Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's (D-NY) Green New Deal is getting mocked left and right. No literally. On both the left and right of the political spectrum. That's because her plan is a document full of farfetched and unreasonable demands.
The details left us wondering who wrote this? The idea, which she introduced alongside Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA), demands net zero carbon emissions by 2030. To get there, it requires "upgrading all existing buildings," "overhauling transportation systems," "charging stations everywhere," and expanding high-speed rail to "a scale where air travel stops becoming necessary."
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wasn't quite as eager about the plan as the freshman representative. It sounded like it wasn't even on her list of priorities. She couldn't even remember the name.
"It will be one of several or maybe many suggestions that we receive," she said. "The green dream or whatever they call it, nobody knows what it is, but they're for it right?"
Most people interpreted Pelosi's response as pretty darn dismissive - except AOC.
More from @AOC: "We have a very large amount of co-sponsors in the Democratic caucus. We're at over 60 now...which is an enormous amount."
— Frank Dale (@fwdale) February 7, 2019
On Pelosi's remarks: "I think it is a green dream."
"I don't consider that to be a dismissive term. I think it's a great term." pic.twitter.com/YG52C7Yac4
Yet, other Democrats aren't so sure what Ocasio-Cortez is thinking either. When Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) learned that the freshman's grand plan includes reducing air travel, she wondered how that would work for her state.
Sen Mazie Hirono (D-HI) on Ocasio-Cortez’s Green New Deal & trying to cut down on air air travel.
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) February 7, 2019
“That would be pretty hard for Hawaii”
Climate change is a passionate cause for Ocasio-Cortez. In a recent interview, she claimed that if we don't act, the world will end in 12 years.