Two months ago, the Democratic National Committee passed a resolution instructing candidates to reject campaign contributions from fossil fuel PACs. The resolution was quite high-minded. It said, in part, “Fossil fuel corporations are drowning our democracy in a tidal wave of dark oily money; they have deceived the public about the impacts of climate change, fought the growth of clean renewable energy, and corrupted our political system.”
“Dark” and “oily” it might be, but it’s all green, baby.
That’s why the DNC voted overwhelmingly yesterday to repeal the ban and allow oil company PACs to “corrupt our political system.”
DNC Chairman Tom Perez sponsored Friday’s resolution that allows the committee to accept contributions from “workers, including those in energy and related industries, who organize and donate to Democratic candidates individually or through their unions’ or employers’ political action committees.”
Perez, who served as Labor Secretary in the Obama administration, said the new measure was a commitment to organized labor. The resolution also says that the party wants “to support fossil fuel workers in an evolving energy economy.”
But, of course. Democratic candidates will now take PAC money from oil and coal companies to help the workers. So sorry, my bad. Such an altruistic goal should be cheered and celebrated.
So why aren’t global warming hysterics elated?
“I am furious that the DNC would effectively undo a resolution passed just two months ago just as the movement to ban fossil fuel corporate PAC money is growing (and Democrats are winning),” Democratic Party activist R.L. Miller, a co-sponsor of the original resolution that banned fossil fuel PAC money, told the Huffington Post.
“There’s no reason the DNC should go back on their promises and accept corporate PAC money,” tweeted the advocacy group People for Bernie. “The rule being proposed by Tom Perez may allow the Koch Brothers to donate to the party. They could create an ’employer pac’ at Georgia Pacific, have a union member donate, then fill it with their own cash.”
What a load of codswallop. The DNC is reversing course on taking money from evil oil companies because they’re short of cash. By throwing the climate change hysterics under the bus, the Dems may lose a few votes but will gain millions in donations.
Honestly, these people are bound and determined to deflate and demobilize their base – and then blame the Russians when they lose. https://t.co/CgyeT2Vrqw
— Naomi Klein (@NaomiAKlein) August 10, 2018
The primaries last Tuesday showed that Democratic voters could give a fig about socialism and its ruinous agenda. They rejected far-left candidates in favor of less-far-left candidates. What they really hunger for is victory. And the DNC is giving their party a chance by refusing to cater to the crazies and playing good old-fashioned, hard-headed, realistic politics.
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