Senator Lindsay Graham's willingness to work with Senator Kerry on climate change legislation has drawn the ire of many South Carolina Republicans. In November, the Charleston County GOP censured Graham with a climate change denying rant. Days later, the Berkelely County South Carolina GOP considered doing the same thing, before temporarily tabling the measure.
Last night, the Lexington County South Carolina Republican Party joined the fun. The Los Angeles Times Reports:
Republican leaders in a South Carolina county known as a GOP stronghold have voted to censure U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham for working with Democrats on immigration and climate change.
It's the second time since November that Republicans in a South Carolina county have voted to censure the GOP senator.
Lexington County Republican Party Chairman Rich Bolen said Tuesday the county's executive committee voted 13-7 to rebuke Graham following more than an hour of debate late Monday.
Here are the relevant parts of the Lexington County GOP's censure resolution:
Whereas, S.S. Senator Lindsey Graham through his support of a cap and trade bill, reiterates his support for government intervention in the private sector in direct contradiction of the Republican principle of free markets, as stated by the Republican
party platform;
...
Therefore, let it be resolved that the Lexington County Republican Party Executive Committee must regretfully censure U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham and is grieved to respectfully request that the South Carolina Republican Party rescind the 2009 resolution commending U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, for his positions do not reflect a complete
belief in the South Carolina Republican party platform and do not serve the interests of South Carolinians.
In November, I noted the consequences of these types of developments:
The Republican party is quickly becoming a caricature of itself, purging anyone who isn’t a hateful, ignorant science-hater. While it is good for Democrats politically, it is a largely negative development for the discourse and the country as a whole. It is hard to have a reasonable and intelligent debate when one of the two major political parties is completely unreasonable.
This assessment -- which is backed up by the increasing likelihood that the Republican party will nominate a climate change denier in 2012 -- remains valid. Further indications that the GOP will continue shifting to the right on climate policy include the evolution of Senator McCain's position due to a primary challenge and several recent polls showing a sharp uptick in climate change denial among Republican voters.
So what makes Senator Graham different? A few factors come to mind:
1. He is not up for reelection until 2014.
2. He is a strong supporter of nuclear energy, and will likely be able to demand massive subsidies in exchange for his support.
3. He rightly considers climate change a national security issue, and in addition to serving on the Armed Services Committee in both the House and the Senate, he served in the United States Air Force prior to entering politics.
4. Graham has always been a bit of a maverick, frequently showing willingness to reject the party line:
In recent years Graham has developed a reputation as an independent dealmaker. In 2005 he joined with 13 moderates to block then Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist from destroying the filibuster in a fight over judicial nominees. In 2006 and 2007 he braved another censure - this one from Greenville County - to work with Ted Kennedy on immigration reform, telling incensed South Carolinians that they're "bigots."
What else am I missing? Why is Senator Graham an outlier in the Republican party on climate change legislation?