Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) has emerged as a figurehead for the Democratic Party — a symbol of the new socialist identity politics consensus. Her Green New Deal brings together the intersectionality narrative, big government take-overs, climate alarmism, and a clear definition of good-versus-evil in politics. If anyone opposes the Green New Deal panacea, they’re not just wrong, they’re wicked.
She is something of a kingmaker in the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination race, and at the end of last week, she rejected Vice President Joe Biden because he undermined her polarizing narrative.
A Reuters report last Friday revealed Joe Biden’s plans for climate policy. Two sources close to Biden’s campaign said the former vice president will seek “middle ground” in order to get climate legislation passed.
“What we learned from the Obama administration is unless we find middle ground on these issues, we risk not having any policies,” Heather Zichal, a member of Biden’s climate change team and a former advisor to President Barack Obama, told Reuters. Biden, who currently leads the Democratic primary by a large margin, aims to craft a climate change policy to appeal to both environmentalists and the blue-collar workers who elected Trump.
This is not only reasonable but a good electoral strategy for Democrats who are serious about the issue. Unfortunately for them, the climate alarmists are not to be trusted and Americans should be able to see that climate change bills are aimed at propping up a climate industrial complex.
Yet Ocasio-Cortez can brook no sign of dissent from her good-versus-evil, Manichaean narrative. She retweeted Canadian author Naomi Klein, who rejected the very idea of middle ground on this issue.
“No Joe, there is no “middle ground” on climate breakdown – there is bold, transformative action or there is sinking ground, burning ground and churning ground,” Klein tweeted.
No Joe, there is no "middle ground" on climate breakdown – there is bold, transformative action or there is sinking ground, burning ground and churning ground. "Presidential hopeful Biden looking for ‘middle ground’ climate policy" https://t.co/8q2WPzU7w0
— Naomi Klein (@NaomiAKlein) May 10, 2019
Ocasio-Cortez seemingly endorsed Klein’s view.
“This is a dealbreaker,” she said. “There is no ‘middle ground’ w/ climate denial & delay. Blaming ‘blue collar’ Americans as the main opponents to bold climate policy is gas lobbyist 101. We’re not going to solve the climate crisis w/ this lack of leadership. Our kids’ lives are at stake.”
This is a dealbreaker.
There is no “middle ground” w/ climate denial & delay.
Blaming “blue collar” Americans as the main opponents to bold climate policy is gas lobbyist 101.
We’re not going to solve the climate crisis w/ this lack of leadership. Our kids’ lives are at stake. https://t.co/KvrBmaJd75
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 10, 2019
That same Reuters report explained that Joe Biden will push for re-joining the Paris Climate Agreement, tight regulations on emissions that Trump has sought to undo, and scaremongering on the issue. “Joe Biden has called climate change an ‘existential threat,’ and as Vice President was instrumental in orchestrating the Paris Climate Accord,” Biden campaign spokesman TJ Ducklo said.
For Ocasio-Cortez, that’s nowhere near enough. Not only must Biden be radical on the issue, but he must disavow any “middle ground” with those deplorable climate deniers.
Ocasio-Cortez will brook no dissent, or even any attempts to find common ground with those who disagree. She thinks she’s right, and anyone who disagrees is condemning the lives of children — even if climate alarmist predictions have failed again and again. AOC is dedicated to demonizing dissent because only heartless oil companies could possibly come to separate conclusions on climate change.
Perhaps the best response to her alarmism and hyperbole comes from ReasonTV’s Remy.
Yet Democrats take Ocasio-Cortez seriously, and some of them might turn away from Biden after this. As of now, Biden holds a healthy lead. The race will become much more interesting if his support drops. Even so, his strategy of finding a middle ground is perhaps the best idea for Democrats to actually win on the issue. Ocasio-Cortez is actually hurting her own cause by being such a purist.
Follow Tyler O’Neil, the author of this article, on Twitter at @Tyler2ONeil.
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