts in weather and bird/animal/plant/human populations. Prediction of outcomes is hard, but prediction that action is needed to minimize them is not.
Is there a better reason than self-interest? Or are there still people trying to pretend this is a debate about minor changes that won't affect them of their children or their species?
What is your problem? Not everyone is Mother Teresa but not everyone has to be a selfish greed monger either. You seem to see things in extremes. If people are not helping the homeless personally, then they are hypocrites. We can do a LOT more together than individually, THAT is the message that you continue to miss.
If the rich pay their fair share then everyone else will too and we can help people help themselves. But since Reagan and Bush believe in Corporate and White Collar welfare for the rich, we can never get out of debt long enough to help anyone in any significant way.
sjc_1....you cynically chide Gov. Crist saying that he only does because he is selfish and looking to preserve his coastline. Well if you are so considerate of others, give all of your money away to people poorer than you. Do the right thing...give to the poor PAST THE POINT WHERE YOU WOULD SUFFER. Why not? Could it be that you are also self-interested? Show us your "pure motives". Open your house up to the homeless. No matter what you ARE doing....do more....and seek no credit for it. Or else we could all say the only reason you DON'T do it is because you're worried about your own self interest.
J*ck****. Be glad someone is doing something.
climate change happens anyway... hahahaha
it has been happening over the life of the planet... lol
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I guess self interest still overrides other considerations. I think we will know that we have matured and have pure motives when we think outside ourselves and do it because it is the right thing for everyone.
Actually these two governers are the only two Republican's doing anything in there state about Global Warming.
The rest of the, soon to be ex republican reps, will wish they did get legislation passed on the federal level to deal with the environment.
Having only two, out of your entire group, acknowledge global warming does not fair well with voters.
Don't worry. We'll do just like New Orleans.
"The bottom line is that we know thousands and thousands of scientists have come out and said that this is real. We've created this mess and now we have to change."
We have to get off oil, and the government should pay for the installation and maintenance of coal fire electrical plant stack scrubbers, that pull out the CO2.
I guess there is a real good "excuse" why these two Republicans are taking steps to combat global warming. Must be some kind of conspriacy if I had to guess.
It certainly couldn't be true, if I believed our corrupt liberal press, or could it?
Better act fast to prevent this from happening sometime in the future. Or you can say it is all bs and do nothing. Like the majority of Repug leaders and the rank and file believe.
- by forthepeopl1 July 16, 2007 12:48 PM EDT
- Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Saturday that the Iraqi army and police are capable of keeping security in the country when American troops leave "any time they want," though he acknowledged the forces need further weapons and training.
- Reply to this comment
See all 15 CommentsOK THE WHAT IN THE HELL ARE WE STILL THERE, AS THE PRESIDENT HAS STATED ONCE AL-MALIKI TELLS US HE DOESN'T WANT US THERE WE WILL LEAVE.
ITS TIME FOR OUR SEN/REPS TO REMINDE HIM OF WHAT HE HAS STATED..NOW LETS GET THE F/U/C/K/ OUT OF THERE.
so how about looking up how many times this dirt bag of a president and his side kick cheney has told all america that if they say they dont need us than we will leave.
so how about it mr president you said many times we will leave if they dont need us. so how about it..
congress and all media should be pounding what he has stated on tv many many times..put this in his face all day and night