The decision by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to force a vote on the preposterous Green New Deal proposal championed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., is having what I suspect is its intended effect. To wit, it is making Democratic leaders look ridiculous. It leaves them with no choice but to denounce McConnell for bringing a vote on a proposal put together by members of their own caucus.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., for example, complained Wednesday that McConnell would stoop so low as to, uh, force a vote on a bill drafted by a Democratic senator and sponsored by 11 Senate Democrats.
“Leader McConnell,” he said, “do you believe that climate change, global warming, is real? Yes or no? Second, do you believe that climate change, global warming, is caused by humans? And three, do you believe that Congress should take immediate action to deal with the problem?”
That much makes sense. But Schumer then accused McConnell of playing “games” by bringing a Democratic-backed resolution to the floor.
“This is not a debate,” he said. “It’s a diversion. It’s a sham.”
Schumer then announced that Democrats “will be introducing a resolution in a few days shortly that says. … we believe in these three things, and we will be asking our Republicans do they support or oppose that resolution.”
This is all extremely humorous, especially considering that Markey already introduced the Green New Deal in the Senate. Schumer doesn’t seem to think it’s good enough. For good measure, I’d like to remind you that 11 Senate Democrats, including 2020 presidential candidates, have added their names to the Senate resolution. They pretty much have to vote for this $93 trillion monstrosity.
This is almost as funny as the time Markey himself denounced McConnell after the Senate Majority Leader announced there would be a vote on the Green New Deal resolution.
“Don’t let Mitch McConnell fool you: this is nothing but an attempt to sabotage the movement we are building,” the Massachusetts senator’s office tweeted on Feb. 12. “He wants to silence your voice so Republicans don’t have to explain why they are climate change deniers. McConnell wants this to be the end, this is just the beginning.”
He added: “This isn’t a new Republican trick. By rushing a vote on the #GreenNewDeal resolution, Republicans want to avoid a true national debate & kill our efforts to organize. We’re having the first national conversation on climate change in a decade. We can’t let Republicans sabotage it.”
Yes, Sen. Markey, the Senate majority leader wants to “silence your voice” by allowing duly elected senators to vote on a resolution you introduced in the Senate. This is definitely a serious thing to allege. It’s almost as serious as your Green New Deal.
