Who's For Alexandria Ocasio Cortez's Green New Deal Resolution?

I spoke with a member of Congress today about the paucity of original co-sponsors for the Green New Deal resolution-- it's a non-binding resolution laying out some ideas to work towards, not a proposed law. I asked the member why so few House members (65) signed on. The member told me several things:

• more will sign on after they read it more carefully
• AOC needs to go down on the floor and ask members to sign on
• some members don't like AOC and they're not signing on because of how they feel about her (or are jealous of the notoriety she's gotten)
• some of the members are in swing or even red-leaning districts and fear being associated with the Green New Deal
• some of the members like some-- or even-- most of the ideas in the resolution but have a problem with just one or two (like, for example, high speed rail eventually replacing air transport

I also asked if Pelosi is pressuring members to back away from the Green New Deal (and Medicare-For-All) and I was told that my suspicions are unfounded, although members "are aware" that Pelosi doesn't like the approaches, especially to the Green New Deal and that she's still angry because activists occupied her office and insinuated that she bears some of the responsibility for Climate Change not moving along as urgently as it should.



All the Senate presidential hopefuls also signed on-- even Amy Klobuchar, albeit after the others already had. Republicans and right-of-center establishment Beltway journalists claim that's playing right into Trump's hands. Josh Kraushaar: "What’s so remarkable about this rapid leftward shift is that it’s working against the party’s best interests-- both for the individual candidates and their chances of defeating Trump next year. So many candidates are trying to fill the most progressive lane of the party that they’re splitting that share of the vote evenly. At the same time, there’s plenty of evidence that many rank-and-file Democrats are looking for a pragmatist who can actually win the presidency... At the same time, it underscores the self-destructive approach that the two leading nonwhite candidates (Harris and Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey) are pursuing. By virtue of their compelling biographies, Harris and Booker could easily run to the middle and win over both nonwhite liberals and the majority of Democratic moderates who aren’t blue-collar whites. It’s a broad, potent constituency. Instead, by pandering to the activist Left, they’re creating an opening for someone like Biden or Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota to run a more mainstream campaign-- and make a popular pitch for electability. The Democratic march leftward is reminiscent of the nihilistic tea-party lurch after Barack Obama’s election. The grassroots energy helped Republicans win back the House but hobbled the GOP’s attempts at a united front against Obama in his 2012 reelection. Democrats are now worried they are facing a similarly destructive dynamic-- and their leading presidential candidates are all too eagerly following suit."

This afternoon, Bernie sent his supporters an e-mail explaining the urgency of working to pass the Green New Deal:

Climate change is real, it is caused by human activity and it is already causing devastating harm to the United States and countries around the world.

Yet, incredibly, we have a president who not only believes that climate change is a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese government, but is pursuing policies which makes a frightening situation even worse. Further, we have a major political party, the Republican Party, that marches in lockstep behind the ignorance of the president.

The debate is over. The scientific community has spoken in a virtually unanimous voice in telling us that if we do not act boldly in transforming our energy system away from fossil fuel and into energy efficiency and sustainable energy, the planet we leave to our children and grandchildren will become increasingly unhealthy and uninhabitable.

Let's be clear. Failure to act decisively will mean more drought, more famine, more rising sea levels, more floods, more ocean acidification, more extreme weather disturbances, more disease and more human suffering.

We cannot allow that to happen.

The good news is that we now have the knowledge and technology to address climate change, and it starts with taking on the extraordinary power of the fossil fuel industry and creating an international energy system that is clean, efficient and sustainable

We must reach zero percent in greenhouse gas emissions.

We must eliminate carbon emissions in all major parts of the economy.

We must invest in weatherizing homes and buildings, and make investments in climate-friendly infrastructure.

We must make certain that those communities economically impacted by the transformation of our energy system are fully protected.

We must ensure that communities of color do not bear the brunt of the effects of climate change.

And when we do that, we can create millions of good paying jobs in every part of our country. In other words, transforming our energy system not only helps save the planet, it strengthens our economy.

The U.S. is the most powerful economy on earth and we must lead the world in the fight against climate change. We can do that by passing the Green New Deal to save the planet and create millions of new jobs.

...When it comes to taking on the imminent threat of climate change, we cannot think small. We must enact bold solutions to save our planet from its disastrous effects.

The fossil fuel industry is one of the most powerful political forces in the country. They spend hundreds of millions of dollars on campaigns and lobbying every election cycle to protect their interests, while they continue to lie and deny the realities of climate change.

They make billions in profits by continuing to pump, refine and burn oil, while future generations will be forced to deal with the catastrophic consequences of climate change.

That’s why it’s critical that we pass the Green New Deal to not only help shift our country toward energy efficiency and sustainable energy but also create millions of jobs.

The only way this legislation will be successful is if the American people stand up to the fossil fuel industry and make their voices heard on this issue.

When we talk about our responsibilities as human beings and as parents, there is nothing more important than leaving this country and the entire planet in a way that is habitable for our kids and grandchildren.

We have an opportunity for the U.S. to be a leader in the global fight against climate change. Thank you for being a part of this fight.

So far this cycle, DownWithTyranny has only endorsed six federal candidates. As you can probably guess, all six are enthusiastic Green New Deal backers. If you tap on the thermometer on the right, you can see which six and you can contribute to their campaigns if you want to. Like $20.20 to Bernie or $60.00 split evenly between all 6 or... any way you want to do it.