At Syracuse University last week, our own Rep. Bob Inglis was joined by former colleague and retired Utica, NY Congressman Richard Hanna at our second EnCourage Tour event where they joined forces to change at least one mind. Participant Robert George praised the conservative angle and said “having Conservatives in there actually giving their opinions definitely does sway us. It’s not Liberals in there telling me ‘You’re a Conservative and that’s a problem.'”
Hanna said climate change shouldn’t be a belief system. “It should be something to do with science and trying to understand the issues. And they’re not easy, but to deny it just for the sake of denying itbecause it’s easier to put something off than to deal with it is foolhardy.” As Bob puts it: “The Environmental Left asks, ‘Do you believe in climate change?’ We ask a very different question. We say, ‘Can free enterprise solve climate change?’ We think it starts a very different conversation that conservatives can feel comfortable with.”
Bob added: “We’ve got to build a tremendous new constituency of conservatives who are ready to have a conversation about climate change. Progressives are already there, but on the conservative side, there’s a lot of ground that we’ve got to gain.”
Where will the EnCourage Tour go next? Be sure to check our schedule to see if we’re coming to your neck of the woods.