There’s tremendous press coverage in the news these days about the Green New Deal. Some articles show support that it’s a needed path for U.S. future economic growth. Other articles denounce the Green New Deal as ‘fantasyland’ and the path to a communistic state. So, are we destined to leave a democratic society for a communistic one? Well, I’ll give you the short answer; it’s "No”.
So why all the drama? Why the huge arguments from politicians and businessmen? Again, I’ll give you the short answer: it’s about money. But to understand why it’s about money, let’s start with the key elements of the Green New Deal. From their own website, the Green New Deal calls for:
“a WWII-scale national mobilization to halt climate change, the greatest threat to humanity in our history. Create 20 million jobs by transitioning to 100% clean renewable energy by 2030, and investing in public transit, sustainable (regenerative) agriculture, conservation and restoration of critical infrastructure, including ecosystems”
Ensure that any worker displaced by the shift away from fossil fuels will receive full income and benefits as they transition to alternative work.
Enact energy democracy based on public, community and worker ownership of our energy system. Treat energy as a human right.
Redirect research funds from fossil fuels into renewable energy and conservation. Build a nationwide smart electricity grid that can pool and store power from a diversity of renewable sources, giving the nation clean, democratically-controlled, energy
End destructive energy extraction and associated infrastructure: fracking, tar sands, offshore drilling, oil trains, mountaintop removal, natural gas pipelines, and uranium mines. Halt any investment in fossil fuel infrastructure, including natural gas, and phase out all fossil fuel power plants. Phase out nuclear power and end nuclear subsidies. Enact a greenhouse gas fee/tax to charge polluters for the damage they have created
The centerpiece of the Green New Deal is a transition to 100% clean energy by 2030.
However, some politicians like Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and others, see the Green Deal as a chance to overhaul a lot of other “ailments” in our current democratic system—things like health care, unemployment, wealth distribution, corporate governance, money in politics and more. These “ailments” are having a huge impact on the middle class in America….which is the foundation of our democratic society success. So they are piling other policy ideas like taxing the super wealthy, universal health care for all, etc. on top of the Green New Deal base.
So where does the Communism comments come from? They come from a lot of wealthy individuals and corporations that stand to lose if the Green Deal and these ‘attachment’ policies are implemented…..big oil companies, big medical and pharmacy companies, insurance companies ,, political consultants, etc. They see it as a threat to their success and livelihood and thus use the media to scare society with extreme comments like Communism being what the Green New Deal is about. It’s not. But it IS about big change whether you agree with it or not.
