The Democratic Party’s top presidential candidates took turns at CNN’s climate town hall Wednesday hashing out their positions on everything from banning plastic straws to eliminating fossil fuel production.
Businessman Andrew Yang, Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont all plan to plow trillions of dollars into climate change mitigation.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts meanwhile has staked much of her campaign on holding oil companies responsible for man-made global warming.
Wednesday’s town hall allowed ten of the top-performing candidates to voice their positions on climate change and environmentalism. Here are seven of the most significant moments that happened during the event.
1: Biden Applauds The Green New Deal
“I think the Green New Deal deserves an enormous amount of credit,” former Vice President Joe Biden told CNN’s Anderson Cooper before listing off what he considers to be the problems with the much-criticized idea to stop global warming.
He noted that “85 percent of the problem” (climate change) is coming from the rest of the world.
2. Harris Says She Would Ding The Filibuster To Implement The GND
“If [Republicans] fail to act, as president of the United States, I am prepared to get rid of the filibuster to pass a Green New Deal,” Sen. Kamala Harris of California said to audience applause.
Harris said Republicans should “look in the mirror and ask themselves why they failed to act,” calling the fight for the GND one “against powerful interests.” Democrats would need to win Senate control along with the presidency to have any hope of ending the longstanding tradition.
3. Yang Won’t Talk About Electric Cars
Yang skirted questions about whether every American will need to drive electric cars in the future. CNN’s Wolf Blitzer asked Yang why he would promise federal funds for “potentially risky” and experimental means of energy production.
“We’re here together because we can. This is a crisis. In a crisis, all solutions have to be on the table. If you were attacking on one side, you should be researching various alternatives on the other side. That to me is just responsible management and responsible leadership,” Yang explained.
4. Sanders’ One Word Answer To A Question About Light Bulbs
“The Trump administration announced plans to overturn requirements on energy-saving lightbulbs. … Would you reinstate those requirements?” CNN’s Cooper asked Sanders, who has described himself as a self-avowed democratic socialist.
The Vermont senator answered with one word: “Duh.” Sanders’ comment came several hours after the Trump administration announced new rules Wednesday rolling back requirements for energy-saving light bulbs.
5. O’Rourke Wants To Bring The U.S. Back Into The Paris Climate Accord
Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke promised that he would re-enter the Paris agreement on “day-one” of his presidency. The Texas Democrat announced his climate plan in April, which will cost $5 trillion over 10 years to build out renewable energy and infrastructure, among a host of other pet projects.
6. Klobuchar Says No To New Coal Power Plants
“I wouldn’t allow for the building of new coal plants.” Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar said in answer to a question about ending fossil fuel use and her hope to get to “carbon neutral by 2050.”
7. Buttigieg Likens Climate Fight To WWII
“This is the hardest thing we will have done — certainly in my lifetime. This is on par with winning World War II. Perhaps, even more challenging than that,” Mayor Peter Bugiegieg told CNN’s Chris Cuomo.
Read more at Daily Caller
As we already know by now the Democrats are in the pockets of the Eco-Freaks
Crisis? What crisis?
They insist there’s a crisis of our own making. Their proposed solutions to a non-existent problem would create real problems. Social and economic upheaval, anarchy.
The Dem’s are determined to lose the next election. That way they can continue doing what they do best….rant and rave, bitch and moan. They’ve painted themselves into a corner.
OK, so I watched (regrettably) a couple segments of last nights extravaganza. So, rather than dwell on all the “hype” affixed to the climate crisis, I’ll just cut to the ONLY question that matters in the energy TRANSITION. See, the whole discussion is framed incorrectly. You have a bunch of folks that are acting like needed technological advances are (already) in place and suitable “alternatives” are just sitting on the shelf. They are NOT. Based on the commentary, fossil fuels are OUT and nuclear power is OUT as sources of primary U.S energy. Given energy imperatives & attendant environmental protection, then the RIGHT question is: “What CLEAN, SUSTAINABLE & SCALABLE alternative do you propose to REPLACE 95% of our transportation fuel & industrial heat and 85% of our electric generation?” That simple.
In my view, continued VILIFICATION of energy PROVIDERS is both dangerous & counter-productive. Yes, the climate is changing and (eventually) our energy systems will be transformed in the decades to come but that will rely on PHYSICS, not politics. So, in my estimation we had seven full hours of pushing peas around on our plate…
One additional thought. The best thing that can happen in 2019-20 is a COLD winter. That way, large numbers of energy consumers in the northeast U.S can get a first hand taste of what short-sighted energy policies look like as they sit in dark, cold, luxury apartments in large east coast cities. THAT is functional reality. This is NOT some academic exercise. There are consequences for bad choices in the energy realm…
A record – cold winter would have little effect on the mindset of the majority of Democrats in the north east. They refuse to let go of global warming. They’d call it a record polar vortex caused by President Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Accord.
Actually, I respectfully disagree. Americans (in general) have become VERY entitled & complacent about the energy system that has been built over the past 100 years. It’s too AUTOMATIC and for the most part, we no longer are GRATEFUL for the many benefits and improvements it has brought to our modern lifestyles. Perhaps a little pain, disruption & INCONVENIENCE is (now) in order as a reality check. Consider it a good sized slice of HUMBLE PIE…
I wonder when the human sacrifice begins. Aztecs used to sacrifice their people when the weather would turn nasty in order to appease the Gods. But replace people with money in this case.
These clowns are either woefully ignorant of the real causes of climate change which means, that they should not be running for the highest office in the land.. OR they do not believe the the GHG Theory and are claiming that it is true which, means that that are flat out liars and, likewise, should not be running for the highest office in the land.
I pick number 7. as the absolute stupidest . WW2 was real the earth has a fever fraud is a cooked up scam . Well done…. but a massive scam .
Smart people will get as far away from the fraud as the scientist who were used to justify it turn on the rent seekers . No more pay to play well now the truth comes out . The climate models couldn’t model shit . What a surprise .
They sat under a con of silence for over 10 years cashing those checks but the sugar daddy declared the science settled and the cash dried up . To bad the reputation is trashed and no one cares what the truth is . Religions don’t need proof just believers .
Ororke is a idiot Buttigieg is stupid this whole Global Warming/Climate Change scam is all about the New World Order all under the Useless Nations and Sanders is a Dim-Bulb when it comes to Light Bulbs