Are our senior Democratic Party members able to grasp the immediacy felt by our nation's youth?

[Magoo48]

Climate Change is smack dab in the middle of young folks’ plate. They see the pace of the world’s response as a big, “it’s up to you kids, good luck.” Is their, “The house is on fire,” approach not quite understandable? Is not their “tone” iappropriate given the circumstances? Is, “You didn’t vote for me” ever a response to their worries and concerns? Was the Senior Senator from California being condescending, patronizing?
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/dianne-feinstein-children-green-new-deal_n_5c709505e4b03cfdaa555157

[RandySF]

1. In case you haven't heard, that video was edited.

[Kurt V.]

4. That's disingenuous. the senator doesn't come off much better in the full video. but she certainly

Doesn't deserve the attack level I've seen.

[Magoo48]

13. I asked a couple of questions.

I be curious to see your response to a real attack.

[Kurt V.]

15. i think the tone of the younger generation is appropriate. i won't be around for the accelerating

effects of climate change but they will. DiFi's alternative to the NGD is woefully to little, to late. but this hardly her fault alone. our outrage should be with the oil industries that bought misinformation for decades.

[Magoo48]

19. Agreed, it's not Feinstein's fault alone. So who among our Congretional team

is leading the battle with corporate polluters? How can we get our team to ad a little pizzaz and bold rhetoric about real solutions into their stance before the world?

[Kurt V.]

20. i wish i knew. Taking the senate and pres will certainly help.

[octoberlib]

2. They're aware that they're not dictators

and they’ve still got to get things passed through Congress. With Republicans controlling the Senate, fuhgeddaboutit.

[RandySF]

3. If adults cannot grasp that fact, how do you expects kids to understand?

[Magoo48]

12. Oh, the kids understand very clearly.

Like ms. Greta Thunberg recently so clearly reminded world leaders, “The house is on fire.”
Republicans don’t care; we know that. Democrats must respond with immediacy and enthusiasm, with large-as-life clear ideas and forward thinking, with dynamic plans. Now, they appear to be approaching the burning house with squirt guns and water balloons already congratulating themselves upon their response.

[handmade34]

5. it's the individual, not the age

Feinstein was rude and condescending to the kids!!! that doesn't mean people aren't serious about climate change

[pecosbob]

7. I agree.

In addition if the Senate waits for something the Republicans will vote for, we'll all be under water in ten years. It is more important to take back the Senate in 2020 more than ever.

[betsuni]

6. The children told:

Mean old selfish establishment lady Democrat won't vote for the New Green Deal, which will easily solve all the world's problems, because she doesn't care if you roast to death in climate change wild fires or drown in floods with your little dog Skippy or be sucked up by tornadoes, she is old and will die soon and it will not happen to her personally. Why do Democrats want you and Skippy to die? HOLD THEIR FEET TO THE FIRE. (Do not listen when told how Democrats are in the legislative minority and cannot pass legislature when they don't have the votes unless they come up with something bipartisan.)

[Magoo48]

14. I cannot grasp half of what you said here.

Nevertheless, it’s a matter of stance, enthusiasm, breadth of thinking and solution. It’s about unwavering respect for those who will shoulder the shit piles and attempt the repairs. There is a clarity of youth which can guide us. Part of our responsibility for what we’ve left them is to shut up and fucking listen.

[betsuni]

21. I cannot grasp half of what you said here.

[still_one]

30. Are you even aware of Feinstein's record on the environment? You do realize SHE BELIEVES IN CLiMATE

CHANGE

"It is a matter of stance and enthusiasm." That is an INSULT TO HER ENVIRONMENTAL RECORD

She was an environmentalist long before it became fashionable.

and was way ahead of most of the progressive issues

The attack on the environment was aided by some self-identified progressives who refused to vote for the Democratic nominee in 2016, by either voting third party or not voting, because they were duped by the Green Party Candidate who told them there was no difference between the two parties., and it didn't matter.


Well it did matter. Not only did we LOSE TWO SC nominations, but every Democrat running for Senate in those critical swing states lost to the incumbent, establishment, republican, and everyone of those Democrats were progressive by any standard. In those critical swing states the Democratic nominee lost by less than 1%, and Jill F**KING Stein received 1% in those swing states. It didn't take much, just enough

So before you start maligning one of the most pro-enviroment Senators, perhaps you need to examine exactly WHO is attacking the environment, because it ISN'T FEINSTEIN

[pecosbob]

8. What kind of climate change legislation are Republicans likely to sign on to...absolutely nothing

This Senate will not address climate change in any form or fashion whatsoever...so spreading all that bi-partisan BS is just that...BS.

[still_one]

31. It is sure is, and ironically, that Senate makeup was aided by the Green Party in 2016, by dupping

just enough people that there was no difference between republicans and Democrats.

In those critical swing states Jill Stein received 1% of the vote, and the Democratic nominee lost in those swing states by less than 1%

Everyone of the Democrats running for Senate in those critical swing states lost to the incumbent, establishment, republican, and those Democrats were environmentalists and progressive by any standard

[samnsara]

9. well of course they are..why wouldnt they be?

[Magoo48]

16. I disagree.

Democrats certainly might muster up a bit of enthusiasm and respect for the youth movement which is on the march. Those young people with the clear vision are the ones who will survive or not survive our folly. Blame our party heaps onto Republican shoulders much be larger, more damaging, and consistent. But more important, our vision of how we’ll support today’s active youth must match their vision of what they must accomplish.

[brooklynite]

25. "On the march"?

Where's the evidence of that?

[Magoo48]

36. The EU

[muriel_volestrangler]

10. I think Democrats should be saying they support the Green New Deal even if the Republicans won't

How are you going to convince people that you'll try and make a difference when you do get a majority in the Senate, if you won't indicate the kind of actions that are needed? It's pretty weak stuff from Feinstein to say "the Republicans won't let it pass, so I won't advocate it". It leaves her open to charges of "no real difference". Maybe she's already decided she'll never run for office again (not surprising - she'd be 91 at the next Senate election), but it's worth it for the party as a whole to still look to the future.

[pecosbob]

11. They need to make Republicans own climate change between now and 2020

If Mitch McConnell's Senate refuses to bring legislation to the floor, then put his picture on every milk carton, TV ad and billboard in the land.

[Magoo48]

18. Great idea!

[Magoo48]

17. Absolutely.

[tirebiter]

22. This is a personal grudge by Ariana Huffington

DiFi beat Micheal Huffington for the Senate in 1994.

[brooklynite]

24. What is you basis for claiming knowledge of "our nation's youth"?

Do some of them care about climate change? Of course; but I seek no evidence that it's a transcendent issue to a majority of them.

[Kurt V.]

28. "but I seek no evidence. .."

you probably meant "see no evidence "

[Magoo48]

37. Like any teacher, I listen, I ask, I inquire, I research

[jalan48]

26. Our climate is changing more rapidly than predicted and our political system has been too slow

in reacting to the biggest problem facing all Americans (and humans). Younger people understand the seriousness of their situation, maintaining the status quo is no longer an option.

[ananda]

27. They are completely in the right!

We elders have failed them miserably.

[zipplewrath]

29. I'm reminded of the '60s protests

There was no small amount of "tut tutting" by the previous generation about how wrong the boomer children were complaining and protesting. The freedom rides, the lunch counter sit ins, the anti-war protests, the "kids" were doing it all "wrong". There were even tensions within movements as outfits like SNCC and SLC collided over how to properly protest and confront the injustices that had existed for so long.

A bit like then, a generation occasionally rises up and says effectively "you had your shot, get out of the way". This current generation has had a whole bunch-o-stuff dumped in their future lap but are still being told to "let the adults handle it". They aren't buying. It got this bad WHILE the adults were handling things, and now we're being told it's "too late". Well, they don't have time for "too late", their future is all they have.

[jalan48]

34. +1

It reminds me of the 60's in this respect also. The War was supported by both political parties and it was the actions of those most affected by it that brought about change, not the politicians.

[BeyondGeography]

32. When one of the two major parties rejects science and their supporters cheer

it sadly doesn’t make much of a difference whether our entrenched leaders are bringing enough urgency to this issue.

Americans really suck at some basic things, like seeing the bigger picture and making sacrifices for tomorrow, a trait that naturally gets worse as they age.

[ismnotwasm]

33. Jesus fucking Christ.

Yes.

[redstatebluegirl]

35. Another attempt to divide the party using age.

I may be an old fart, but I have helped elect democrats for a long time. Yes I totally understand how climate change and gun violence impact our young people, but I also know what it takes to elect a Democrat in a divided country like this. If we divide our party along any line we lose.

Not all old folks are the enemy and not all young people are the next coming. We have to embrace our differences and get Democrats elected, any way that we can.