Climate change shows why Republicans must evolve for current times - The Columbus Dispatch

Climate change shows why Republicans must evolve for current times

Climate change shows why GOP should stop relying on tired arguments| Young Republican

"Whether it’s the environment, education, or family formation — our party leadership must step up to our modern moment and confront with agility the challenges of our time," Chris Johnson

Chris Johnson is a graduate of the Ohio State University John Glenn College of Public Affairs. He serves as a senior advisor of the National Federation of College Republicans focusing on energy issues.

I’m a born-and-raised Ohioan, a proud pro-life conservative, and a part of the National Federation of College Republicans, representing young conservatives on campuses across the country.

I've watched closely the reactions from young Ohioans in the lead up and aftermath of the failure on August 8 of Issue, a measure that would change the rules for enacting new constitutional amendments.

Missed opportunity

It’s clear to me that this ought to be a wakeup call for the GOP, not only on the pro-life agenda, but for all issues of key importance to the youth vote.

House minority leader: Issue 1 about 'drunk on power' liars and their well-documented deceit

There has been much commentary around how the pro-life movement’s strategy in the Issue 1 fight felt outdated, relied on tired arguments, and preached to the converted.

It was a missed opportunity to modernize, to advance newer ideas that have much more currency among young voters, like child tax credits to support families and proposals like that of U.S. Senator J.D. Vance that would make childbirth free.

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Pro-lifer: 'I am prepared to stay in it for the long haul.' Work for babies, moms not over

For young Ohioans like me looking at the future of the GOP, there’s a big takeaway: we need a revival.

Climate change as an example

We need a fresh playbook that demonstrates how conservative solutions meet the moment and can address the real concerns of young people around issues impacting our country’s future, like education, energy and climate, and housing.

While America has excelled in emissions reduction and is well-positioned to lead in clean energy manufacturing and deployment, our party's position falls short politically.

'It's us,' 'there’s hope,' and 4 other things we must face about climate change| OSU experts

More: After centerpiecing GOP debate, Ohioan Vivek Ramaswamy barnstorms Iowa looking for a boost

Meanwhile, Democrats' radical ‘Green New Deal’ ideas continue to capture the imaginations of young voters in the absence of clear conservative alternatives.

Like with Issue 1, instead of rehashing the old playbook, the GOP could advance a climate agenda built out of conservative principles and from the America-First playbook.

It could paint a vision of positivity in taking on a big challenge like this – a clear contrast to th e "doomerism" that so typifies the Left’s climate rhetoric.

- We could focus on harnessing U.S. enterprise through market forces to create much-needed clean economy innovations here and around the world.
- We could highlight the opportunity in restoring our domestic manufacturing base to build these technologies, eliminating dependence on adversaries like China.
- And we could zero in on foreign pollution — a critical dimension of the climate challenge — by relying not on Democrats’ soft Paris Climate Accords but instead on solutions that have real teeth and can actually deliver on U.S. priorities.

In fact, an America-First strategy on foreign pollution is indeed far superior to the current approach. Pollution abroad is unlikely to fall unless there is real pressure on foreign polluters to actually clean up their act.

This is especially the case with the world’s largest polluter, China, which subsidizes its industries by skirting basic labor and environmental standards. With trade instruments like foreign pollution fees, we could be tough on China and others and charge them for goods produced cheaply with sub-American standards.

This in turn would level the playing field, reward our clean manufacturers industries, and put real economic pressure on lagging nations to do their part.

Whether it’s the environment, education, or family formation — our party leadership must step up to our modern moment and confront with agility the challenges of our time.

We conservatives must heed the lessons of Issue 1, change course, and pursue a reimagined conservative agenda that aligns with our core values while meeting the modern moment.

Chris Johnson is a graduate of the Ohio State University John Glenn College of Public Affairs. He serves as a senior advisor of the National Federation of College Republicans focusing on energy issues.