Global warming, or to be more specific, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Green New Deal, was in the news over the weekend courtesy of a Washington Post op-ed penned by two self-identified “moderates” — aka unibrow progressives — in the U.S. Senate.
In a call for the U.S. to begin pursuing “pragmatic [environmental] policies” — which according to the definition of the word “pragmatic” would be policies based on “facts or actual occurrences” and not “theory or dogma” — Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Joe Manchin (D-WV) wrote that America has an opportunity to lead the world in developing new technology to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and pledged their support for such efforts.
“On the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, we agree it is time to act. And that is why we will work to find responsible solutions worthy of West Virginians, Alaskans, and all Americans.
“This is often portrayed as an issue with just two sides — those who support drastic, unattainable measures to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, and those who want to do nothing. We believe the time for sensationalism is over. And we are seeking ideas that will bring people together, rather than drive them apart.”
* We will now join hands and sing “Kumbaya” as liberty dies a bipartisan death.
What we are witnessing is the Washington establishment’s latest Obamacare-inspired approach to fundamentally transforming America.
Democrats never wanted Obamacare; they wanted a government-run single-payer healthcare system. But even the Far-Left knew that moving healthcare from a free-market system to a socialized system in one jump was too extreme, so they passed Obamacare as an interim step to move America in the direction of their ultimate goal. Considering that every major candidate running for the Democrat nomination in 2020 has made Medicare for all (single payer) a major part of their campaigns, I’d say the Obamacare approach worked as planned.
What single-payer is to healthcare, the Green New Deal is to “earth care.” And just as it was with single-payer healthcare, making the jump from a free market economy to the socialist economy necessary to implement the Green New Deal is too extreme to do all at once. Still, putting it out there makes room for “moderates” to pass “responsible solutions” that point us in the direction of the ultimate goal.
By the way, Murkowski is not a “moderate” when it comes to the global warming issue. In a speech she gave at an energy summit one year ago, she called global warming caused by human activity “a fact” and warned the energy industry to take the issue seriously before it’s too late.
Doesn’t sound very “pragmatic,” does she?
Murkowski is a little late to the global warming/Green New Deal party. Back in February, Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL), the ranking member of the House Environment and Climate Change subcommittee, and Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR), the ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, wrote an op-ed condemning the Green New Deal while promoting a Republican alternative. After declaring so-called climate change “real,” they made an appeal for “sensible, realistic, and effective policies to tackle climate change.”
So, how might Trump be involved in advancing the Green New Deal?
Trump and the Democrats — but I repeat myself — have already agreed the government needs to spend $1 trillion or more on infrastructure improvements. Immediately after the Democrats’ landslide in the midterms, Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi informed Trump that any infrastructure plan needed to include financing to begin America’s transition to becoming a “green energy economy” — the stated objective of the Green New Deal.
With Trump’s shaky re-election at stake, and with every Democrat he’s likely to face in 2020 already onboard with the Green New Deal, what do you think the odds are that Ivanka — Trump’s defacto climate czar and an Al Gore devotee — will manage to include parts of the radical plan in Trump’s infrastructure proposal? Based on her ability to get Daddy and the GOP to advance paid family leave and other parts of Hillary’s socialist agenda, I think the odds are pretty good that she’ll get it done.
While Trump, the GOP, and so-called conservatives in media are busy fearmongering about the Green New Deal in an effort to make it a 2020 campaign issue — vote Republican because #notSocialist — they are all working behind the scenes to create a “pragmatic” or “sensible” alternative that still delivers the Green New Deal, just not all at once.
David Leach is the owner of The Strident Conservative. His politically incorrect and always “right” columns are also featured on NOQReport.com.
His daily radio commentary is distributed by the Salem Radio Network and is heard on stations across America.
Follow the Strident Conservative on Twitter and Facebook.
Subscribe to receive podcasts of radio commentaries: iTunes | Stitcher | Tune In | RSS
