We expect our elected leaders to look out for our interests and the interests of future generations, not just those of extractive industries and others with deep pockets who seek short-term profits by weakening the laws that give long-term protection to the American people and the land and creatures we all love. (Rep America)
Rep America, a national pro-environment Republican organization, was founded to respond to what it terms "the unfortunate anti-environmental zeal of many GOP leaders in the 104th Congress () that filled conservation-minded Republican voters across the country with dismay." This is primarily a lobbying organization -- and appears to be an important conservative voice for good environmental policy in the United States. Recently I spent several hours on the organization's site, reading a good part of the analysis and agreeing with most of it.
We've seen a massive transfer of power from the grassroots -- and the middle class -- to special interests. The erosion of trust and civility in the public dialogue is one of key factors enabling this transfer. People withdraw from what they see as a corrupt, poisonous or simply irrelevant political arena. But the power they relinquish increases the influence of special interests. Rebuilding civic trust is one of the keys to restoring the balance of power -- and a prerequisite, I believe, to long-term sustainable environmental and economic policies. As I read Rep America's statements, I began to think of this organization as a voice of conscience that can help restore civic trust across party and ideological lines.
Jim DiPeso, Rep America's policy director, lives in the Seattle area. I wrote to thank him for his organization's work. Jim agreed to meet with me for an interview. I was interested in discussing two major areas. First, Rep America's environmental policies. Second, I am curious to gain more understanding of Republicanism -- independent from what I see as its most problematic current aspects.
Jim's views on non-environmental issues are his own personal opinions. As an organization, REP takes positions strictly on environmental issues and does not take positions on other issues. Its membership is made up of people with diverse views. The uniting issue is concern for the environment. The exchange recorded here is a reconstruction from hasty notes, not exact quotes.
Jim is a lanky person who gives an overall impression of quickness. His conversation has that quality of dimension that struck me as a probable reflection of an historical sensibility -- and perhaps a habit of considering many things at once. His previous profession as a journalist for a daily newspaper led to a four-year assignment covering the environmental beat near Lake Tahoe when it was first facing intensive development. This is the second deepest lake in the United States, Jim noted, renowned for its clear deep water. Unfortunately, the clarity -- and quality -- of the water was compromised by the sudden development of the land around it. Lake Tahoe faced an acute and very serious ecological threat. Much of it was averted because enviromentalists rallied to the cause. Although he had always been pro-environment, this journalistic assignment was a turning point for him, an intensive education in the mechanics and meanings of the environmmental movement.
Noemie: How do you think people who may disagree on many issues can work together help restore governance that represents our common interests?
Jim: We need to find ways to connect politics to real world concerns again. Politics needs to become relevant to people in their daily lives. Part of the answer is finding a way to get the money out. This Arctic thing is our number one pork barrel piece of legislation now. Conservatives have allied themselves with special interests and Congress' Republican leadership has lost touch with traditional conservative ideas of stewardship, saving for the future, and leaving ourselves enough margin for error with our life support system which is the environment. It's not only conservatives who have these problems. All politics -- Democrat and Republican -- has become machine politics. The pursuit of self-aggrandizement has edged out attention to real concerns.
Gerrymandering is another big problem we've got to
address. As they say nowadays, it's as if voters don't choose their leaders any more -- leaders choose their voters. Here in Washington we have an independent state commission to do the districting for congressional representation and legislators have to vote yea or nay on their recommendations but can't offer amendments. This makes us a little more competitive.
