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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There is a new way for investors to bet on cannabis - the AdvisorShares Poseidon Dynamic Cannabis ETF targets about 20 of the biggest names in U.S. cannabis. It comes at a time when it's still difficult for investors to access the space. Cheddar News cannabis reporter Chloe Aiello spoke with co-founder and managing director for Poseidon Investment Management, Emily Paxhia.
Joellen Russell, Professor at the University of Arizona, joins Cheddar Climate to discuss how poor academic curricula and misinformation online are hindering efforts to educate children about climate change, as well as how Science Moms is providing resources to moms to help create a safer world for their children.
Another successful spaceflight is in the books for Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin. The company's third human spaceflight blasted off from Van Horn, TX. on Saturday, lasting about ten minutes from takeoff to landing. The crew, which included former NFL star and current GMA host Michael Strahan, traveled to the edge of space and experienced a few minutes of weightlessness before the capsule descended back to earth. Andrew Chanin, CEO of ProcureAM, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss the significance of the launch.
The U.S. Government is making its first major move toward encouraging nuclear energy in the U.S., as it pushes toward a sustainable future. Scott Waldman, White House reporter for Politico's E&E News joined Cheddar News to break down the developments. "There's definitely an audience for this now since we're looking at the value of nuclear in terms of climate policy," he said, regarding the prospects for bipartisan support.
Google reportedly has announced that its employees must declare their vaccination status by January 18 or face a loss of pay, administrative leave, and eventual termination.
