The ‘Green New Deal’ — Liberals Once Again Attempt to Make You Pay for their Policy Priorities

April 20, 2021

Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) are reintroducing their “Green New Deal” legislation, a wish list of liberal priorities disguised as environmental imperatives.

Power The Future has previously examined the implications of the Green New Deal, most notably how it would be implemented on the backs of American families via higher energy prices. A joint Power The Future study with the Competitive Enterprise Institute looked at how the Green New Deal’s compliance costs in just four categories would impact families in eleven different states. That study found that families would pay tens of thousands of dollars annually in higher costs in order to fund the liberal agenda. This is no mistake. It’s all part of the plan.

Contrary to liberal assertions, the Green New Deal isn’t about the environment or climate policy. It is a thinly veiled excuse to get more money and control into the hands of the government. If you don’t believe us, just look at how the Green New Deal is being used as an excuse for every major policy priority endorsed by the Far Left.

• On housing, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez and socialist stalwart Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) introduced the Green New Deal for Public Housing Act just yesterday. Their plan would spend more than $100 billion to “ensure improvements that not only address unsafe and aging housing, but reduce carbon emissions.”

• On education, House Democrats are pushing to include schools as a central part of the Green New Deal. One plan expected to be introduced soon calls for spending $250 billion to outfit schools with solar panels and batteries among others things.

• On infrastructure, the Biden Administration is expanding the definition of traditional infrastructure like bridges, buildings and roads to include an expensive overhauling of our nation’s energy grid. As Senator Markey bragged to The Boston Globe, the Biden infrastructure plan is “a way of accomplishing many of the goals of the Green New Deal.”

Why are liberals packaging all of these expensive policies under the umbrella of environmental policy? Because they know the American people will ultimately be footing the bill. Rather than being straightforward about their intentions, the Green New Deal is a cynical attempt to make energy more expensive, and have the government divvy up the cash for progressive priorities.