AOC's Approach to the 'Green New Deal' is Revolutionary in Scope and Immediacy

[bigtree]

In an email to The Huffington Post, she explained her plans for a Green New Deal to help America switch to 100 percent renewable energy by 2035, which advocates say is our best shot of keeping warming below 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels.

“The Green New Deal we are proposing will be similar in scale to the mobilization efforts seen in World War II or the Marshall Plan,” she said by email. “It will require the investment of trillions of dollars and the creation of millions of high-wage jobs. We must again invest in the development, manufacturing, deployment, and distribution of energy but this time green energy.”
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ocasio-cortez-climate-change_us_5b3307a5e4b0b5e692f25e18


from EcoWatch:

Ocasio-Cortez's climate plans dovetail with some of the other progressive points on her platform, such as a Federal Jobs Guarantee and Solidarity with Puerto Rico following the devastation of Hurricane Maria.

Ocasio-Cortez told The Huffington Post that the island would be the ideal place to test-run a Green New Deal to help with recovery efforts. "Our fellow Americans on the island have suffered horrendous losses and need investment at a scale that only the American government can provide," she said.

On her platform, Ocasio-Cortez also links the fight against climate change with her commitments to economic justice and immigrant rights.

"Rather than continue a dependency on this system that posits climate change as inherent to economic life, the Green New Deal believes that radically addressing climate change is a potential path towards a more equitable economy with increased employment and widespread financial security for all," her platform reads.

Her platform also says fighting climate change is necessary "to avoid a world refugee crisis." Concern for immigrants is a large part of her platform. She supports abolishing the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) which was created in 2003 in the post-9/11 escalation of national security operations and executive power and operates outside the Department of Justice, unlike previous immigration enforcement.

The link between the potential for global warming to increase the number of climate refugees and the need to improve the treatment of current immigrants, many of which are already fleeing deteriorating environmental conditions, is something picked up by the Democratic Socialists of America, the group to which Ocasio-Cortez belongs, on the platform for its climate and environmental justice working group, according to The Huffington Post.

Link to tweet

[PhrankT]

1. Thanks Obama

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100211577716

[Autumn]

2. Too bad the Pukes closed down the select committee on climate change when they took over in 2010

Think of where we could have been.

[PhrankT]

3. Too bad the Republican SC chose our President in 2000 also.

Gore was far ahead on this long ago.
Guess that's why they had to stop him.

3rd Party Naderites included.

[Autumn]

4. That one act was the beginning of hell on earth.

[PhrankT]

6. Yes it was a stunning blow to our planet.

And look who the SC selected. The absolute opposite of environmental well being.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

5. You said it! Why we need a voice like AOC's in the House to bring this & other progressive issues...

to light... her leadership will be a welcome addition.

[Autumn]

7. Yes, she's like a bulldog when it comes to these important issues.

Climate change is here and it's going to create massive hardship and changes. The more I see and the more I hear from her makes me realize that it's not hopeless if we can get people and our leaders on board.

[bigtree]

9. thing is

...her outspokenness on the issue is what has propelled it into the national debate.

She has come very close to having climate change legislation a priority in the new Democratic Congress. No other Senator or Rep is coming close to making as much of an impact on the legislative debate over the environment at this point.

That's what makes these folks trying to marginalize her in this debate suspiciously out-of-step with any urgency to see these provisions enacted. It's a curious effort to insist that she's 'doing nothing new' (as a vocal handful of posters here have done) and deflecting from the substance of her actual proposals and the way in which she's advocating they become one of the first priorities of the new Congress.

It's as if they're rooting for her to fail, and any significant part of the GND with her. I can't think of a more rat******* effort taking place right now than to work to undermine bold, far-reaching climate change legislation, but hey, gotta put this freshman legislator in her place, wave election be damned.

[Autumn]

10. What you said is all truth. I can't see why the need is there to undermine her and attempt to

minimize her. These young people who won this wave are our future and I'm grateful that they see the urgency. This whole thing going on has stunned me. I care about the world my Grand kids and Great grand kids are facing.

[bigtree]

11. now that this thing is taking a more institutional track

...the obvious effect will be a softening of provisions and an industry-friendly take on timing.

Cap-and-trade (House passed) died in the Democratic-controlled Senate. This will be the first shot at setting that right. Not a promising start, imo.

I think we'll need even more agitation to make clear the urgency of now.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

13. Rooting against Alexandria and her "kicking ass and taking names" leadership style

is only going to result in HUGE disappointment. AOC is da bomb!!!

[Power 2 the People]

26. +1000

[Donkees]

38. Her proposals echo Senator Sanders work on climate change, and several quotes attributed to her...

actually belong to him. He did work on a $146 billion ''Marshall Plan'' for Puerto Rico which included close to 70% renewable energy infrastructure within 10 years. He did state that climate change was the greatest threat to national security, and that we needed to mobilize on the grandest scale ever seen in generations.

AOC is taking a great body of existing climate work and trying to form a dedicated committee to continue progress and to formulate and pass legislation in the limited time we have left.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

14. AOC is a born leader... helps also that she trained under one.

We're no doubt looking at a future Speaker of the House, if not President before then.

[Autumn]

15. I hope so. I'm good with both.

[PhrankT]

8. Why the Democratic House is right to carry forward Pelosis committee

The record of those she has selected so far is well equipped with tenure & knowledge of the path & the pitfals that will bring their goal to a reality.

It will take a lot of methodical work to restore even a small bit of the damage done.

We have many great & powerful voices who have spent years sounding the alarm, and now to gather them with our great leaders positioned in the House can be a massive movement towards VP Gore & Pres Obama's hard fought for, envirinmental goals for this country.

[Adrahil]

18. We shall see if she is change maker, or just another gadfly.

Leadership requires more than making demands and loud pronouncements. It requires working with other people to achieve actual, tangible results.

If she wants to be a leader, she has to work with others who may not be 100% on board with her grabbing the baton and claiming she is leading the parade. Ultimately, leaders have to have the support of those they lead. Can she do it? That remains to be seen. I hope so.

[bigtree]

21. you wonder if she'll be a 'gadfly' on this issue?

...I actually hope she will be a "persistently annoying person" on climate change legislation.

You must have noticed the earlier efforts trying to compromise with industry-oriented legislators effectively resulted in their tabling the legislation.

[Adrahil]

27. I mean will she work for achievable outcomes...

... or introduce hugely aspirational bills that sound great, but have no hope of passing, like another well-known gadfly in the other house of Congress.

[bigtree]

29. strawman argument

...if you think the GND is a "hugely (aspirational) bill that sounds great, but has no hope of passing," say so.

[Adrahil]

30. I think you have to lead...

... before others will follow. And leadership includes cooperation.

She had not shown that capacity yet. Perhaps she will. Perhaps not.

[bigtree]

31. she has already garnered the support of dozens of Congressfolk for her initiatives

...but I suspect it will never be good enough for folks speculating she may be a "gadfly."

Just a hunch.




Congressional Dems rushing to support ‘Green New Deal’ plan pushed by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
https://www.rawstory.com/2018/11/congressional-dems-rushing-support-green-new-deal-plan-pushed-alexandria-ocasio-cortez/

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

34. Since when do facts matter?!?! AOC's gonna be just a gadfly... haven't you heard?

But, she IS a Democrat... not that it matters to some. You'd think after that disaster we have squatting in the White House, we could unite behind a genuine progressive.

[Adrahil]

37. Actually, it DOES matter she's a Democrat.

She has a chance to mature into a pretty strong leader, if she chooses to.

I'll vote for any Democratic nominee, including a "genuine" progressive (whatever that is).
I'd assume after that disaster we have squatting in the White House, we'd support a united party, period.

But I seem to have struck a bit of a nerve.

[Adrahil]

36. Out of a Caucus of over 230.

Don't get me wrong. I think those policies should be given serious consideration.

But what's wrong with the re-established Climate Change Committee? Why not show you can work within the caucus?

And I appreciate the little passive aggressive jab. It's up to her whether or not she can mature into a leader.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

32. Yeah, a gadfly... like that's gonna happen. Riiigghhhhttt!!

[PufPuf23]

12. The "Green New Deal" like Roosevelt's New Deal

implies at least in part Keynesian rather than neoliberal economic approaches, direct federal hire rather than business incentives to marketize solutions.

We have not had direct federal hire since the CETA program. Reagan ended that type of direct economic and policy stimulation.

The small town where I grew up and now live in age had a CCC camp in the 1930s. Infrastructure from that effort still exists. My Dad went to 8th grade and lived here all his life. In 1969 I went to work age 16 in YOC (for 16 and 17 year old youth, Youth Opportunity Corp) for the Feds in an environmental job. I ended up with a BS and Masters degrees from Cal (UC Berkeley) after graduating from a Reservation high school building on that experience and it changed and deeply enriched my life and value to society.

Folks have forgotten what was accomplished with the direct hire federal programs. Think Golden Gate and Bay bridges, Tennessee Valley Authority, etc etc.

Great approach for a "Green New Deal". But less direct profit for corporations and banks. Yet Keynesian economics saved their asses from the Depression and contributed in a major way to the post WWII economic successes.

[ismnotwasm]

16. Disagree.

Although she is using her political capital very well in pushing this, that I agree with. I also think she means what she says, and her occasional side steps will be better managed once she’s in Congress. She clearly want to get things actually done, and so will use the process to do it.

[question everything]

17. I miss the old days, when Clinton and Franken - both "celebrities"

Took their time, sat in the "back benches" quietly listened and forged allies. As much as the Rs has been after Hillary, the ones who served with her on the committees - armed forces?- had a lot of respect for her.

And then came Ted Cruz, like a raging bull and decided that being brand new there entitled him to take over... Feinstein.

[bigtree]

19. why assume AOC isn't doing just that?

...AOC has been doing the work of gathering together supporters in Congress and the Senate for her initiatives, with some success.



Congressional Dems rushing to support ‘Green New Deal’ plan pushed by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
https://www.rawstory.com/2018/11/congressional-dems-rushing-support-green-new-deal-plan-pushed-alexandria-ocasio-cortez/

[question everything]

20. She has been in the news ever since she won her primary

Doesn't she need to, at least, study the rules the way Congress works? Yes, old, stuffy, set in its way but this is what has been keeping the country sane. More or less.

Has she been appointed to any committee? Working there? Do the headlines that she generate even matter to her constituents?

[TheBlackAdder]

24. Hey, the more Dem voices in the press, the better. Drown out the Cons. I welcome them all.

[bigtree]

25. why do you assume she hasn't "studied the rules the way Congress works?"

...such nonsense projected on this very able new legislator.

Why do you imagine people are even talking about a GND?

[Mariana]

35. I don't think she gets to dictate what the news media report. nt.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

33. Not surprising... AOC has demonstrated leadership qualities for quite awhile now.

No amount of Congressional experience, or man-splaining, will change what comes naturally for her.

[JCanete]

23. I've been waiting for people to bring the public in. That's way more effective. It puts pressure on

everybody. The only way to get things done in the shadows of congress is to scratch backs and form coalitions of backscratching because you are taking the public's will and outrage out of the equation, which just leaves the power of lobbyists and the risks of stepping out of line, versus the potential rewards and trades that can be offered. Which leaves signing onto shit that stinks in order to get positive things done, and the question at the end of the day is is that progress? Is it fast enough? Does it finally, once and for all make these good positions a foregone necessity of current and future politicians by finally moving the bar of what is expected, or does it keep all of the actions subtle, esoteric, and easily confused or missed by the public? And if the latter, then isn't that so much easier to demonize and roll back?

[TheBlackAdder]

22. Virtually nothing a person brings up for discussion is original, it's all based on prior art!

.

There are a lot here who are riding her for trying to take up the mantle for this issue.

One which everyone is deeply concerned about, until they were extremely distracted by Drumpf's lunacy.


When all this Trump shit settles, we will have a major environmental and ecologic issues to tackle.

AOC is trying to spearhead this facet of issues, the new congress and Dems have to embrace.

.

[PhrankT]

28. I want to hear what she has for a plan to go with her advocay.

THIS is what I am waiting to hear from her coaliton.

Has she made any proposals that a committee can look at & implement?

Here is where I'd like to see her take it to.
We know the environment is in crisis. We've known for many years.
What else does she have to go with that reminder.

I seriously am waiting for her policy plan.

Here's a start. What I'd like to hear her say.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100211580594

Take it to the next level, please!
Talk about Proposals. Plans. Visions.
Nothing gets moved forward in Congress without a policy plan.

Here's some ideas.
Discuss this instead of pushing against each other.
Make it a reality.
Advance your cause with something concrete.