Yes, it has the potential to be a ‘slippery slope’, but see post #59... Romney was saying the right things, even in 2004, so he’s not a RINO on this issue ...
“Unfortunately, some in the Republican Party are embracing the radical environmental ideas of the liberal left. As governor, I found that thoughtful environmentalism need not be anti-growth and anti-jobs.”
“But Kyoto-style sweeping mandates, imposed unilaterally in the United States, would kill jobs, depress growth and shift manufacturing to the dirtiest developing nations.”
“Republicans should never abandon pro-growth conservative principles in an effort to embrace the ideas of Al Gore. Instead of sweeping mandates, we must use America’s power of innovation to develop alternative sources of energy and new technologies that use energy more efficiently.”
- Gov Mitt Romney, 2004
My conclusion is that he is threading the needle on this issue in the right way, defending the conservative position without letting the leftists accuse him of being ‘anti-environment’.
Like the lefties do with Bush, even though it is a farce:
http://travismonitor.blogspot.com/2007/05/nothing-but-blue-skies.html
It's about time someone does it. Energy independence is a national security issue. It doesn't have to be about Global Warming at all. In fact, it is irrelevant. A smart conservative will embrace the energy independence issue and handle it in the right way.
Mitt is on the right side of this issue as well.
Get real. Read the contents of what he actually implemented. It's clearly a radical enviro document...one that puts the lie to Romney's cover story.