THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW: GIL GUTKNECHT AND THE ENVIRONMENT
We've always loved this picture of Representative Gutknecht parading down Main Street in St. James' Railroad Days in 2004.
Why? The title of the movie showing at the Princess reminds us of Gutknecht's status as an environmental laggard. Readers may recall that "The Day After Tomorrow" was a big-budget film about catastrophic climate change.
So where's Gutknecht on that issue?
Martha Greenwald, an artist who lives in the First, takes a look at the way Gutknecht has framed the issue, and sees the advice of GOP pollster and strategist Frank Luntz. Greenwald is too much of a fan of Lakoff for our tastes, but her analysis of a recent Gutknecht mailer is interesting. Here's part of a post from Hickory Bud, her new blog:
Many people . . . don’t believe in global warming, but think that temperature extremes are a natural cycle. You can see the current frames-in-use by comparing the issue statements of Democrat Amy Klobuchar in Minnesota, who says “I will fight to reduce global warming by adopting legislation to limit greenhouse gas emissions,” to her Republican opponent Mark Kennedy, who makes no mention at all of either global warming or climate change, but instead speaks of protecting the environment and reducing dependence on foreign oil.
GOP Pollster Frank Luntz says, “nearly all Americans agree that our nation’s current energy policy is behind the times and needs a new, 21st century approach.” You can review the Luntz memo here: it outlines how Republicans should address the issue. Several days after I learned about the Luntz memo from a media organization called Action Media, my own Republican congressman, Gil Gutknecht, hit his constituents with a glossy mailer that hit all the Luntz talking points. The talking points that many partisans agree on is advocating renewable energy and decreasing dependence on foreign oil. Neither global warming nor climate change are part of the Republican pitch.
In his policy statement on the environment, Tim Walz addresses the need to reduce carbon emissions, a vital step in reducing global warming. Walz has been endorsed by the League of Conservation Voters, Clean Water Action, and the Sierra Club.
Gutknecht and the environment? Not so much. He received a 0% rating from the League of Conservation Voters, as Leigh Pomeroy noted at Minnesota Monitor. Audience members at the Steele County Free Fair Debate guffawed at Gutknecht when he complained about "radical" environmental groups--which, of course, he never named. His campaign likes to complain in general terms about "Hollywood values" and phantom radical environmentalists, but American values like environmentalism play on Main Street.
Comments