Well, what did you expect from a 29 year old freshman politician? A condemnation of Iran, renunciation of climate science and a pledge of allegiance to the fossil fuel lobby? You got exactly what is called in Westminster Parliamentary procedure a "maiden speech" in this case a bill setting out core beliefs and directions that, if she is true to it, she will devote her entire legislative career. Bravo! To her. Where would we be without young, enthusiastic idealists? Ah! You say, but her program is socialism! That never works….because its socialism. The commentariat asks ;"Who is going to pay for everything answer me that?" Then they start on the job loss theme in the energy industry, conveniently forgetting that solar panels don't erect themselves. Personally, I cannot think of any goal in the green new deal that doesn't make common sense, but I stand to be corrected.
I also know that individual elements of the scheme are policy or actuality around the globe, so there is nothing far fetched in human terms in the manifesto. For example, I have 9 kilowatts of solar panels on my roof. It didn't take a jack booted thug to make me put them there either, it was a good business proposition. Same with single payer health, I had an MRI and two cortisone shots under ultrasound for my shoulder last week – total cost to me on the day – zero. We fund healthcare out of tax revenue and operate a mixed public/private system in Australia.
I guess what has scared the commentariat and probably a good proportion of the electorate, was reading a laundry list of practical ideas that the rest of the world have been engaging with for at least 20 years. To the insular among us the green new deal is disruptive and shocking. To those open to change, the answer is "heck, why not?" Why isn't America the greenest, happiest most beautiful place on the planet? There is plenty of work to be done and challenges to meet, not the least avoiding the dictatorship of the SJW/PC crowd, but to label AOC and her manifesto as crackpot socialism is the height of stupidity. What say you?
