POLITICS:GOP businessman launches effort to convince conservatives on climate
Republican climate activist Jay Faison, who yesterday announced a $175 million campaign to promote conservative action on warming, cautioned his party's presidential candidates to steer clear of skepticism on the campaign trail. He believes that moderate Republican voters, especially those who are under 30 or Latino, could abandon the party if they're faced with a nominee who expresses doubt about mounting scientific findings around man-made warming. "I think it will cost them if they take that position," Faison said in an interview. "I think they know that." The wealthy entrepreneur plans to make his own waves in the race. He announced yesterday the creation of a $10 million nonprofit group that can be active in electoral politics. It's still unnamed, and Faison admits that he hasn't settled on a "clear strategy" for the foundation. "I think there's quite a bit of specific legislative advocacy that can happen," he said. "I think there's some electoral politics that we should be playing in. This is a political game, and we don't want to be restricted." For all the attention accompanying his money, Faison said he hasn't settled on a specific legislative policy to address climbing temperatures, which he describes as "the world's biggest risk and the biggest opportunity." He emphasizes "free-market solutions" and acknowledges giving grants to the R Street Institute and the Niskanen Center, both of which promote revenue-neutral carbon taxes. He said that option and others are on the table. But he won't be pinned down. "There's a lot of good Republican solutions available," Faison said. "I think it's a little early to prescribe the solution. We need to start the dialogue first." Challenging Democratic dominance with 'smarter' arguments? For now, Faison said his ClearPath Foundation, another nonprofit prohibited from electioneering, and a new website launched yesterday named clearpath.org will seek to build a Republican climate movement by focusing on the science and the effects of warming. And that means avoiding gloomy warnings about global catastrophes. They don't appeal to his "tribe." "I think as a movement we've got to be smarter about how we position our arguments," Faison said. "We don't want to slam capitalism. I think we need to be realists. I think we need to talk about solutions that businesses will like." In years past, Faison said, he was "frustrated" by the omnipresent Democratic ownership of the climate issue. When he sold his North Carolina-based company SnapAV, which distributes an array of electronic components like computer cords, security systems and speakers for specialty installers of audio-visual systems, Faison jumped into the climate realm -- as a rich donor. Environmental groups welcomed his participation yesterday, but some observers downplayed the impact of his investment, noting that the fossil fuel industry is injecting much more money to influence the debate ( *Greenwire* <http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2015/06/09/stories/1060019906>, June 9, 2015). That made Faison laugh. "It's a lot more money than there was yesterday," he said of pro-climate efforts. "Look, I know, the other side's got a lot of money and a lot of power, but I encourage the whole community to be positive and start framing the arguments in ways that are appealing to both sides of the aisle," he said. "The truth is on our side," he added. "So we don't need to beat the New York Yankees with the most money. But we do need to be on the same ballfield." _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
