Climate: DNC To Consider Climate Debate Amid Mounting Pressure

[appalachiablue]

(Huff Post, July 1, 2019). Democrats To Consider Climate Debate Amid Mounting Pressure. The Democratic National Committee is weighing whether to host some kind of forum for presidential candidates to dig into the climate crisis.

The Democratic National Committee is considering a pair of resolutions on whether to host a debate of some kind devoted exclusively to climate change, amid mounting pressure from activists who want a spotlight put on the issue.

At an executive committee gathering in Pittsburgh on Saturday, the DNC voted unanimously to refer two proposals ― one calling for an official debate on climate change, another envisioning a less formal forum ― to a committee, a DNC official confirmed to HuffPost.

Sunrise Movement, the grassroots group that stationed protesters outside DNC headquarters in Washington for three days last week, on Sunday sent an email to supporters stating the Democrats’ main party organ agreed to vote on a resolution that would allow for a debate devoted exclusively to climate change.

That could be the recommendation DNC’s resolutions committee makes. But the second resolution stakes out something akin to the abortion rights forum Planned Parenthood hosted last month, which 20 presidential candidates attended.

Still, the DNC’s vote to even consider the resolutions marks a shift. Last month, DNC Chair Tom Perez rejected calls for a climate debate and even authored a Medium post defending the decision, arguing that it would favor certain candidates and open the door to a flood of issue-specific events.

Despite climate change receiving little attention in the 2016 election, Perez vowed to ensure it would be a top priority this cycle ― though he did not spell out how.

The decision put the DNC at loggerheads with activists and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, the Democrat who has made combatting climate change the core rationale for his White House candidacy and urged that a debate be scheduled on the subject.

The committee is expected to weigh the proposals and make a recommendation, on which the DNC could hold a vote on Aug. 23. The announcement is not quite the victory activists declared over the weekend...- More.

Read More, https://www.huffpost.com/entry/dnc-climate-debate_n_5d1a5df7e4b082e5536de208

[appalachiablue]

1. kick

[oasis]

2. Inslee will finally get a bump in the polling!

[appalachiablue]

3. I liked him and want to see more in these debates, making progress..

[oasis]

5. If a climate debate happens there would be a big reduction in

"gotcha" attacks. Candidates would have to rely on their knowledge of the subject to score points.

[appalachiablue]

6. Enough attacks for now, more on candidates' plans & policies.

[JI7]

8. what if he doesn't make this debate ?

[Honeycombe8]

4. Sounds like a good idea to me. Both progressives & moderates can get behind this huge issue...

and are eager for something to be done. Or at least serious discussions about options.

[BlueWI]

7. The issue deserves a higher profile, of course!

Why the foot dragging?

The DNC sometimes seems a step behind in recognizing the obvious.