REP California Chapter Applauds Governor's Straight Talk to State GOP

September 10, 2007

The California chapter of Republicans for Environmental Protection (REP), a national grassroots organization, today applauded Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger for giving the GOP state convention a dose of straight talk about moving back towards the center on environmental issues.

"Nearly two-thirds of Republican voters statewide approve of Governor Schwarzenegger's global warming solutions legislation. As the governor said in his speech to the state convention, party leaders ought to listen to the party majority. Our party must return to the pragmatic conservatism of Ronald Reagan and Theodore Roosevelt," said Buddy Burke, president of REP's California chapter.

"It's time for California Republicans to recapture our party's conservation tradition," Burke said.

"We believe that environmental protection is both compatible with economic prosperity and consistent with Republican principles of fiscal responsibility. We challenge the state's Republican leaders to form a partnership with business and the environmental community and enact legislation promoting clean air, clean water, healthy forests, and wildlife protection. It's a win-win for everyone," Burke said.

"The convergence of economic development and important environmental concerns, such as cleaner energy technology, highlights the importance of our chapter's environmental platform," said Chapter Vice President Virginia Chang Kiraly, whom Schwarzenegger recently appointed to the state Commission for Economic Development.

"Environmental issues are non-partisan, so we want our platform to reflect the ideas of all Californians. We look forward to working with the Legislature, California Republican leaders, and with Governor Schwarzenegger to enact sound environmental policies that will engage all stakeholders and be our country's standard," Kiraly said.

Republicans for Environmental Protection is a non-profit organization established in 1996 to resurrect the GOP's great conservation tradition and to restore natural resource conservation and sound environmental protection as fundamental elements of the Republican party's vision for America.