New Dems Call For A Green New Deal

Ocasio-Cortez-backed Green New Deal sees surprising momentum in House; Fifteen Democrats have committed to the proposal touted by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

E.A. Crunden, November 28, 2018 (ThinkProgress)

More and more Democrats are committing to supporting a sweeping, historic green effort that would transform the U.S. economy in an effort to fight climate change, in the latest indicator that environmental issues will be a dominant force in 2019…[The Sunrise Movement], a climate group led by young people, said at least 15 Democrats are willing to sign onto supporting the formation of a select committee to create a “Green New Deal” endorsed by Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY)…[S]enior party members have since the midterms voiced their support for urgent climate action. Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) quickly gave a Green New Deal his support the week before Thanksgiving, handing activists a major win. In the time since, the list of backers has grown…

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Increasingly, the Green New Deal is becoming a litmus test for Democrats grappling with a massive shift in the party…[Many progressive newcomers] have taken the unusual step of highlighting climate issues, which rarely garner significant attention from either party…[the draft Green New Deal bill establishes a select committee with the authority to create a “detailed national, industrial, economic mobilization plan” allowing the United States to swiftly become carbon-neutral…Calling for input from business and labor along with state and local governments, the draft nonetheless gives a timeline of no more than a decade for the deal’s execution…Creating jobs is a core element of the plan, but the deal also emphasizes “social, economic, racial, regional, and gender-based justice and equality” in any final draft…” click here for more

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