Roy Gerdel and his colleagues in the Missouri chapter of Republicans for Environmental Protection (REP) admit their nature group has its work cut out for itself, particularly with the Missouri Republican legislators who seldom vote green on state issues.
It’s not easy being green, especially if you are green in the Grand Old Party. The Republican Party has been cold, sometimes even hostile, to environmentalists in recent years. Some in the party are looking to change that reputation.
(To learn more about Roy Gerdel and REP, see Don’s complete Webster-Kirkwood Times story at: http://www.websterkirkwoodtimes.com. Here you will get the whole story on REP and the nurturer of the week, Roy Gerdel.)
“I love the outdoors,” said Gerdel. “It hurts me when I see conservatives who don’t favor conserving the great natural legacy in this state. That’s not to say we haven’t had some success stories – like establishing the great Katy Trail in our state. We just need more environmental success stories in this state.”
(For More Information on the Republicans for Environmental Protection please go to the website: rep.org)
WHAT DO YOU THINK? IF YOU ARE A DEMOCRAT, DO YOU THINK REPUBLICANS CAN BE ENVIRONMENTALISTS? IF YOU ARE A REPUBLICAN, DO YOU THINK MORE FOLKS IN THE GOP SHOULD JOIN THE REP?
PLEASE POST YOUR COMMENTS.
Reading the article about Roy Gerdel and his friends peeking out of the closet reminds me of what a hypocritical lot republicans are. Good luck Roy, glad i do not have to play your game and can just go out and vote for the best candidates, everytime. I wonder if Roy or any of his cohorts ever voted for a democrat over an anti-environment politician such as Kit Bond. My fear is that they still vote for Bond and his ilk when it is time. They seem to always have an excuse to turn on the environment at the polls, such as they are true conservatives..gotta protect those jobs you know…We found a scientist who has shown global warming is a hoax….Corporations know best..and so on. How frustrating to be a republican these days.
Heck, Republicans are not even good fiscal conservatives let alone conservationists.
Tally it up:
Reagan – $200 billion deficit
Bush I – $300 billion deficit
Tax and spend liberal Clinton $200 billion SURPLUS
Bush II – $482 Billion deficit + $600 billion hidden from budget for Iraq.
Give it up Roy, why not come out of the closet completely and vote Democratic this time around?
Someone is getting a little territorial. Gerdel can try all he wants to be green and it still won’t be enough for you Democrats, will it? In your eyes, Democrats are the only politicians capable of environmentalism. And you say the Republicans are the hypocrites?! I think it’s far more hypocritical to advertise your love for the environment, shaking your finger at anyone who doesn’t feel the same, but then refuse to admit anyone from the other side of the aisle into your exclusive club.
Republicans can be environmentalists (and many are). We just don’t want anything to do with the rest of the upside-down ideologies of the Democrat party.
Speaking in terms of traditional Republican positions, it makes sense that Republicans wouldn’t be environmentalists. If every man is out only for himself, it doesn’t behoove the individual to recycle, conserve, or produce less trash if any of that is costing him/her more money or at the least, not producing any benefits. Environmental concern involves contributing for the good of the whole, even at your own inconvenience — something any dyed-in-the-wool Republican would balk at.
So I suppose a Republican CAN be an environmentalist, but it can’t ever really be a Republican position. Caring about your fellow man is for girly men, haven’t you heard?
Environmentalists should welcome supporters of any political stripe to the cause of protecting nature and fighting against air and water pollution.
It is easy to understand some of the hostility that is out there to the Bush Administration. With the Bush White House, it has not simply been about policy differences when it comes to the environment.
It is unconscionable that science reports on global warming and other environmental topics were changed, edited and even censored by this administration. It will take a long time to undo the damage done by Bush-Cheney in the environmental policy area as with so many other areas of government policy.
It is interesting that there should be any controversy as to Green Republicans. Some of the greatest advances in conservation and environmental protection have been accomplished through Repulican Presidents. Teddy Roosevelt, Ike and Nixon all passed signigicant legislation to protect and improve our national environment. We do not view environmental concerns to be a Republican or Democratic issue, it is a world issue. Our purpose at REP is to try to improve the current Republican office holders and candidates to take a leadership position in addressing national and worldwide environmental issues. We invite independents and Democrats to encourage our efforts and join us in making the environmental protection an issue that all parties support.
I was just looking online for Gerdels and found these 2yr old posts. Germans love green, by the way. It also seems that all of the Gerdels I’ve looked-up are into something civic, outdoors, designing, drafting- and most but not all are conservative and nature lovers in some way. (but they do always mention Nixon) I agree that the environment is a survival issue that knows no party- unless its naked.