The terrifyingly naïve socialist Green New Deal (GND) proposed by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez offers the best example I can think of why 16-year-olds shouldn’t be given the right to vote.
It’s not so much that I fear that Congress would actually succeed in enacting legislation to replace all fossil energy with windmills and sunbeam collectors. Or that it will criminalize ownership of my internal combustion car. (I’ll give you my steering wheel when you pry it from my cold dead hands).
I don’t even worry that I’ll have to go total veggie in order to save the planet from other flatulent animals (therein possibly creating collateral climate damage from increased bean consumption.)
No grownups that I have the giddy good fortune to know would really take such proposals seriously, much less hysterical claims that they are necessary to keep melting glaciers from flooding Al Gore’s nine million dollar Montecito, California coastal home in the next 12 years.
Incidentally, even the latest UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report found no increased trends in floods, hurricanes, tornados or droughts — nor did it attribute extreme weather to human greenhouse gas emissions.
So here’s the truly scary part. Even if those who proposed and previously endorsed this crazy stuff really know better, might spreading such nonsense score them victory votes in 2020?
If they truly believe so, then why did every one of the original show-boating Senate Democrat GND endorsers jump ship when Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., required them to vote on a simple yes/no support resolution?
The encouraging answer is that those who seriously cared recognized that they were being lured into a political trap which would brand them with policy views which lie far outside the public mainstream.
Minority Senate Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., characterized the forced vote comeuppance as playing “gotcha politics.” Schumer said, “Everyone knows it’s a stunt, including the majority leader himself. He put something on the floor and then votes no. What’s the point of that?”
McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, had been upfront for weeks about his intentions to put Democrats — especially those running for president — on record. Some of those GND co-sponsoring contenders include Kamala Harris of California, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Cory Booker of New Jersey, and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota.
Declared Socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., a co-sponsor of the resolution and presidential candidate, voted “present” along with other members of the Democratic caucus.
Evidence of any profiles in courage in support of GND was entirely absent. Sen. McConnell later told reporters that “a vote present today is a vote in favor of the Green New Deal.”
Sen. McConnell described GND as “a socialist makeover of the entire U.S. economy.” Just prior to the vote he said, “Communities practically everywhere else would be absolutely crushed…killing off entire domestic industries. Winding down millions of jobs. Basically outlawing the only sources of energy that working-class and middle-class families can actually afford.”
The final vote was 57 against and no one for the plan, with 43 Democrats voting present. Four senators who caucus with the Democrats joined all 53 Republicans in voting no.
Just three Democrats – Sens. Doug Jones, Ala., Krysten Sinema, Ariz., and Joe Manchin, W. Va. – broke with their party to vote against the proposal.
Sinema urged that “Congress should stop the political games and work together on practical solutions that foster a healthy environment, grow our economy, and help Arizona families get ahead.”
Manchin explained, “While I appreciate the renewed conversation around climate change that the Green New Deal and its supporters have sparked, I think we need to focus on real solutions that recognize the role fossil fuels will continue to play. That’s why I voted against the resolution today.”
Speaking on the Senate floor, Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said, “The Green New Deal is not a solution for America, it is a big green bomb that will blow a hole in our strong, healthy and growing economy.
“That’s exactly why Democrats aren’t voting for it. That’s exactly why Democrats are ducking and dodging and distancing themselves from this so-called Green New Deal.'”
Minority Leader Schumer appeared undismayed, even emboldened by the vote. Politico reported him saying “We, Democrats, are on offense . . . and we’re feeling really good about where we’re moving.”
NBC News reported a very different sort of view expressed in a conversation between President Trump and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.
Regarding the GOP’s GRD policy, Trump is quoted as saying “Yeah . . . Make sure you don’t kill it too much because I want to run against it.”
Is Schumer just dreaming that Dems can count on delusional Greed New Deal gullibility as a winning strategy? If so, maybe the White House and Congress will give them unwelcome election night courtesy wakeup calls.