Conservatives Must Answer Voters’ Desire For Reasonable Climate Change Policy
Republicans must give voters solutions on the climate that, unlike Democrats’ radical policies, actually address kitchen table issues working families face.Republicans must give voters solutions on the climate that, unlike Democrats’ radical policies, actually address kitchen table issues working families face.Dutch Government Launches Canadian-Style Crackdown On Farmer Protests
Whether it's the Netherlands or Canada, the story is the same across the globe.
AOC reintroduces the Green New Deal to fundamentally transform the US economy
Congressional Democrats, led by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), reintroduced the Green New Deal on Tuesday, a sweeping progressive legislative agenda designed to fundamentally transform the U.S. economy to end capitalism while promoting so-called racial, economic, and climate "justice."
"Not only do we refuse to leave any community behind but those who have been left behind come first," Ocasio-Cortez said at a news conference announcing the reintroduction of the Green New Deal. "We're going to transition to a 100% carbon-free economy that is more unionized, more just, more dignified and that guarantees more health care and housing than we've ever had before. That's our goal."
More than 100 Democrats are co-sponsoring the reintroduction of the Green New Deal resolution in the House, which comes ahead of a virtual international summit hosted by President Joe Biden to discuss climate change on Earth Day, this Friday.
While President Biden's administration has not officially endorsed the Green New Deal, the president has signed several executive actions to curb U.S. oil and gas production and increase renewable energy production.
Sen. Markey urged Biden to be willing to go further to address climate change.
"We are going to be calling for the highest aspirations that our country can reach," he said Tuesday. "We want to go big. Even bigger."
Rep. @AOC reintroduces the Green New Deal: ’The climate crisis is a crisis born of injustice and it is a crisis bor… https://t.co/239OuAhpVf— NowThis (@NowThis)1618932272.0
Ocasio-Cortez first introduced the Green New Deal in 2019 as a nonbinding resolution in the House that broadly outlined a Democratic legislative agenda to remake the economy. The plan sets a goal of "net-zero greenhouse gas emissions" which will be met after a "10-year national mobilization" that would restructure government social programs, vastly expand government power to centrally plan the economy, and dramatically increase federal taxes and spending to fund it all.
The Green New Deal calls for "100 percent of the power demand in the United States" to be met through "clean, renewable, and zero-emission energy sources." Infrastructure and public transportation would be overhauled to the point where "air travel stops becoming necessary," relying on boondoggles like "high speed rail" and mandates requiring the public to use electric cars to meet the government's standards. The resolution calls for "all existing buildings" in the United States to be upgraded for maximum energy efficiency.
But the "all hands on deck approach" of the Green New Deal goes well beyond climate policy. Ocasio-Cortez said the Democratic initiative must "rectify the injustices of the past" by providing free higher education for all Americans, "affordable, safe, and adequate" housing, free health care, and millions of "union jobs."
She further added that Green New Deal legislation must address the "systemic cause of climate change."
"While climate change is a planetary crisis, it does not have a random or environmental genesis," she asserted. "It's not just human-caused, it's societally-caused. The climate crisis is a crisis born of injustice. And it is a crisis born of the pursuit of profit at any and all human and ecological cost.
"We must recognize in legislation that the trampling of indigenous rights is a cause of climate change. That the trampling of racial justice is a cause of climate change," she continued. "We are allowing folks to deny ourselves human rights and deny people the right to health care, the right to housing and education."
Green New Deal legislation is likely to remain aspirational for Democrats as Republicans are adamantly opposed to these policies, arguing they would make Americans poorer. Sen. John Barasso (R-Wyo.) called it the "Green New Disaster" in a statement responding to Markey and Ocasio-Cortez's news conference.
The Green New Disaster is back.And if you're somebody who pays taxes, heats your home, or drives a car...you're g… https://t.co/DQtnDwQsa0— Senate Republicans (@Senate Republicans)1618943219.0
"It's about massively increasing the size of government and dictating how Americans live their lives," Barasso said. "The last thing we need now is to double down on the punishing policies we have already seen from the Biden administration."
Various bills related to Green New Deal policies that have already passed the Democratic-controlled House and have gone nowhere in the U.S. Senate. The Democrats' narrowest possible 50-50 majority cannot overcome a filibuster threat from Republicans, leaving the viability of a plan to fundamentally restructure the U.S. economy very much in doubt.
For now, the Green New Deal serves as a messaging tool for Democrats to rally their progressive base and Republicans to attack ahead of the 2022 midterm elections.
Former Shell Oil president: Biden's policies are responsible for skyrocketing gas prices
Former Shell Oil President John Hofmeister said last week that President Joe Biden's climate policies are responsible for soaring gas prices.
Former President Donald Trump predicted that Biden's policies would force gas prices to increase because they target domestic oil production. Biden, instead, has said he will prioritize renewable energy and calls the far-left Green New Deal "a crucial framework for meeting the climate challenges we face."
What are the details?
Considering that OPEC has raised oil production, one may expect worldwide oil prices to drop.
But Hofmeister told Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo that Biden's climate policies are offsetting the effects of the global oil market because they hamper domestic energy production.
"The reason gasoline is coming back up is we've been in a shutdown period for many of the refineries, and so that puts a squeeze on what's available in terms of final product," Hofmeister said.
"But there's something else that's going on that's more subtle. What that is, is that the industry, the producers, are practicing serious capital discipline and they're not roaring back to produce more oil. And also, they're getting squeezed by the administration," Hofmeister continued.
Hofmeister explained that Biden's policies have created an environment of fear that drives up oil prices.
"So the ban on leasing — the prohibition on new leases from the Biden administration — that's going to create a psychology in the industry of, 'There's going to be less available,' and the psychology drives the pricing as well," Hofmeister said.
"As long as we see this hostile administration, we're going to have a problem with prices," he added.
'Hostile' Biden administration will disturb gas prices: Ex-Shell Oil president www.youtube.com
What has Biden done?
Gas prices have skyrocketed nearly 40 cents per gallon compared to last year. Even in the last month, prices have increased more than 30 cents per gallon, according to AAA.
Energy analyst Patricia Schouker recently said the spike should be partially attributed to energy markets rebounding following their crash last year, which was triggered by the pandemic.
"US oil and gas stocks, by far the worst performers of last year, are standing out as the best in 2021," Schouker said. "A booming rally in oil markets has pushed crude prices to their highest levels since near the start of the coronavirus pandemic, powered by production curbs and recovering demand."
However, Biden has taken aggressive steps to fulfill his promise to focus America's energy future on renewable sources, not oil and coal.
One of his first actions as president included signing an executive order suspending "new oil and gas leasing and drilling permits for U.S. lands and waters," the Associated Press reported.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) responded to Biden's executive order with one of his own, directing Texas authorities to challenge Biden's directive. The issue is personal for the Lone Star State because a significant portion of Texas' economy is tied to oil production.
Greta Thunberg can't name single policy when confronted after saying Biden is not aggressive enough on climate
Teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg claimed Sunday that President Joe Biden's climate policies are not aggressive enough to combat the challenges of climate change.
But when pressed to name a specific policy for Biden to enact, Thunberg was unable to name a single one.
What did Thunberg say?
Speaking with MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan, Thunberg, 18, said that Biden's climate policies thus far are "not nearly enough in line with the science."
"That's not me saying that, that's just black and white, looking at the facts," Thunberg claimed.
When pressed on what specific policies Biden should enact to align his administration with science, Thunberg only said that Biden should "treat the climate crisis like a crisis" instead of engaging the climate like a "political topic among other topics."
But Hasan pressed further.
"Is there a specific policy, or if he rang you up and said, 'Greta, what should I do? I can wave a presidential magic wand executively. What should I do that I'm not?' What would you say to him?" Hasan asked.
Thunberg again did not offer a specific policy.
"Well, nothing, because that's not democratic. I mean, an elected leader cannot do anything without support from voters, and I would not want anyone to do anything that would not have the support because that would be undemocratic, and democracy is the most precious thing that we have and we must not risk that," she said. "So, what we need now is to raise awareness and create public opinion to treat the crisis like a crisis."
“I would just like [Biden] to treat the climate crisis like a crisis,” @GretaThunberg tells me on the… https://t.co/xlwT752Gmc— Mehdi Hasan (@Mehdi Hasan) 1615172162.0
Thunberg endorsed Biden for president last year.
What has Biden done?
Contrary to what Thunberg believes, Biden has taken significant steps to advance the progressive climate agenda.
Not only did Biden cancel the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, but Biden signed an executive order on his first full day in office suspending "new oil and gas leasing and drilling permits for U.S. lands and waters," the Associated Press reported. Biden's order also applied to coal leases and permits.
Meanwhile, just hours after being inaugurated president, Biden rejoined the Paris climate agreement.
Biden also has established a new Cabinet-level position in his administration, appointing John Kerry to be the first ever White House climate czar.
Indeed, one of Biden's key campaign promises included rolling back Trump-era climate policies to focus on "environmental justice."
"The Biden plan will make a historic investment in our clean energy future and environmental justice, paid for by rolling back the Trump tax incentives that enrich corporations at the expense of American jobs and the environment," Biden's campaign website reads.
Biden vows to replace entire gov’t fleet of nearly 650K cars and trucks with electric vehicles
President Joe Biden vowed on Monday to replace the entire fleet of government cars and trucks with "clean electric vehicles" during his presidency as a way to lead the charge on climate issues and make good on his promise to launch a "clean energy revolution."
What did he say?
"The federal government also owns an enormous fleet of vehicles, which we're going to replace with clean electric vehicles made right here in America made by American workers creating ... a million autoworker jobs and clean energy and vehicles that are net-zero emissions," Biden said during a signing ceremony for his new "Buy America" executive order.
"This will be the largest mobilization of public investment and procurement, infrastructure, and [research and development] since World War Two," he added.
The move will affect more than 645,000 cars and trucks currently owned by the federal government, according to the General Services Administration, and is expected to cost at least $20 billion. Roughly one-third of the government vehicles are operated by the U.S. Postal Service.
Pres. Biden: "The federal government also owns an enormous fleet of vehicles, which we're going to replace with cle… https://t.co/usDnomUTWu— ABC News Live (@ABC News Live)1611608195.0
CNBC noted that the initiative will be difficult and costly, given the fact that very few companies in America are currently manufacturing completely electric vehicles.
"There are currently only a handful of all-electric vehicles being assembled in the U.S. Tesla, General Motors and Nissan Motor produce EVs domestically, while Ford Motor and others have announced plans to do some," the news outlet noted.
But some believe the industry is about to go through a transformation — and quickly.
"The current offerings are pretty slim, but the industry's about to unleash an avalanche of new product, and a lot of it built in North America," Kristin Dziczek, vice president of industry, labor, and economics at the Center for Automotive Research, said in an interview with CNBC. "Just about every U.S. plant is going to have a hybrid or electric product."
GSA reported that as of July 2020, only 3,215 of the government-owned cars or trucks were electric vehicles.
Anything else?
Biden repeatedly touted plans to shift the country away from gas-powered vehicles while on the campaign trail last year.
In July, he suggested as a part of a $2 trillion climate plan to completely outlaw new production of light- and medium-duty gas-powered vehicles through the implementation of rigorous new fuel economy standards.
While that drastic action has not yet been taken, it has only been days since Biden was sworn in to office, and it is clear that he intends to make top-down enforcement of clean energy initiatives a priority of his administration.
Top climate aides for Biden administration blame 'systemic racism' for climate change
A pair of top aides who will advise President-elect Joe Biden on issues related to the climate and environment reportedly believe that "systemic racism" has helped drive climate change, according to the Washington Free Beacon.
What are the details?
The incoming Biden administration has named Maggie Thomas as Office of Domestic Climate Policy chief of staff and Cecilia Martinez as "senior director for environmental justice," Axios reported. Both women are progressive climate advocates.
For example, Martinez declared in 2019 that "systemic racism" exacerbates climate change.
"Unless intentionally interrupted, systemic racism will continue to be a major obstacle to creating a healthy planet. The only path forward is to design national climate policies that are centered on justice," Martinez said.
According to Axios, the new staffers are part of the newly established White House Office of Domestic Climate Policy, which will help Biden with an "aggressive, government-wide approach" to climate issues.
While Biden has promised moderate approaches to most policies to generate broad support for his administration, it appears that his climate agenda may be skewed further to the left compared to other domestic policies. That's because both Thomas and Martinez believe the solution to climate change involves government spending and welfare dependency.
In fact, the Free Beacon noted that both support climate agendas that "in many ways mirror the Green New Deal":
For Thomas and Martinez, such policies require "massive" government spending and the "realignment of public dollars at all levels." Thomas's climate plan demands "trillions" in public investment—not only to "crack down" on oil production and shift away from the nation's "fossil fuel economy" but also to fund welfare programs, including rent and utility relief. Martinez's platform calls for much of the same, including increased government investment into "affordable and quality housing."
Does Biden support the Green New Deal?
Biden has not outright endorsed the Green New Deal, an uber-progressive bill introduced by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) in 2019 that boasts an eye-popping price tag of nearly $100 trillion.
However, on his campaign website, Biden said the Green New Deal "is a crucial framework for meeting the climate challenges we face. It powerfully captures two basic truths, which are at the core of his plan: (1) the United States urgently needs to embrace greater ambition on an epic scale to meet the scope of this challenge, and (2) our environment and our economy are completely and totally connected."
Still, Biden's climate plan will cost trillions of dollars, according to his website. The spending is necessary, Biden says, to set "us on an irreversible course to meet the ambitious climate progress that science demands."
Of course, Biden also plans to rejoin the Paris climate agreement — from which President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. in 2017 — on Wednesday, his first day as president.
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