Big Red Car here on a coolish Friday in the ATX researching one of my favorite persons — Princess Green who you may know as the electrifying, enervating, photogenic, uber-entertaining Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortex from New York’s Congressional District #14.
“Damn right I want to ban ICE, but not Vanilla Ice.”
How did AOC get elected, Big Red Car?
Congresswoman AOC defeated an entrenched incumbent, Joe Crowley, in the predominantly Democrat district by 4,018 votes in a primary that attracted a total of 29,778 voters.
Then candidate AOC snatched 16,898 votes to her opponent’s 12,880. So, l’enfant terrible Alexandria won by a landslide of 4,018 votes.
In this primarily Democrat district the primary is the whole action as the district always elects the Democrat.
Joe Crowley had been in Congress since 1998 and had support from NARAL Pro-Choice America and Planned Parenthood; Giffords: Courage to Fight Gun Violence and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America; over 20 labor unions, including the New York State AFL-CIO and the Communications Workers of America; and several state legislators and New York City Council members. Can you say “establishment Democrat?”
Lady New Green Deal was supported by Brand New Congress, Justice Democrats, The People for Bernie Sanders, NYC Democratic Socialists of America, and Demand Universal Healthcare. Can you say “MoveOn.org?”
As you can see, this was a confrontation between the past and the future. It would be safe to say that the incumbent didn’t take the challenger seriously until it was too late.
New Green Deal
Now, in Congress as its youngest woman member ever, AOC has proposed something called the New Green Deal. It is an ambitious TEN YEAR PLAN.
The New Green Deal
Read it and see what you think.
The ten highpoints are as follows:
1. The NGD bans fossil fuel energy production of all kinds.
2. The NGD eliminates nuclear energy.
3. The NGD replaces cars powered by internal combustion engines with electric cars.
4. The NGD requires the retrofit of every building in the United States with state of the art energy efficiency.
5. The NGD calls for the replacement of air travel with high speed rail.
6. The NGD promises every American a job offering a family-sustaining wage, family and medical leave, vacations, and a pension.
7. The NGD promises free college and trade schools for all.
8. The NGD will put healthy food on every table in America.
9. The NGD promises a government provided safe, affordable living space.
10. The NGD promises economic security for all including those who are unable or unwilling to work.
These are the top ten features I could glean from a universe of proposals that is enormously larger than just these ten. At ten, you get an appreciation for the flavor of the thing.
There are many whose first reaction may be, “Goodness my, that is an ambitious plan.”
Congresswoman Ocasio Cortez claims that 92% of all Democrats support her plan and are joined by 64% of Republicans. Some may look at those numbers and say, “Huh?”
These are veto proof majorities, so I am expecting to see this legislation fly through the House and Senate and arrive at the President’s desk shortly.
In fact, the 2020 Dem presidential candidates are already embracing it. In an Iowa town hall meeting, announced presidential candidate Senator Kamala Harris said, “I support a Green New Deal. Climate change is an existential threat to us, and we have got to deal with the reality of it.” [Rumor has it that former Speaker of the California House and San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown also endorsed it.]
In a quiet moment, Senators Booker and Harris chatted about the New Green Deal.
“Book, did you see that crazy Latina’s New Green Deal?” Kamala asked.
“Hell, yes. It’s way out there. What are we — you — going to do?” Senator Booker asked.
“Me, I’m going to endorse the damn thing,” Kamala answered. “You want crazy, I’ll show you crazy. What are you going to do?”
“Me? Hell, I’m just happy she’s too young to run for President. This shit has ‘presidential contender’ written all over it. You know I played football in college, right?”
“You did? Where?”
“Come on, don’t do me like that, Kam. I played at Stanford. Hell, I’m a Rhodes Scholar and a grad of Yale Law School.”
“So, Book, back to reality, OK? You want to get together and talk it through? Eliminate all fossil fueled cars? How does she think electricity gets generated?”
“Kam, how does electricity get generated?”
So, dear reader, there you have it. I dig the “newness” and “freshness” of the new Democrat Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez. It’s too bad Speaker Pelosi didn’t appoint her to the new climate committee, but face it — Nancy sees Alexandria as a threat.
But, what the Hell do I really know anyway? I’m just a Big Red Car — and I like my internal combustion engine, y’all. Stay warm this weekend before they turn your power off.