AOC brings BACK the ‘Green New Deal’: Squad member reintroduces her drastic plan

Democratic lawmakers on Thursday reintroduced their “green new deal” bill to end the country’s dependence on fossil fuels in a decade while creating millions of high-paying jobs.

Led by Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Ed Markey, they said it was an essential step to alleviate the climate crisis and put the US in a polling position to benefit from the switch to renewable energy.

But critics say it could cost the nation more than $90 trillion.

“Our movement toward a sustainable future has been divided for so long with really only the mistaken idea that we have to choose between our planet and our economy,” Ocasio-Cortez said at a news conference outside the US Capitol.

The bill would provide both, she added, focusing on 20 million unionized jobs and investments in public transportation systems and electric vehicle infrastructure.

Democratic lawmakers say the bill would end the country’s dependence on fossil fuels within a decade while creating millions of high-paying jobs.

“When we first introduced the Green New Deal, we were told that our vision for the future was too ambitious,” added Ocasio-Cortez.

“Four years later, we see the core principles of the Green New Deal reflected in the Inflation Reduction Act – the largest federal investment ever made in the fight against climate change, with a focus on creating good, green jobs.”

With that, she strayed from the obvious question. If they couldn’t pass it when the Democrats controlled Congress, what’s the point of the Republicans holding the House?

The goal is instead to influence the debate on climate change and next steps.

Critics insist the plan is too costly and renewable energy isn’t far enough along to move away from fossil fuels so quickly.

The right-wing American Action Forum estimated after its release four years ago that the legislation could cost as much as $93 trillion over a decade.

The legislation will be reintroduced on the fourth anniversary of the original resolution.

Among the supporters is Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost of Florida, who was not even in Congress four years ago.

President Joe Biden announced $1 billion in funding to help developing countries fight climate change during a video call with other world leaders on Thursday

Biden also said he planned to find $500 million to help curb deforestation in the Amazon rainforest during a virtual meeting with leaders from some of the world’s richest countries.

“Usually in this building we talk about dollars and cents when we talk about costs,” Frost said.

“But the real prize is lives, people, communities, and that’s why we’re here today to be their voice and work with them to build a livable future and to build a world that is more than a livable future, it’s about a thriving, livable planet.’

Earlier, President Joe Biden announced $1 billion in funding to help developing countries fight climate change and said he planned to find $500 million to curb deforestation in the Amazon rainforest during a virtual meeting with leaders from some of the world’s richest countries.

The money for the Green Climate Fund marks a resumption of US funding after it was neglected by the Trump administration.

It will be used to help poorer countries build stronger climate infrastructure.

“Today, we need to do more than acknowledge the climate challenges we face,” Biden said.

“It seems to me that we should recommit to action while we still have time.”