
"As towns and cities go underwater, as wildfires ravage our communities, we're going to pay," said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. (Photo: Screengrab)
'Watch Every Second of This': Ocasio-Cortez Makes Powerful Case for Green New Deal Amid GOP Stunts
"People are dying. This is serious. This should not be a partisan issue. This is about our constituents and all of our lives."
After House Republicans on Tuesday derided the Green New Deal as a policy that would only serve "rich liberals," Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez responded with a powerful call for bold climate action as families across the nation suffer from record flooding, lead-poisoned water, and polluted air.
"This is not an elitist issue, this is a quality of life issue," said the congresswoman from New York. "You want to tell people that their concern and their desire for clean air and clean water is elitist? Tell that to the kids in the south Bronx which are suffering from the highest rates of childhood asthma in the country. Tell that to the families in Flint."
"People are dying," she continued. "This is serious. This should not be a partisan issue. This is about our constituents and all of our lives."
\u201cWatch every second of this... @AOC is so incredibly spot on.\u201d— Brian Tyler Cohen (@Brian Tyler Cohen) 1553646727
Addressing concerns about the costs of implementing a Green New Deal, Ocasio-Cortez said, "We're going to pay for this whether we pass a Green New Deal or not."
"Because as towns and cities go underwater, as wildfires ravage our communities, we're going to pay," she added. "And we are either going to decide if we're going to pay to react, or if we are going to pay to be proactive."
\u201c"We talk about cost\u2014we\u2019re going to pay for this whether we pass a Green New Deal or not. Because as towns and cities go underwater, as wildfires ravage our communities, we\u2019re going to pay. And we have to decide whether we\u2019re going to pay to react, or pay to be proactive."\n-@AOC\u201d— Brian Tyler Cohen (@Brian Tyler Cohen) 1553646727
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. The final deadline for our crucial Summer Campaign fundraising drive is just days away, and we’re falling short of our must-hit goal. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
After House Republicans on Tuesday derided the Green New Deal as a policy that would only serve "rich liberals," Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez responded with a powerful call for bold climate action as families across the nation suffer from record flooding, lead-poisoned water, and polluted air.
"This is not an elitist issue, this is a quality of life issue," said the congresswoman from New York. "You want to tell people that their concern and their desire for clean air and clean water is elitist? Tell that to the kids in the south Bronx which are suffering from the highest rates of childhood asthma in the country. Tell that to the families in Flint."
"People are dying," she continued. "This is serious. This should not be a partisan issue. This is about our constituents and all of our lives."
\u201cWatch every second of this... @AOC is so incredibly spot on.\u201d— Brian Tyler Cohen (@Brian Tyler Cohen) 1553646727
Addressing concerns about the costs of implementing a Green New Deal, Ocasio-Cortez said, "We're going to pay for this whether we pass a Green New Deal or not."
"Because as towns and cities go underwater, as wildfires ravage our communities, we're going to pay," she added. "And we are either going to decide if we're going to pay to react, or if we are going to pay to be proactive."
\u201c"We talk about cost\u2014we\u2019re going to pay for this whether we pass a Green New Deal or not. Because as towns and cities go underwater, as wildfires ravage our communities, we\u2019re going to pay. And we have to decide whether we\u2019re going to pay to react, or pay to be proactive."\n-@AOC\u201d— Brian Tyler Cohen (@Brian Tyler Cohen) 1553646727
After House Republicans on Tuesday derided the Green New Deal as a policy that would only serve "rich liberals," Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez responded with a powerful call for bold climate action as families across the nation suffer from record flooding, lead-poisoned water, and polluted air.
"This is not an elitist issue, this is a quality of life issue," said the congresswoman from New York. "You want to tell people that their concern and their desire for clean air and clean water is elitist? Tell that to the kids in the south Bronx which are suffering from the highest rates of childhood asthma in the country. Tell that to the families in Flint."
"People are dying," she continued. "This is serious. This should not be a partisan issue. This is about our constituents and all of our lives."
\u201cWatch every second of this... @AOC is so incredibly spot on.\u201d— Brian Tyler Cohen (@Brian Tyler Cohen) 1553646727
Addressing concerns about the costs of implementing a Green New Deal, Ocasio-Cortez said, "We're going to pay for this whether we pass a Green New Deal or not."
"Because as towns and cities go underwater, as wildfires ravage our communities, we're going to pay," she added. "And we are either going to decide if we're going to pay to react, or if we are going to pay to be proactive."
\u201c"We talk about cost\u2014we\u2019re going to pay for this whether we pass a Green New Deal or not. Because as towns and cities go underwater, as wildfires ravage our communities, we\u2019re going to pay. And we have to decide whether we\u2019re going to pay to react, or pay to be proactive."\n-@AOC\u201d— Brian Tyler Cohen (@Brian Tyler Cohen) 1553646727