Democrats Drop Demand To End Fossil Fuel Subsidies From Party Platform

[ForgoTheConsequence]

Source: Huffington Post

The Democratic National Committee this week quietly dropped language calling for an end to fossil fuel subsidies and tax breaks from its party platform, HuffPost has learned.

On July 27, officials added an amendment to the Manager’s Mark, a ledger of party demands voted on as one omnibus package, stating: “Democrats support eliminating tax breaks and subsidies for fossil fuels, and will fight to defend and extend tax incentives for energy efficiency and clean energy.”

The amendment was approved. But the statement ― which reflects pledges presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his running mate, Kamala Harris, each made on the campaign trail ― disappeared from the final draft of the party platform circulated Monday.

In an emailed statement, a DNC spokesperson said the amendment was “incorrectly included in the Manager’s Mark” and taken out “after the error was discovered.”

...

Activists accused the DNC of retroactively removing the amendment from the final draft of the platform.

“This is ridiculous,” Collin Rees, a campaigner with the nonprofit Oil Change U.S., said by phone. “This is a commonsense position held by both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. … The DNC should immediately include it in the platform.”

Greenpeace ranked the DNC platform a C-plus in a new grade set to be released Wednesday, giving the official party manifesto a lower rating than the B-plus proposals Biden and Harris each ran on in the presidential primary.



Read more: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/democratic-national-committee-climate_n_5f3c2907c5b6d8a9173f0268?ien

[Dustlawyer]

1. Donors don't want it!

We need Publicly Funded Elections!!!

[alwaysinasnit]

22. +1000

[Ponietz]

2. Inviting Repukes into our big tent has consequences

As if there were a middle. The middle is a myth.

[George II]

5. How many republicans were involved in preparing the Democratic platform, do you know?

[Gore1FL]

9. I am not sure it's better if there weren't any involved. nt

[mitch96]

25. I bet it's how many republican lobbyist are involved in the prep of the platform... nt

[CaptYossarian]

7. Are we courting a small percentage of Republicans while risking losing all the Progressives?

I'm uncomfortable with this.

[NurseJackie]

10. Ridiculous. Nobody is doing that.

[CaptYossarian]

21. I hope you're right.

You usually are. I'm just too nervous about this one. We need everyone on our side.

[delisen]

15. This is jusr one of the battles coming after the win

The issues facing us are massive .

[CaptYossarian]

24. This is worse than 2008.

I didn't think anyone would want the presidency after Dubya destroyed the economy. But they put up a sane candidate (until he made THAT choice) and we had Obama-Biden.

But now--the ass is up for re-election and everything we knew all our lives about America has been destroyed only after one term by a guy who golfs too much. We might be better off if he golfed 5 days a week and spent weekends at the White House.

[mpcamb]

28. "one of the battles coming after the win" Yeah, but it shouldn't be a battle. Opened and closed.

Said and done.
Cowtowing to rich dems lost us the last election.

[PatrickforO]

29. Nah, we're not going to lose the progressives.

Remember that when the new Democratic majority takes office in January, we will be able to hold their feet to the fire on this issue. Oil and gas has run the show too long already.

[CaptYossarian]

33. I guess I'm still reeling from the mini-wars we had here on DU during the primaries.

Those were vicious and disheartening.

We can't afford to mess this election up. I'm glad to see Bernie, Sen. Warren and AOC speak at the Convention. Everybody left of Dubya needs to vote blue and avenge Raygun's 49-state victory that time.

I want the pig to sweat orange.

[JI7]

35. Anyone who isn't voting Biden or still needs convincing to do so IS NOT a progressive

[CaptYossarian]

36. Some folks don't understand or see our all-inclusive tent.

I lean so far left, I'm always at risk of falling over, but I still check the box for the Dem nominee.

Yep, right down the line--even Mondale and Dukakis.

We'll never get anywhere with this "tastes great/less filling" nonsense that put the homicidal traitor in the WH.

[JI7]

37. What are you talking about ? those who not sure if they are voting Biden are ok with Trump

so they are not progressive.

[CaptYossarian]

38. I understand that. We're on the same side.

I'm just tired of the pro-Bernie crowd (I was one in '16, but voted for Hillary in the GE) trying to have another mini-war. I'm referring to the posts here on DU during the primaries that upset me so much. I even took time away from here.

They were disappointed over the Superdelegates and thought he got a raw deal (he probably did). Now they seem to want to take their ball and stay home this November (again). Them staying home is not helped by the voter suppression. We need all blue hands on deck.

We can't afford to have factions on our side(s). People need to grow up and vote for Biden. Period.

I may be stating myself wrong, but we really are on the same side.

[JI7]

39. those types are voting trump. they want Biden to lose. they are not progressive

[CaptYossarian]

42. One other consideration is the BernieBros from St. Petersburg, Russia.

They steer the ship over on FB. This could be another infestation.

[NurseJackie]

13. Absurd. Stop it.

[JI7]

34. It has nothing to do with Republicans . There are Democrats who hold these positions

[KWR65]

3. This is outrageous!

[George II]

4. "Quietly dropped"? It wasn't in the July 21 draft, and isn't in the final draft....

The DNC explained what happened.

Why do we need these Democratic Party bashing articles posted?

July 21 draft:

https://www.demconvention.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2020-07-21-DRAFT-Democratic-Party-Platform.pdf

[ForgoTheConsequence]

6. No one is bashing anything, calm down.

Holding people accountable isn't "bashing". We only have one planet.

[George II]

8. Accountable for something that wasn't supposed to be there? Unless I missed it the article...

...didn't include anything about the specific "vote" or the "Manager's Mark".

[ForgoTheConsequence]

11. "Wasn't suppose to be there".

"oops, we put something in there to protect the environment, you weren't supposed to see that, our bad".

[George II]

17. That's not the way it was, nor is it the way it works. C'mon....

As far as the PLATFORM is concerned, this is much ado about nothing or perhaps not even a valid complaint. Other than anecdotal comments, who even knows what transpired in the Platform deliberations?

On the other hand, the Platform doesn't forbid elected Democrats from pushing for this in legislation and floor debates. It's not an inviolable document.

[ancianita]

23. Right. The party platform hasn't ever been binding.

It's never had any binding impact on Democratic elected officials or candidates, either.

That purist line of divisiveness needn't even be entertained right now.

The focus should be on winning. Not on internal "issues."

[delisen]

16. Agree. Accountability is not "bashing."

[NurseJackie]

12. Exactly. Thank you.

I smell burning hair, do you?

[ForgoTheConsequence]

18. Phantosmia could be a sign of a serious condition.

Should I call you an ambulance?

[George II]

20. Did you forget this?

[NurseJackie]

30. LOL!

[George II]

31. Love it. One would think that a nurse would know if she had a condition. Hinting she doesn't....

....would be insulting to me.

[NurseJackie]

32. Clearly, a nerve has been struck.

It's good to have confirmation that the target was hit, even when it's in the form of an ad-hominem.

[Freethinker65]

14. It was never going to happen...however when subsidies taper off, industry has time to adjust

Last edited Tue Aug 18, 2020, 07:50 PM - Edit history (1)

Edited when brought to my attention. Thx

[denvine]

19. I think it goes the other way.

The industry will adjust only if it is forced to adjust.

[Freethinker65]

27. Yeah, my post was poorly worded. I meant what you posted...

Start to taper the subsidies and the result will be that industry will adjust.

[WhoWoodaKnew]

26. I have ZERO problem with this. REMOVE THE MAFIA FIRST.

Then use a Democratic President/majority to work on these problems.


We can't take 4 more years of the Trump Mafia.

[Scruffy1]

40. To me platforms are pretty much useless.

Universal health care was on the platform from 1948 but nothing ever happened. I call them a "mother Hubbard". They cover everything and reveal nothing. It's like Trump's opening the ANWR. Bill Clinton opened the reserve next to it in the 90's but no oil companies wanted it. With the price of oil in the toilet it's unlikely that any oil company going to risk billions on a future profit that may never happen. The oil companies may be evil but they are not stupid. I see this as a ploy to put Texas in play. The oil business is flat on its ass and deservedly so but if we can pull some votes from the very red oil patch we can carry Texas as a whole.

[jcgoldie]

41. Climate is more important than all the other issues combined.