Opinion: Chad Mayes isn’t the only Republican who understands the threat posed by climate change

To the editor: Chad Mayes, the former Republican leader in the California Assembly, only did what a lot of Republicans are starting to do: accept and talk about the reality of climate change and work to do something about it. (“He rallied support for California’s climate change fight. Now Chad Mayes is out as Assembly Republican leader,” Aug. 24)

It’s not only the Republicans in Sacramento who voted to extend California cap-and-trade program. In the U.S. House just last month, 46 Republicans voted with the Democrats to maintain funding for climate change research at the Department of Defense. Mimi Walters and Ed Royce, both Republicans from Orange County, were two of the 46.

The Pentagon gets climate change and has for a long time. It understands global warming for what it is: a major risk, naming it as “a threat multiplier.” I suggest that those in the GOP leadership listen to the generals on this.

Craig Preston, Costa Mesa

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To the editor: The Republicans who ousted Mayes did so under the belief that the cap-and-trade program he supported will hurt California’s businesses. Apparently, attaining a position of leadership in the Republican caucus requires passing a science and economics illiteracy test.

A study by UC Berkeley researchers, published in the June 29 issue of the journal Science, estimates that our country will lose more than 1% of its gross domestic product for every 1 degree Celsius increase in global average temperature that occurs. This will be due to drought, loss of crops, damage from storms and other phenomena.

In helping to reduce the economic cost of global warming, California’s cap-and-trade program will have a net positive effect on the economy.

Al Barrett, Santa Monica

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