Democrats Need the Green New Deal if They Want the White House: Justice Democrats
*By Chloe Aiello*
The Democratic Party establishment still have a chance to embrace the Green New Deal ー and their success in upcoming elections might just depend on it, Justice Democrats Communications Director Waleed Shahid told Cheddar on Monday.
"I think we've shown that the public is really excited about this, that young people are really excited about this, and going into the 2020 presidential race, candidates would be smart to take this up if they are trying to run for president on the Democratic side," Shahid said.
The Green New Deal is a proposed economic stimulus plan that aims to radically reduce carbon emissions, while also narrowing the income gap in the U.S. Its aggressive climate goals fall in line with recommendations from the United Nations Climate Change Conference and has become a rallying point for progressive Democrats like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The Justice Democrats, a progressive political action committee, is partnering with Ocasio-Cortez and others like the activist Sunrise Movement to push the proposal.
But advocates have been disappointed by the response of the House Democratic leadership, led by Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Fla.), who created a select committee on climate change that Shahid called "toothless." Specifically, Shahid criticized Rep. Kathy Castor, who was picked to lead the committee, for sending signals that are "kind of mixed" on the issue of whether members who had accepted donations from the fossil fuel industry could serve on the committee.
"I think they should really seize this opportunity that young people and freshman congresspeople like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are providing them," Shahid said. "At the same time, the Democratic party leadership and the Democratic Party establishment never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity."
Pne Democratic presidential contender is voicing at least tentative support for the proposal. An aide to Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who was the first prominent Democrat to formally explore a presidential run, [told Axios on Sunday](https://www.axios.com/elizabeth-warren-backs-idea-of-green-new-deal-8585d278-ca96-484a-8e22-1f616956c034.html) that Warren broadly supports the "idea" of a Green New Deal.
The movement has been criticized for being too radical, but Shahid said the U.S. has successfully embraced bold policy agendas in the past.
"We can achieve really big things like mobilizing a war economy for WWII that helped create the world's greatest middle class, that helped significantly reduce poverty during the original depression, that created the great society and civil rights legislation ー it is ambitious, but it is literally what the U.N. is asking for," he said.
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/whos-afraid-of-a-green-new-deal).
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