General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums***Sunrise Movement members cite this VOX piece to explain their sit-in outside Pelosi's office.***
Having read this piece, I think I have a better handle on the thinking of the people behind the sit-in -- and the potential for uniting the party behind a "Green New Deal." But I also think we need a leader as strong as Nancy Pelosi for this extremely ambitious plan to have a chance to get through Congress -- after 2020 (which is part of their plan).
https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2018/11/14/18094452/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-nancy-pelosi-protest-climate-change-2020
The activists called on Pelosi to lead Democrats in developing an ambitious, comprehensive plan to address climate change a Green New Deal. Halfway through the protest, rising Democratic star and Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez visited to show her support, which drew a torrent of media coverage.
SNIP
Ill be honest, though. Ive seen intra-left disputes on climate change reprise themselves over and over again, to no ones benefit, and when I heard about this protest, I felt a twinge of dread. Why target Pelosi, who has always been a climate champion? And how is she supposed to have a comprehensive climate plan already when she hasnt even taken the gavel? Arent there worse enemies of the climate to protest?
But I talked it out on Twitter, emailed with a few of the organizers, and now have a better handle on whats going on. And it turns out to be quite a bit richer and more significant than what you might get from the headlines.
SNIP
The resolution supported by the Sunrise Movement and Justice Democrats, two youth-led organizations pushing for a Green New Deal has a number of interesting provisions, but two demands are central: that the committee be given a mandate to develop a Green New Deal that would decarbonize the US economy, and that no members be appointed who accept donations from the fossil fuel industry.
Specifically, the committee shall have authority to develop a detailed, national, industrial, economic mobilization plan for the transition of the United States economy to become carbon neutral and to significantly draw down and capture greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and oceans and to promote economic and environmental justice and equality. It would be required to produce a draft plan by January 1, 2020, and draft legislation by March 1, 2020.
In other words, the committee must produce a package of legislation ready to move if Democrats take power in the 2020 elections.
SNIP
guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)many people associate Jill Stein with the Green movement. And she is merely looking for publicity.
But yes, this would be an incredible plan because it could be sold to GOP voters as a jobs plan.
namahage
(1,157 posts)"I agree with you, I want to do it, now make me do it."?
George II
(67,782 posts)What those people were demonstrating for had already been basically decided, and they KNEW it. It was just grandstanding on their part.
mcar
(42,210 posts)You know, just meet with Pelosi, who re-upped the committee 5 days earlier?
I got media attention because it fed into the media's "Dems in disarray" obsession.
rogue emissary
(3,147 posts)They would done their homework. Your right that organizers goal was to feed "Dems in disarray" coverage. I'm also certain it was motivated by the lets disrespecting the "evil establishment" types.
Celerity
(42,668 posts)as speaker. The stakes are too high for on-the job training (which hopefully our Speaker takes some younger ones under her wings and gives them for a future transition).
brush
(53,475 posts)with actual legislative experience more deserving of that than some freshman who just walked in the building.
Celerity
(42,668 posts)sorry for the confusion
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)visited our congressman's office back in California with a couple of groups. We made an appointment and sat down and discussed our issues. In those situations, we were also contacted with updates until the problems were resolved.
And, for heavens' sake, why didn't they either meet with our ranking member of the appropriate committee long before this, or wait to meet with the new chairman next January?
JHan
(10,173 posts)Bear in mind that Tlaib ( who I believe also met with them) is in a heavily polluted district. Both Tlaib and Ocasio-Cortez were being responsive to those who voted for them, Cortez used her fame to draw attention to them in the interest of these young activists. It made headlines. After reading all I have, I think this was a case of a media narrative decided by "Conservatives".
It's no secret that I have no time for Justice Democrats, but they did support AOC so I expected them to "be in her corner".
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)is being twisted by the right, and some left.
The competence of the pros who dealt with this was taken as a given. And with Ocasio's built-in power base, no surprise at all that both Pelosi and Tlaib made time in severely overpacked schedules to turn this into a positive meeting. Of course.
I'm just spouting off about this group's approach, Jhan. Regarding representatives democratically elected by their constituents as opponents and obstacles, unless they've shown that to be so, is to be anti- democracy.
I am glad they got a chance to actually see the top female leader they've been subverted into believing they need to take down -- to mark this year of women's ascension to the halls of power. Sigh.
Cha
(295,929 posts)Link to tweet
"Justice Democrats" is Cenk's brainchild and I read there was a sign there that said "Step Up or Step Down". Well Nancy already STEPPED UP.
Link to tweet
You know some of these people were so concerned about "Climate Change" they bought jill stein's LIES and they enabled the rigging of a Climate Change Denier.
George II
(67,782 posts)...before her primary. She ran a very strong campaign with NO negativity and won, then fought an uphill battle against Yoder. Again with no negativity, just concentrated on the issues. She was out every day campaigning, and her campaign sent out email updates every few days.
Of all the elections around the country, other than my local and state races her, her's is the one I'm happiest about.
I think she's going to be highly successful.
Cha
(295,929 posts)Sharice and her campaign caught my heartstrings, too. It didn't hurt that she worked in President Obama's WH.
Link to tweet
JHan
(10,173 posts)JHan
(10,173 posts)The hedging was due to the Senate situation and Trump's veto, viewed as "constraints" ( Connolly)
Considering those constraints, said Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), Democrats should focus on the practical and the opportunistic to make short-term progress while fighting for bolder measures the aspirational goals over the longer term. Its going to be, I think, more of an opportunistic strategy, where, in various pieces of legislation, across the board, were going to insert measures that address climate change,
George II
(67,782 posts)Cha
(295,929 posts)allgood33
(1,584 posts)HRC. We are about to do the same thing with Nancy. HRC's message was drowned out by the media frenzy over Trump and carrying the water for the RW talking points (especially Mika and Joe for example). And there was that constant meme about HRC not having a message. Yet at all the town halls, HRC hit all the major issues in a coherent and simple way for people to understand. But many followed the Pied Piper and focused on the HRC speeches to Wall Street (not even reading or understanding what the speeches actually said)...so now, here we are about to fall for the okie-doke once again.
https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/
https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/climate/
pnwmom
(108,925 posts)to that expressed toward Hillary. Trump hates them because they are both strong, effective women-- and he's convinced many people, including Democrats, that they should be replaced.
George II
(67,782 posts)Two years ago nobody really cared about Clinton's position on the issues, they just cared that she was CLINTON (bad) and she is a WOMAN (bad). Forget the fact that she was right on all the issues, including the progressive issues that those who bashed her were touting.
It's deja vu all over again. Here they're demonstrating in front of Pelosi's office for something that she ALREADY SAID SHE WAS GOING TO DO!!!!!