ASSOCIATED PRESS
U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, (D-New York) waves to the crowd after speaking at Women’s Unity Rally in Lower Manhattan in New York, Jan. 19. Democrats including Ocasio-Cortez of New York and veteran Sen. Ed Markey of Mass. are calling for a Green New Deal intended to transform the U.S. economy to combat climate change and create jobs in renewable energy.
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Jonah Goldberg wrote, “Democrats unveiled the Green New Deal, a wild-eyed fantasy of an agenda that would cost trillions, destroy whole industries, and serve as a Trojan horse for socialism” (Star-Advertiser, Feb. 14).
Goldberg is repeating a hysterical trope that has become standard for Republicans and many Democrats. What he and others don’t seem to understand is that we will pay many trillions of dollars adapting to the consequences of climate change and artificial intelligence.
We can either do that effectively, efficiently and patiently inspired by visions like the GND, or we will pay ineffectively, inefficiently and with great violence and misery by refusing to prepare to surf the waves of change that are upon us, like it or not.
I am not a big fan of the GND. It is far too conservative. But it at least has gotten the attention of a lot of people.
Now, if the objectors will only pause, reflect and learn instead of flaming irresponsibly, we might be able to figure how to turn a horrendous challenge into an extraordinary opportunity for everyone.
Jim Dator
Waikiki
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