Commentary: Despite congressional representation, many in 48th District believe in man-made global warming

Voters in the 48^th Congressional District, spanning the Orange Coast from Seal Beach to Laguna Beach and extending inland in some areas as far as Santa Ana, have major choices to make in the 2018 midterm election. A bastion of Republican conservatism since the 1930s, the district of late has been showing signs of growing unease about President Trump’s advocacy of offshore oil drilling, rising sea levels and the threat to property values in Newport Bay, Russia’s interference in our 2016 election and the president’s and our congressional representative’s denial of climate change.

My share of this unease is fueled, in part, by my regard for our system of government.

For 40 years I taught classes in American history at Santa Ana College. I shared with students the genius of our founders, who, though as human and imperfect as we, risked life and limb to establish a new republic based on the revolutionary principles of “consent of the governed,” no one is above the law and separation of powers in government. They incorporated these principles into our charters to protect the citizenry and future generations from tyrants.

The system of governance that we inherited, which, for all its flaws, has worked reasonably well for nearly two and a half centuries. The founders counted on us to be informed voters who, in accordance with the above principles, would hold public officials accountable. These same officials, presumably, would hold open forums, in person and at venues throughout the district, so that they could know the range of public opinion on key issues. In other words, they would not just play to their base.

My careful reading of the press in the 48^th Congressional District reveals that a large swath of citizens think climate change is real and human-caused and want congressional action to combat it if we are to have a habitable planet; are concerned about climate change-induced sea-level rise along our famed coast; value the contributions of immigrants and want undocumented students (usually my top achievers) to be treated compassionately; are troubled greatly by Russia’s interference in elections in the United States and Europe coupled with Vladimir Putin’s now-dictatorial power; believe in equal rights and treatment for people of all sexual orientations; and want a congressional representative who makes himself or herself accessible to the electorate.

So let’s get out in public and make known our concerns to the officials in the 48^th Congressional District who work for us, to our neighbors and to the media. That is precisely what I intend to do between now and Election Day this Nov. 6. I’m going to walk precincts, register voters, phone and talk to neighbors on the street about candidates and measures I support.

Why? Because I’m an American, and I sense we have a regime in Washington, D.C., that is taking our Republic in a direction of non-freedom and militancy, a direction that spells doom for what President Lincoln saw as “the last best hope of Earth.”

Tom Osborne lives in Laguna Beach.