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The Democratic Party is foolish not to dedicate a presidential debate to this issue. (Photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr/cc)
DNC Chair Tom Perez Tries to Justify Failure to Prioritize Climate Crisis
The Democratic Party leadership’s failure to take global heating seriously is out of step with Democratic voters who now consider climate change to be a top-tier issue
Jun 18, 2019
Last week, during his national tour, Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez stopped in Albuquerque to speak at a Democratic Party gathering. But he hastily left without taking questions. Luckily, I was able to approach Perez before his talk and handed him the RootsAction.org petition urging a presidential debate focused on climate change; more than 4,500 people had signed it the day before.
Perez cut me off before I could ask a question, but he did assert that there would be a "robust discussion of climate" during the debate season. Perez was referring to his reformulated response to the call for a climate-change debate - now saying that he is urging TV networks to have their panelists focus serious questioning on the topic.
Perez is passing responsibility for addressing climate change to the same corporate media which largely failed to ask any such questions in 2015 and 2016. This is no more logical than Perez' prior justification for denying a debate on the biggest existential threat in the history of humankind - that the DNC would then have to allow every other candidate's issue-specific debate ideas.
Democratic leaders are acting like they don't understand the urgency of the problem or that they don't care.
The Democratic Party leadership's failure to take global heating seriously is out of step with Democratic voters who now consider climate change to be a top-tier issue. The world's top scientists tell us there are only 11 years to take preventative action to get fossil fuels out of national economies, and this estimate is likely an understatement. But Democratic leaders are acting like they don't understand the urgency of the problem or that they don't care.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi refused to establish a House committee on the Green New Deal, dismissing it as "the Green Dream or whatever they call it". Instead, she and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer formed an advisory committee with no mandate to come up with a plan, no subpoena power to bring fossil fuel executives to account for their contribution to the climate catastrophe, and no rule prohibiting members of the committee from receiving fossil fuel industry money.
In the Senate, pro-coal Senator Joe Manchin is the ranking Democrat on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. In August, 2018, the DNC reversed its brief ban on accepting fossil fuel donations.
It is little wonder that at the Albuquerque Democratic Party event, there were over 100 people, but virtually no one under the age of 40. Young voters believe that the government should do more about climate change, even if it slows down economic growth. Yet, fossil fuel donations to Democratic leadership still play an outsized role in the agenda of the party.
Now is the time for our nation's leaders to encourage public discussion of the options for averting climate disaster. The Democratic Party is foolish not to dedicate a presidential debate to this issue.
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Pia Gallegos
Pia Gallegos is the Chair of the Adelante Progressive Caucus of the Democratic Party of New Mexico.
Last week, during his national tour, Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez stopped in Albuquerque to speak at a Democratic Party gathering. But he hastily left without taking questions. Luckily, I was able to approach Perez before his talk and handed him the RootsAction.org petition urging a presidential debate focused on climate change; more than 4,500 people had signed it the day before.
Perez cut me off before I could ask a question, but he did assert that there would be a "robust discussion of climate" during the debate season. Perez was referring to his reformulated response to the call for a climate-change debate - now saying that he is urging TV networks to have their panelists focus serious questioning on the topic.
Perez is passing responsibility for addressing climate change to the same corporate media which largely failed to ask any such questions in 2015 and 2016. This is no more logical than Perez' prior justification for denying a debate on the biggest existential threat in the history of humankind - that the DNC would then have to allow every other candidate's issue-specific debate ideas.
Democratic leaders are acting like they don't understand the urgency of the problem or that they don't care.
The Democratic Party leadership's failure to take global heating seriously is out of step with Democratic voters who now consider climate change to be a top-tier issue. The world's top scientists tell us there are only 11 years to take preventative action to get fossil fuels out of national economies, and this estimate is likely an understatement. But Democratic leaders are acting like they don't understand the urgency of the problem or that they don't care.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi refused to establish a House committee on the Green New Deal, dismissing it as "the Green Dream or whatever they call it". Instead, she and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer formed an advisory committee with no mandate to come up with a plan, no subpoena power to bring fossil fuel executives to account for their contribution to the climate catastrophe, and no rule prohibiting members of the committee from receiving fossil fuel industry money.
In the Senate, pro-coal Senator Joe Manchin is the ranking Democrat on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. In August, 2018, the DNC reversed its brief ban on accepting fossil fuel donations.
It is little wonder that at the Albuquerque Democratic Party event, there were over 100 people, but virtually no one under the age of 40. Young voters believe that the government should do more about climate change, even if it slows down economic growth. Yet, fossil fuel donations to Democratic leadership still play an outsized role in the agenda of the party.
Now is the time for our nation's leaders to encourage public discussion of the options for averting climate disaster. The Democratic Party is foolish not to dedicate a presidential debate to this issue.
Pia Gallegos
Pia Gallegos is the Chair of the Adelante Progressive Caucus of the Democratic Party of New Mexico.
Last week, during his national tour, Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez stopped in Albuquerque to speak at a Democratic Party gathering. But he hastily left without taking questions. Luckily, I was able to approach Perez before his talk and handed him the RootsAction.org petition urging a presidential debate focused on climate change; more than 4,500 people had signed it the day before.
Perez cut me off before I could ask a question, but he did assert that there would be a "robust discussion of climate" during the debate season. Perez was referring to his reformulated response to the call for a climate-change debate - now saying that he is urging TV networks to have their panelists focus serious questioning on the topic.
Perez is passing responsibility for addressing climate change to the same corporate media which largely failed to ask any such questions in 2015 and 2016. This is no more logical than Perez' prior justification for denying a debate on the biggest existential threat in the history of humankind - that the DNC would then have to allow every other candidate's issue-specific debate ideas.
Democratic leaders are acting like they don't understand the urgency of the problem or that they don't care.
The Democratic Party leadership's failure to take global heating seriously is out of step with Democratic voters who now consider climate change to be a top-tier issue. The world's top scientists tell us there are only 11 years to take preventative action to get fossil fuels out of national economies, and this estimate is likely an understatement. But Democratic leaders are acting like they don't understand the urgency of the problem or that they don't care.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi refused to establish a House committee on the Green New Deal, dismissing it as "the Green Dream or whatever they call it". Instead, she and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer formed an advisory committee with no mandate to come up with a plan, no subpoena power to bring fossil fuel executives to account for their contribution to the climate catastrophe, and no rule prohibiting members of the committee from receiving fossil fuel industry money.
In the Senate, pro-coal Senator Joe Manchin is the ranking Democrat on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. In August, 2018, the DNC reversed its brief ban on accepting fossil fuel donations.
It is little wonder that at the Albuquerque Democratic Party event, there were over 100 people, but virtually no one under the age of 40. Young voters believe that the government should do more about climate change, even if it slows down economic growth. Yet, fossil fuel donations to Democratic leadership still play an outsized role in the agenda of the party.
Now is the time for our nation's leaders to encourage public discussion of the options for averting climate disaster. The Democratic Party is foolish not to dedicate a presidential debate to this issue.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.
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Echoing a party-line vote by the U.S. Senate Finance Committee last week, the chamber's Republicans on Thursday confirmed President Donald Trump's nominee to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, former televison host Dr. Mehmet Oz.
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"As he showed in his confirmation hearing, Oz will also seek to further privatize Medicare, increasing the risk that seniors will receive inferior care and further threatening the long-term health of the Medicare program. We already know that privatized Medicare costs taxpayers nearly $100 billion annually in excess costs," he continued, referring to Medicare Advantage plans.
CMS is part of the Department of Health and Human Services, now led by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—who, like Oz, came under fire for his record of dubious claims during the confirmation process. Weissman said that "Dr. Oz is joining a team of snake oil salesmen and anti-science flunkies that have already shown disdain for the American people and their health. This is yet another dark day for healthcare in America under Trump."
In the middle of Trump's tariff disaster, the Senate is voting to confirm quack grifter Dr. Oz to lead the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services.
[image or embed]
— Jen Bendery (@jbendery.bsky.social) April 3, 2025 at 12:29 PM
Oz's confirmation came a day after Trump announced globally disruptive tariffs and Senate Republicans unveiled a budget plan that would give the wealthy trillions of dollars in tax cuts at the expense of federal food assistance and healthcare programs.
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"Dr. Mehmet Oz has been shilling pseudoscience to line his own pockets. He can't be trusted to defend Medicare and Medicaid from billionaires who want to dismantle and privatize the foundation of affordable healthcare in this country," the union leader added. "AFSCME members—including nurses, home care and childcare providers, social workers and more—will be watching and fighting back against any effort to weaken Medicare and Medicaid. The 147 million seniors, children, Americans with disabilities, and low-income workers who rely on these programs for affordable access to healthcare deserve nothing less."
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