There was an insightful snippet in the New York Times Magazine’s Sunday interview with David Frum, the former Bush White House speechwriter generally credited with authoring the memorable expression “Axis of Evil.”
Frum has a new book out, and in it he explains his newfound environmentalism and why he thinks Republicans need to get right with the green movement. The nuance is interesting:
I’m a latecomer to the environmental issue, which for years seemed to me like an excuse for more government regulation. But I can see that in rich societies, voters are paying less attention to economic issues and more to issues of the spirit, including the environment. Republicans must respond to that.
That “issues of the spirit” is quite the turn of phrase. It’s almost as if Frum is saying this isn’t a real issue but so long as it is perceived to be one then politically, at least, Republicans have to embrace it. If I had to guess, Al Gore probably would sigh and say, ‘Better to have him on board than not.’
Frum also apparently reserves special scorn on Gulfstream liberals like the activist Laurie David, who flies on a private jet. Said Frum to the Times: “We are all terribly sensitive when a politician preaches one version of sexual morality and practices another. Why should we not expect self-designated environmental leaders to practice what they preach?”
The private-jet issue is a prickly one. If I could afford it, I’d NEVER fly commercial. Still, there’s no arguing that if one really cared about dumping carbon into the atmospher, Southwest is the way to go.
I wonder what Laurie David thinks.