Ocasio-Cortez’s Green New Deal Is a Complete Joke

By Alex Titus —

Democratic socialist and progressive firebrand Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez recently released a long-awaited blueprint for her Green New Deal. 

Nearly all energy experts predicted the proposal would be looney and incoherent, but Rep. Ocasio-Cortez and her allies seem to have outdone themselves. 

The plan calls from everything ridiculous from ending air travel entirely (sorry Hawaii) to replacing or rebuilding every single building in the U.S. 

Still, many in the mainstream media have treated it like a serious proposal.

So, let’s take a moment to break down how we got here and some of the silly measures within the deal.

As the 2020 presidential Democratic primary ramps up, progressives are flexing their muscles by pushing declared and potential candidates further to the left on a number of issues. 

Considering all of the special interest money flowing into the debate, it’s unsurprising that climate change has become a key focus. 

To be clear, these aren’t grassroots proposals. 

They’re funded by dark money political groups in Washington, DC, which are bankrolled by billionaires like Michael Bloomberg and Tom Steyer.

Appeasing wealthy donors seems to be more important than pushing policies that help working and middle-class families.

We’re seeing it right here in Oregon with the current debate state-level cap and trade proposals. 

By the way, none of this is to say that conservatives don’t care about the environment.

Preserving forests, improving air quality, and maintaining beautiful lakes and rivers is the very basis of being a conservative. 

And I’m proud to live in a country that is setting an example for the rest of the world.

In fact, the U.S output of carbon actually dropped in 2017 by .5 percentwhile European carbon increased by 1.5 percent. 

Furthermore, “the U.S. emitted 15.6 metric tons of CO2 per person in 1950,” accordingto Mike Bastach at the Daily Caller. “After rising for decades, it’s declined in recent years to 15.8 metric tons per person in 2017, the lowest measured levels in 67 years.”

Still, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez and others think that these impressive results don’t go far enough. 

As such, she’s released her disastrous New Green Deal.

To start, the deal calls to eliminate air travel and replace it with high-speed trains. 

Seeing the catastrophe that has been California’s public rails system, we’d be more than justified in being skeptical of the government pulling off anything on this scale. 

And how are the folks in Hawaii supposed to travel around? I guess they’re still working that part out.

Funny enough, the Green New Deal would also be harmful to the environment in one key one. 

Specifically, it calls for the elimination of nuclear power entirely. 

Nuclear power is one of the cheapest and most efficient ways to produce clean energy.

Results from countries that have tried to nix nuclear power in favor of other renewables are concerning. 

Germany, a country that has rid most of its nuclear power plants, has spent $580 billion on renewables and its emission levels continue to remain flat. 

Not to mention that the price of energy in the country has skyrocketed. 

We will never be carbon neutral without nuclear energy. Which is one of the reasons many left-wing environmental groups support it.

Among other things, this shows how unserious Rep. Ocasio-Cortez proposal in terms of battling climate change. 

Apparently, converting to a completely green economy also includes a wish list of other progressive items like free housing and government-run healthcare. 

Better yet, if you’re too lazy to work but still want a cushy lifestyle, no problem. 

Economic security for those “unwilling” to work is also included in the proposal. 

Yes, you read that right. 

Free university and trade school tuition is also on the menu.  

It is unexplained in the proposal exactly how providing for those unwilling to work and a bunch of other freebies advances any sort of green agenda. 

In this sense, the Green Deal is the ultimate gift package to the radical left. Every entitlement (some I’d never even thought of like ‘green technology’ in all households) is on the wish list.

Fortunately for America, the Green New Deal is dead on arrival even in Nancy Pelosi’s Congress.

Unfortunately for Oregonians, Democrats in Salem may just be unveiling their own Green New Deal soon.Surely, you can expect it to be just as foolish.

Alex Titus is a Public Interest Fellow and conservative political activist based out of Washington, DC, and Portland. You can follow him on Twitter @atitus7.