WASHINGTON - Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden is crafting a climate change policy he hopes will appeal to both environmentalists and the blue-collar voters that elected Donald Trump, according to two sources, carving out a middle ground approach that will likely face heavy resistance from green activists.
The second source, a former energy department official also advising Biden’s campaign who asked not to be named, said the policy will likely also be supportive of nuclear energy and fossil fuel options like natural gas and carbon capture technology, which limit emissions from coal plants and other industrial facilities.
More than half of the crowded field of Democratic contenders, including Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, Beto O’Rourke, Cory Booker, Jay Inslee and Pete Buttigieg have backed the Green New Deal, and many have also called for a moratorium on drilling on federal land. Republicans, labor unions, and some Democrats have panned the Green New Deal as unfeasible in a country that has become the world’s top oil and gas producer, and remains a major fossil fuel consumer. The costs of ending the fossil fuel economy and transitioning to clean fuels could soar into the trillions of dollars, and would take decades, they say.
In contrast, then-Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton saw her support dip after she said her aggressive clean energy agenda would “put a lot of coal miners and coal companies out of business”, underscoring the impact environmental policy can have on an election.
ValerieVolco Who is he kidding?
ValerieVolco That already exists, its called the Green New Deal.
ValerieVolco Groper Joe!
ValerieVolco Right wing candidate will try to find common ground with right wing so as to appeal to the center voters of the right. The rest of humanity is unimpressed.
ValerieVolco The appearance of doing something but not doing anything that may affect corporations. Great plan, Lukewarm Joe!
ValerieVolco NoVoteForBiden JoeBiden dsa ewarren
ValerieVolco Interesting combination here.
ValerieVolco Democrats would rather lose to Trump than elect Bernie Sanders. Biden is a Republican and is worse thank Hillary.
ValerieVolco Fat chance.
ValerieVolco After JoeBiden consults with Margaret Thatcher, he'll call Ben Franklin to discuss thunderstorms and lightning
ValerieVolco Creepy dude
ValerieVolco You mean he is still crafting that? You mean all the time he delayed getting into the race, he wasn't actually prepared to run when he did enter it This is concerning to me.
ValerieVolco Alexa what’s the green new deal
ValerieVolco I've had the same climate change policy in mind for 25 years. Why is he just starting now?
ValerieVolco BREAKING NEWS: Politician is trying to do something to appeal to voters, regardless of whether they believe it or not.
ValerieVolco we dont NEED the racist Trump voters... we need to give the people that stayed home a reason to vote and appealing to Trump voters isnt a good enough reason
ValerieVolco Go after China and India first.
keethers ValerieVolco Good luck with that, unk
ValerieVolco hope it comes with actual science so we can make an educated choice
ValerieVolco
ValerieVolco STOP CODDLING TRUMP VOTERS! THEY'LL NEVER VOTE FOR YOU!
ValerieVolco Good luck with that, Joe!
ValerieVolco Gee, I wonder why they choose to make that decision.