Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Ocasio-Cortez’s ‘Green New Deal’ Gains Big Backer, but Shows Signs of Falling Apart

Chris White

The so-called Green New Deal gained a big backer Monday after Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., tossed his support behind the idea to create a committee centered around climate change. McGovern is propping up the idea first proposed by Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, and backed by a slew of enthusiastic young environmentalists. However, starting a new committee designed to brainstorm ways of phasing out fossil fuels is facing major hurdles. His support also comes as lawmakers consider how the Green New Deal will affect older committees. McGovern, the incoming House Rules Committee chair, also must haggle with the group propelling the deal. Reports show more than 140 young activists were arrested in demonstrations on Capitol Hill, where they targeted the offices of House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi. It’s unclear exactly how the select committee for a Green New Deal would function. Some veteran Democrats are criticizing the idea, calling it unnecessary given the existence of other committees designed to take on global warming. “We’re saying this select committee can come up with ideas, but it will go through the committees of jurisdiction. There’s nothing wrong with that, this is how this process works,” incoming Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, D-N.J., told demonstrators Monday on Capitol Hill. Meanwhile, Ocasio-Cortez is describing her fight against climate change as a Trojan horse for pushing social justice issues. “[W]e can use the transition to 100 percent renewable energy as the vehicle to truly deliver and establish economic, social, and racial justice in the United States of America,” she said during a Dec. 5 panel discussion alongside Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.

 “[W]e can use the transition to 100 percent renewable energy as the vehicle to truly deliver and establish economic, social, and racial justice in the United States of America,”

That makes it very clear what they are up to.

You can see what I've previously written about the Green New Green here and here.

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