Democratic 2020 hopeful Sen. Bernie Sanders on Thursday released his plan for a Green New Deal – promising that the multitrillion-dollar plan to radically overhaul the economy and combat climate change will “pay for itself” over the next 15 years.
“As president, Bernie Sanders will launch the decade of the Green New Deal, a ten-year, nationwide mobilization centered around justice and equity during which climate change will be factored into virtually every area of policy, from immigration to trade to foreign policy and beyond,” his campaign said in a press release.
The Vermont senator has long been an advocate for the Green New Deal, but only this year has it become a central policy for many of those seeking the Democratic nomination for president. This year, it was given a big push in Congress when Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., introduced a formal resolution on it – which stalled in the Senate but drew support from a number of 2020 hopefuls.
All versions of such plans have gone beyond direct energy-related policies, instead seeking to overhaul the economy and society at large. Sanders’ plan is no different, promising that he will “generate the political will necessary for a wholesale transformation of our society” and proposing $16.3 trillion in public investments.
In addition to promises that include reaching 100 percent renewable energy by 2030 and decarbonization by 2050 and ending unemployment by creating 20 million “good paying” jobs tied to clean energy, Sanders claims he will save families money with a host of policies — including launching universal high-speed Internet, weatherizing homes, building new public transportation and rebuilding America’s infrastructure. – READ MORE