Ron Paul is for the environment!

One of the groups I really want to reach are environmentalists. I am collecting information that helps me to present to them why Ron Paul is for the environment. I hope that environmentalists who attend our Community Gatherings will be open to hearing about a presidential candidate who may not want to support the Kyoto Treaty, or use big government [power to control global warming. Perhaps in a slow paced environment, where they see how community gatherings are promoting such things as community gardens and alternative energy, they will be really open to Ron Paul's mesage. You see, we are trying to inspire some people to make a quantum leap in their thinking.

Although I feel encouraged by the number of people who do see the truth of what Ron Paul is talking about very quickly, there are still those who need more time and connection to change life-long held views.

Here are some words that I found inspiring from some posts from the www.dailypaul.com website about where Ron Paul stands on the environment.

Don't write off the enviro folks.

Global warming may or may not be happening at the pace some say, but there's no doubt that using up all our resources and polluting is not good. And our dependence on foreign oil and fossil fuels in general is going to become a bigger and bigger issue as new sources become more scarce.

Ron Paul's idea of free markets will enable alternate energy sources to be developed faster and more affordably. Solar cells aren't quite 25-20 % efficient, but they're almost there. Right now, since the big corporations like Exxon have a grip on the government, they lobby/payoff the government to make laws that benefit them which suppresses the development of other sources of energy, like solar cells. In a truly free market, the laws of supply and demand would take over (not to mention being better for small/start-up business; again, we know who gets corporate welfare when their business is down and benefits from certain laws).

Don't forget about the laws they get passed that actually let Corps pollute. What about all those electric cars we've been hearing about for years, and occasionally see a newer model, yet never seem to become widespread and affordable? Yes, that cozy corporate/government relationship is not good for the environmentally friendly technologies to prosper. (until it's decided that some global eco-crisis is here and we must remove Americans from certain spots in North America to other spots - I personally have mixed feelings about the motivation behind certain aspects of the "global warming" hysteria.)

And what about what Ron Paul calls the No. 1 cause of pollution? War. Not only the actual acts of war and destruction of environment and wildlife, but the huge military-industrial complex which churns out sludge to support it.

Also, Voted NO on forest thinning in order to protect endangered species and clean water sources.

Do these sound like solid R.P. talking points for Enviros? Unfortunately, many of us are one-issue voters so I hope this helps when you try to peak their interest in the Good Doctor.

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my short but good convo with a young "enviro" yesterday

On September 28th, 2007 ProspectorSam says:

As I was walking, with 2 of my meetup members, through town with my Ron Paul sign yesterday, a young guy (college-age) came running up from behind me asking something about "the environment". I turned around to hear what he was saying, and here's how it went. (Reconstructed from memory; this is pretty close)

Me (politely): What about the environment?

Him: What does he want to do about global warming?

Me: What do you think causes global warming?

Him: Cars... electricity... various kinds of energy production.

Me: Well, I agree we could use some better, cleaner kinds of energy sources; what do you think is preventing us from getting them?

Him: The big oil companies are in bed with the government and...

Me (pulling a slim jim from my back pocket and handing it to him): Here's your man.

Frankly, I started that one out expecting it to probably be a difficult conversation, since I expected him to be a hard-core socialist Al Gore type (and hey, maybe he is/was). It would have been easy to just write the guy off at the outset; I could have simply said something like "you may not agree with him on that, but check him out anyway" but something told me to just ask him questions. Turned out the kid was already hip to the root of the problem, even though he probably doesn't look at it all the same way I do (and how I think Ron Paul does) at every level. But if we agree on the fundamental problem and what ought to be changed as it pertains to the federal gummint, then we don't have to agree on every particular of what we may want in our free, voluntary society... we can each pursue our own course there.

BTW, the "feel" of the conversation was helped by the fact that he kind of "fell in" with us for a bit as we were walking; I figured that that indicated he was willing to engage a little bit, and not just looking for a quick one-line answer. Not everyone does that. I like it when they do.

There were other neat stories from yesterday's walk, too. If you haven't started walking your town with a RP sign, I encourage you to do so at once. Just remember to smile and be friendly. You'll be glad you did. ;-)

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Get active NOW to put Ron in the general election. ronpaul.meetup.com

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