A few post-election takes …
1) Fossil fuel interests and utilities spent an absolutely insane amount of money to defeat clean energy initiatives in WA, AZ and CO. But here’s the thing … 1/
1) Fossil fuel interests and utilities spent an absolutely insane amount of money to defeat clean energy initiatives in WA, AZ and CO. But here’s the thing … 1/
That’s not going to change. The fossil fuel industry and utilities see these fights as existential for them. Which they often are. And strong campaign spending limits aren’t walking through that door tomorrow. 2/
So, to win on climate and energy policy (in most places), we need to broaden the coalition to include some people who currently identify or vote as Republicans, which brings us to … 3/
2) While we can breathe a sigh of relief that Dems retook the House, the defeat of people like Rep. Carlos Curbelo and other Republican members of the Climate Solutions Caucus is, all else being equal, not good. 4/
Say what you will about the voting record of those folks, but they represented a small crack in a solid wall of R resistance to climate action, which must get wider *quickly* if we are to pivot our economy and way of life sufficiently to address the climate crisis. 5/
When it comes to climate action, polarization is not our friend. If we’re going to decarbonize the U.S. by 2050, we going to need to build overwhelming societal consensus to take pretty big leaps of faith. It’s going to take tireless persuasion and bridge-building. 6/
And if you think the measures that went down to defeat last night were ambitious, just imagine what the 2030 ballot is going to need to look like if we’re going to hold global warming below 2 degrees, never mind 1.5. 7/
It also strikes me that there's no substitute for organizing around *climate* as an issue. Yes, it doesn’t poll well. But appeals to “green new deal” aren't going to cut it on their own … especially if you're to build a coalition that wins and grows in ambition over time 8/
Complain about Citizens United, the unrepresentative quality of the U.S. Senate, or the attitudes of your fellow Americans all you want. We have no choice but to play the cards we’re dealt. It's time for political imagination, frank talk, and difficult work. 9/
Last but not least: 3) 2019: When every week is Infrastructure Week. Can you feel the excitement? /end
