#ncga: Radical environmentalists endorse Bob Steinburg
They’ve stood with Hillary Clinton. They’ve stood with Barack Obama. 
They’ve dumped tons of money on Nancy Pelosi and her pals. They’ve fought tooth-and-nail against President Trump.
Now, The Environmental Defense Fund is stepping out in support of state Rep. Bob Steinburg’s state Senate campaign.
For those of you unfamiliar with the EDF, here is a bit of a primer from a trusted conservative source:
Since the EDF was founded in 1966, it has grown into a behemoth $150 million per year environmental action organization with twelve offices across the United States, and international offices in China, Europe, and Mexico.[1] [2]
EDF uses interdisciplinary communications and litigation programming to
advance what they describe as a bipartisan climate agenda.[3] In reality, the group supports a liberal expansion of environmentalist policies including a federally mandated 20 percent decrease in carbon emissions in less than a decade; a 40-50 percent reduction in methane emissions resulting from natural gas production; and mandated reductions in chemicals that the EDF argues impact human health.[4] [5]
The EDF is a strong ally of former President Barack Obama, calling him “the most consequential of any president in our history.” It has since declared its intent to continue fighting to preserve his administration’s environmental agenda, including his Green Power Plan and opposition to
the Keystone XL pipeline.[6] [7]
The EDF has pledged to fight against President Donald Trump’s environmental agenda.[8] It has opposed his administration’s proposals, including cabinet nominations, attempts to roll back the Obama administration’s environmental regulations, and Trump’s decision to approve the Keystone XL pipeline.[9] [10] [11]
The group’s massive budgets have been supported by a number of left-wing organizations, including the Joyce Foundation and Pew Charitable Trusts.[12] In turn, the EDF has been frequently criticized for allowing its donors to use the organization’s work to advance their agendas.[…] [13]
Speaking of agendas, here’s a little bit more about EDF’s:
[…] Environmental Defense Fund’s operations claim a bipartisan platform, purporting to work with allies “across the political spectrum.”[28] However, the practiced agenda is not as bipartisan as portrayed, in fact the group readily admits, “most environmental issues are highly polarizing.[29]
One notably liberal policy that Environmental Defense Fund advocates
is a so-called “carbon pricing,”[30] which can either be accomplished through a new tax on emissions or an emissions trading scheme known as “cap and trade.”[31]
In 2014, the Environmental Defense Fund released a policy platform called BluePrint 2020.[32] The blueprint lists a number of left-wing policies, which they label “high impact actions” that they hope to implement, including:[33]
- A 20% decrease in American carbon emissions by 2025 utilizing the following policies:[34]
- A federally mandated 30% cut in power-plant based emissions and support for President Obama’s EPA Clean Power Plan
- Expansion and extension of California’s cap and trade program, with proceeds going to “disadvantaged communities,”
- Work towards extending California’s program to a national cap and trade plan.
- State energy policies to increase green energy market share
- An approximate 40-50% reduction in methane emissions from natural gas production
- And mandated reductions in chemicals that the group feels impact human health, via[35]:
- A Federally mandated reduction in the use of chemicals based on “emerging” scientific theories.
- Deep reductions in byproducts of the emissions from coal-fired power plants
- An 80% reduction in “groundwater pollution” from natural gas production.
[…]
The Environmental Defense Fund joined with other environmental groups to write a letter to President Obama urging the President to block the
Keystone XL oil pipeline, stating, “There is not an inch of daylight between our policy position on the Keystone XL pipeline, and those of the protesters being arrested daily.”[42] In 2015, the Obama administration blocked the construction of Keystone pipeline.[43]
[…]
The Environmental Defense Fund has consistently demonstrated their disdain for President Trump and his environmental policies[44] and has pledged “to fight Trump’s attacks on climate action.”[45]
The Environmental Defense Fund criticized Trump’s cabinet nominations[46] and officially opposed Scott Pruitt’s nomination for EPA administrator, a first for the group.[47]
The Environmental Defense Fund has fought against Trump’s EPA
action that sought to rollback environmentalist prerogatives.[48] The Environmental Defense Fund opposed “efforts to eliminate other climate rules and programs” and has pushed for stricter carbon regulations.[49]
The Environmental Defense Fund has also worked to continue President Obama’s environmentalist agenda in the face of President Trump’s attempts to roll much of it back. As of April 2018, the EDF is a party in the current lawsuit that is trying to save the Clean Power Plan.[50] [51]
The Environmental Defense Fund also blasted Trump’s decision to approve the Keystone Pipeline and called on the courts to block his action.[52]
Let this soak in, folks. The Environmental Defense Fund LOVES Barack Obama. They HATE Donald Trump. And NOW, apparently, they LOVE Bob Steinburg.
Hey, dudes (and dudettes), I kept telling you that Steiny was one of ours. Believe me, now? The Environmental Defense Fund is one of our hard core environmentalist groups and their endorsement shows that they value Bob Steinburg’s commitment to hard core environmentalist causes more than that of his liberal Democrat opponent. Our guys don’t endorse many Republicans, but Steinburg is one of the few.
It was amusing to watch Steinburg pull the wool over the eyes of your Republican voters in the primary. There you had one of those genuine Republican candidates, Twiddy, who believed in your silly platform, and you let one of our guys beat him. Outstanding!
When I think of the many thousands of dollars our hard core environmental movement spent four years ago on a TV as blitz to try to take out that conservative Bill Cook, to have his seat fall into our hands so easily and cheaply is gratifying. From what I read on this site, we should also thank Phil Berger for the way he redrew the district.
Bob Steinburg is a full spectrum environmentalist, which is what it takes to get the EDF endorsement, but I want to thank him for his leadership in one particular area. Bob loves the polar bears more than he does his own constituents That’s why he supports our policies, which were also those of the Obama administration, to drastically raise electric rates so rednecks cannot afford air conditioning, by building a lot of expense wind and solar power. As President Obama himself said that will make electric rates “necessarily skyrocket” which is exactly what we want to happen. And so does, Bob.
With the EDF endorsement, our liberal voters will see the light that Bob Steinburg is the most liberal candidate in the race. We don’t even need Democrats any more. Our side can win with liberal Republicans.
Steinburg is a joke. He and his trans buddy Hanig are FAKE republicans. AKA: Rhino
Both of these self righteous egotistical liberals in gop clothing LOVE: wind/solar, are AGAINST offshore exploration, in favor &are participants of back doos deals with our tax dollars and Hanig received a D from NRA and SUPPORTS abortion.
Write In in November: Twiddy/Boswell
Help keep NC Great. These chumps are losers.
Who is surprised? These type of folks had multiple mailers for this guy! Duh. Here’s your sign.
He and cohort Hanig claim to support Trump, but they disprove that fact daily. Hardcore Republicans say vote for them anyway because of a letter beside their name. I say Bullshit. I am writing in my candidates and it sure as hell ain’t these two rhinos.
Conservatives do not have anyone to vote for in the 1st District. It is a choice between two brands of liberal. One, Steinburg, is clearly the most liberal of the two on a critical set of issues, given this endorsement, but Phelps will be a rubberstamp for our dangerously far left governor. There is no good choice in this race’ only two very bad ones. Some Republicans, fearful of what Cooper could do without a GOP roadblock in the legislature, and will hold their nose for Steinburg. Others will look at the two local candidates and not be able to do that, but will either write in or sit the race out. I cannot imagine any thinking Republican voting for Phelps.
It looks like the same issues are present in the House race, but the district leans a lot more Republican in voting behavior, so it is more likely that Hanig might stumble across the finish line. Hanig is just the sort of bad candidate who may pull off losing to a liberal Democrat in this conservative seat.
Conservatives need to cue up some good candidates for both of these seats in 2020 in the GOP primary.
Just to advise on write ins, in a partisan election for a write in candidate to be successful they have to file in advance of the election and fill out the necessary paperwork.
Graffiti is right. The candidates need to agree and there needs to be a petition drive. Remember John Rhodes in the 2014 Senate race. If you are disgusted by Steinburg and Hanig, the best way to protest is to leave their races blank. Don’t mark any choice for those two offices. You can mark candidates in other races and your ballots will count just fine.
Maybe this site should set up on pool on who will endorse Steinburg next. Will it be Rev. William Barber? Hillary Clinton? Al Sharpton? Michael Bloomburg? David Hogg? Some LGBT PAC (oh, well, that might be Hanig)? La Raza? Putin? ISIS? The Red Chinese? There is really no telling with this guy.