POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: New VACCINE BUDDY SYSTEM — LELLING on his WAY OUT — ‘TWINDEMIC’ fears fade — POLICE REFORM sets election tone

 

BY STEPHANIE MURRAY GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. THE TWO VACCINE LINES — The move into phase two of the vaccine rollout this month has opened up a fight over who gets the shots first — and who still has to wait. First there's the literal line, which has sparked news coverage over the last several weeks. Officials came under fire for long lines in the snow at a mass vaccination site in Springfield, a visual reminder of how many people are desperate for the shot. Gov. Charlie Baker said the lines were due to early birds, and urged vaccine goers to show up at their scheduled appointment time. At another vaccination site in Danvers , hundreds lined up in the cold last night after a rumor spread about leftover doses. And then there's the figurative line. As Massachusetts adjusts its vaccination rollout, different groups are pushing for earlier slots in the vaccination line. Right now, people over the age of 75 are eligible to book vaccinations. One way to get an early vaccine is for a caretaker to escort someone over the age of 75 to their appointment at a mass vaccination site, and book their own shot at the same time. It's a new initiative Baker rolled out Wednesday, in hopes that it will encourage more seniors to visit vaccination sites. Still, some have expressed frustration that people over the age of 65 remain on the waiting list. One group that could be moved up on the vaccination list is people with asthma. Officials including Rep. Ayanna Pressley and Attorney General Maura Healey are calling on Baker to prioritize people with the medical condition. Another vaccine battleground is schools. Some teachers unions want school staff to get the jab quickly in an effort to return to in-person instructors. Others say shots should be prioritized for high school seniors, who have limited learning time left. And childcare workers are another group that have been working in person throughout the pandemic and have asked for priority. Also vying for vaccine priority are restaurant workers, essential workers at places like grocery stores, and funeral directors, who have a unique understanding of the pandemic's death toll. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: smurray@politico.com. TODAY — Former President Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial continues. Rep. Ayanna Pressley attends the Mass Renews Alliance legislative kickoff. Candidates vying to replace former House Speaker Robert DeLeo speak at an environmental forum.   THE INDISPENSABLE GUIDE TO CONGRESS: Looking for the latest on the Schumer/McConnell dynamic or the increasing tensions in the House? What are the latest whispers coming out of the Speaker's Lobby? Just leave it to Beavers... New author Olivia Beavers delivers the scoop in Huddle, the morning Capitol Hill must-read with assists from POLITICO's deeply sourced Congress team. Subscribe to Huddle today.     THE LATEST NUMBERS – “Massachusetts COVID cases drop for 4 straight weeks as state reports 1,920 new cases, 82 deaths on Wednesday,” by Tanner Stening, MassLive.com: “State health officials reported another 1,920 COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, which is based on just over 100,000 molecular tests, according to the Department of Public Health. Health officials also announced another 82 COVID-related fatalities on Wednesday.” DATELINE BEACON HILL – “Massachusetts regulator subpoenas GameStop bull 'Roaring Kitty,’” by Nate Raymond, Reuters: “Massachusetts securities regulators have issued a subpoena seeking the testimony of a YouTube streamer who helped drive a surge of interest in GameStop Corp as part of a review of his registration, including his ‘outside business activities,’ an official said on Wednesday.” – “Pioneer Institute report helps build case against the Massachusetts top-earners’ tax,” by Jon Chesto, Boston Globe: “The Pioneer Institute’s latest report warns of the economic threat to high-cost regions posed by the rise of telecommuting. The implication of the report, released on Wednesday, is clear: Businesses may be less tied to big-city employment hubs in a post-pandemic world where remote work is more acceptable, and policy-makers should think carefully about decisions that could spur any sort of exodus.” – “Massachusetts $460 million shellfishing industry under threat from rapidly acidifying oceans,” by Erin Tiernan, Boston Herald: “Lawmakers are sounding an alarm that rapidly acidifying ocean waters around Massachusetts are threatening to decimate the scallop, clam, lobster and mollusk populations that support thousands of fishing jobs and rake in tens of millions for the Bay State’s economy every year.” – “Auto insurers face pressure to reduce rates,” by Christian M. Wade, CNHI News: “Lawmakers and consumer advocates are renewing a call to require auto insurance companies to reduce monthly premiums, arguing that the industry has reaped big profits during the pandemic and drivers can use a break on their bills.” – “Five Ways Massachusetts Ditched the Nanny State during the Pandemic,” by Spencer Buell, Boston Magazine: “On the one hand, city and state government decisions have never played a more jarringly intrusive role in our day-to-day activities, with sweeping curfews, strictly enforced distancing regulations, and constantly rejiggered capacity limits and outright shutdowns to curb the spread of the coronavirus. But on the other, this past year saw a long-overdue reckoning when it comes to our state’s regulations. – “Stiffer penalties urged for timecard fraud,” by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: “Public workers who claim hours they didn’t work could be sued in civil court under a new proposal from the state’s inspector general. A bill sent to the Legislature by Inspector General Glenn Cunha would allow state, county, city or town governments to sue employees who falsify payroll records and seek restitution for up to three times the amount of fraudulent wages.” VAX-ACHUSETTS – “Baker offers vaccines to ‘companions’ of those over 75,” by Sarah Betancourt, CommonWealth Magazine: “Gov. Charlie Baker on Wednesday said anyone bringing someone 75 and over to one of the state’s mass vaccination sites can also get inoculated even if it’s not their appointed time in the vaccine pecking order. Baker said he believed the new policy, which takes effect Thursday, will encourage more people 75 and over to get inoculated and possibly speed up the transition to the next priority group – those 65 and older.” – “Natick, Dartmouth Sites Join State's Vaccination Push,” by Mike Deehan, GBH News: “Massachusetts is ramping up it's vaccine distribution plan, adding two new mass vaccination sites and over 100,000 new appointments to the system in the coming weeks. Mass vaccination sites in Natick and Dartmouth will open on Feb. 22 and Feb. 23 respectively, with both sites beginning to accept appointments on Feb. 18.” – “Walsh announces one-day vaccination site for veterans 65 and older as part of city’s effort to expand access to vaccine,” by Travis Andersen, Boston Globe: “Mayor Martin J. Walsh said Wednesday that city officials are working to expand access to the coronavirus vaccine for eligible residents and announced a one-day vaccination site opening Saturday in Dorchester for veterans aged 65 and older who are enrolled in VA healthcare.” – “Massachusetts needs to simplify the booking process for COVID vaccinations, state Sen. Eric Lesser says after touring Eastfield Mall site,” by Douglas Hook, MassLive.com: “Days after the state opened a hotline to offer seniors support in making COVID-19 vaccination appointments, a Massachusetts lawmaker says more is still needed.” – “When will Massachusetts teachers get the COVID-19 vaccine?” by Felicia Gans, Boston Globe: “Massachusetts educators are eagerly waiting to become eligible for their first doses of a COVID-19 vaccine as the state continues Phase 2 of its coronavirus vaccination process. Educators were initially slated to begin receiving vaccines as early as February, but the state has yet to say exactly when they will become eligible.” – “After series of changes, Springfield COVID vaccination site now ‘running smoothly’ after seniors left out in the cold,” by Douglas Hook, MassLive.com: “When State Sen. Eric P. Lesser toured the Eastfield Mall vaccination site in Springfield on Wednesday, it looked different than just days ago. The vaccination site has been the focus of criticism since it opened due to the number of people - many of whom are 75 years old or older - who were left outside while they waited for their vaccinations.” FROM THE HUB – “The Mashpee Wampanoag had long held COVID at bay. Then, tragedy struck,” by Brian MacQuarrie, Boston Globe: “After nearly a year of holding the virus at bay, the tribe is grappling with an outbreak that followed a heart-rending tragedy. More than 10 positive cases were reported last week, the most the tribe has recorded in any week since the pandemic began, following a funeral and gatherings held to grieve a 4-year-old boy who died in a traffic accident.” – “'Twindemic' Averted: Not Much Flu In Mass., And Record Low Rates Across The Nation,” by Carey Goldberg, WBUR: “In the fall, public health experts in Boston and beyond were dreading the prospect of such a ‘twindemic.’ Now, it's increasingly clear that — thankfully — this has been the flu season that wasn't.” – “DOC accused of ‘deliberate indifference’ to prisoners,” by Sarah Betancourt, CommonWealth Magazine: “Attorneys for 11 prisoners accused the Massachusetts Department of Correction on Wednesday of deliberate indifference to a provision in the state budget requiring the release of inmates during the pandemic, but state officials said the law isn’t absolute and gives them wide discretion.” THE RACE FOR CITY HALL – “Police reform effort to set a new political tone in an election season,” by Milton J. Valencia, Boston Globe: “At the onset of what will be a historic race for mayor of Boston, candidates and police unions could be treading more lightly as they decide whether to form political alliances, setting up a potentially polarizing environment amid movements to reform police systems.” BIDEN TIME – “Biden urged to repeal immigration rule,” by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: “Immigrant rights groups want the Biden administration to rescind a policy that requires people seeking to live in the U.S. to show they won't be a burden on taxpayers, saying the regulations hurt families seeking health care, housing and other public assistance.” ON THE STUMP – FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: “Labor Backs Capobianco in 19th Suffolk State Representative Race,” from the Capobianco campaign: “Valentino Capobianco’s Campaign for State House has received a considerable boost from organized labor since his official launch in January. This past week, he earned endorsements from Iron Workers Local 7 and Operating Engineers Local 4.” PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES – “In a slow stretch of the Green Line, four stops will soon become two,” by Adam Vaccaro, Boston Globe: “The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is about to take a major step toward improving the agonizingly slow trolley ride along Commonwealth Avenue, consolidating four stops on the Green Line’s B branch into two. It is rare that a plan to eliminate transit stops is widely celebrated, but the conditions on the B branch warrant it.” DAY IN COURT – “Nangle, former Lowell lawmaker, expected to plead guilty in federal fraud cause," by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: “Former state representative David M. Nangle, who was arrested on more than two dozen federal fraud charges a year ago, is expected to plead guilty later this month, according to court filings. Nangle, 60, is scheduled to appear in federal court on Feb. 24 to change his plea in the case.” – “Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling to leave at end of February,” by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “Massachusetts’ top federal prosecutor, U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling, will resign effective at the end of the month, meaning one of the few conservative forces in the Bay State will make way for a Democratic appointee soon. The highly visible Lelling announced in a news release Wednesday that he’ll be out effective Feb. 28., and has already tendered his resignation.” – “Man convicted in Boston officer’s bombing death joins surge of prisoners asking for early release,” by Tonya Alanez, Boston Globe: “For nearly 30 years, Alfred Trenkler has been in prison for building a pipe bomb that exploded and killed a Boston police officer as he tried to defuse it in a Roslindale driveway. Trenkler now wants his life sentence at a federal penitentiary in Tucson cut short. Trenkler, 64, is one of hundreds asking for compassionate release, arguing that his heart condition puts him at high risk for COVID-19.” WARREN REPORT – “Sen. Warren’s ‘Pinkie Promises’ to be published this fall,” The Associated Press: “Sen. Elizabeth Warren has not forgotten the many young people she befriended during her 2020 presidential run. The Massachusetts Democrat has a picture book out this fall called ‘Pinkie Promises’ in honor of a favorite campaign ritual.” IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN – “Charlie Baker’s embattled climate undersecretary targets fishing industry,” by Joe Dwinell and Erin Tiernan, Boston Herald: “The Baker administration’s embattled climate change undersecretary David Ismay is again being called out for his questionable comments — this time against fishermen.” – “Did state enviro official say anything that outlandish?” by Michael Jonas, CommonWealth Magazine: State environmental affairs undersecretary David Ismay has made outrageously reckless claims, and is in serious hot water. At least if you read the Boston Herald. The paper has been pummeling Ismay — and his ultimate boss, Gov. Charlie Baker — ever since the conservative Mass. Fiscal Alliance shared a video last week of Ismay speaking to the Vermont Climate Council about Massachusetts efforts to reduce carbon emissions.” ABOVE THE FOLD — Herald: “BLEW IT," "SENIOR PROJECT,” — Globe : “For small businesses, getting aid is just another struggle," "Vaccine rules eased at big sites.” FROM THE 413 – “Holyoke Public Schools Receiver Alberto Vazquez Matos on leave; recently told school committee he contracted COVID,” by Dennis Hohenberger, MassLive.com: “The state-appointed leader of the city’s public school district is on leave, officials said Wednesday. The announcement came two days after Receiver Alberto Vazquez Matos told school committee members he recently contracted COVID-19.” – “West Springfield council narrowly passes racism ‘crisis’ order,” by Michael Ballway, Springfield Republican: “By the slimmest margin, the Town Council this week endorsed Mayor William Reichelt’s executive order declaring racism an ‘emergency and public health crisis.’” – “Northampton’s vaccination site flooded with calls, inoculating 1,200 people a week,” by Greta Jochem, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “So many people are calling up looking for information on the COVID-19 vaccine that the local health department has hired 10 people in the last week to answer the phones.” THE LOCAL ANGLE – “Much of America's seafood comes through this city. Here's how it controlled COVID-19.” by Julia Sklar, National Geographic: “Whether you’re dining on poached halibut in Milwaukee or pan-seared scallops in Copenhagen, New Bedford almost certainly set the ‘market value’ on the menu. But nearby transportation hubs became the nation’s earliest viral epicenters, bottlenecking the supply chain.” – “Students begin a socially distanced return to Newton high schools. ‘It’s just so good to be around people,’” by Angela Yang, Boston Globe: “The first cohort of Newton’s high schoolers returned to the school grounds Jan. 28 to find desks spaced 6 feet apart and one-way arrows guiding foot traffic through the hallways. After more than 10 months of logging into school from home, students who opted into the district’s new hybrid format can now engage in side conversations with peers during class or trade jokes with a teacher while sanitizing their desks.” – “Baker dashes Cape hopes for mass vaccination site; local officials not giving up,” by Cynthia McCormick, Cape Cod Times: “As Gov. Charlie Baker Wednesday announced a new mass COVID-19 vaccination site in Dartmouth, Cape officials voiced their disappointment at the lack of a similar site in Barnstable County.” – “Did New Bedford get redder in 2020? Support for Trump increased, according to new map,” by Anastasia E. Lennon, Standard-Times: “While most New Bedford precincts held a majority for then-candidate Joe Biden in the 2020 election, a recently published map by the New York Times shows support for Donald Trump grew in some city precincts compared to support in the 2016 election.” – “UMass Medical School researchers are tracking COVID mutations in Worcester; Here’s what they’re finding,” by Tanner Stening, MassLive.com: “With several cases of the highly infectious COVID-19 variant confirmed in Worcester, UMass Medical School researchers have doubled their efforts to track and trace the mutated infections in Central Massachusetts. Their method? Genomic sequencing.” HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to Governor’s Councilor Terrence Kennedy, Olga Davidson and Cameron Merritt. NEW EPISODE: UNCHARTERED TERRITORY – On this week’s Horse Race podcast, hosts Jennifer Smith and Stephanie Murray take a deep dive into Boston’s city charter and the upcoming mayoral race with Boston City Councilor Lydia Edwards, Jon Hillman of Rivera Consulting and the Dorchester Reporter’s Bill Forry. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud. Want to make an impact? POLITICO Massachusetts has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Bay State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you’re promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness among this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com.   TRACK THE FIRST 100 DAYS OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION: President Biden's cabinet is getting confirmed, bringing change to agencies and departments across the Executive Branch. From the West Wing to Foggy Bottom, track the first 100 days of the Biden administration with Transition Playbook, our scoop-filled newsletter that chronicles the policies, people, and emerging power centers of the new administration. Subscribe today.       Follow us on Twitter Stephanie Murray @StephMurr_Jour   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters FOLLOW US

POLITICO, LLC 1000 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA, 22209, USA

RSN: FOCUS: Bernie Sanders | While the Arctic Is on Fire

 

 

14 September 20

---

Panic Mode Over Minimal Funding

What is now a serious shortfall in funding for September can be erased quite easily with a few decent days of fundraising. Easily.

Completely ignoring fundraising got us here, reasonable donations will absolutely get us out.

With urgency … right now!

Marc Ash
Founder, Reader Supported News

Sure, I'll make a donation!

---

Update My Monthly Donation

---

If you would prefer to send a check:
Reader Supported News
PO Box 2043
Citrus Hts
CA 95611

 

14 September 20

It's Live on the HomePage Now:
Reader Supported News

SLOW START ON DONATIONS MONDAY - Very slow start on donations this morning. Trying to avoid a bad day overall. Readership is strong, we have the people. We just need a few of this people to slow down for a moment and give RSN a boost. You be the one. / Marc Ash, Founder Reader Supported News

Sure, I'll make a donation!

---

FOCUS: Bernie Sanders | While the Arctic Is on Fire

Bernie Sanders, Reader Supported News
Sanders writes: "When we talk about the existential threat of climate change, this is what we are talking about."

n California, Oregon and Washington, in the midst of an unprecedented heat wave, wildfires are raging out of control. Millions of acres have been burned, dozens of people have died, hundreds of homes have been destroyed, hundreds of thousands of people are being evacuated from their communities and the smoke-filled air in the region is increasingly dangerous to breathe.

When we talk about the existential threat of climate change, this is what we are talking about. And, unless we have the courage to take on the greed, lies and irresponsibility of the fossil fuel industry and transform our energy system into energy efficiency and sustainable energy, the worst is yet to come.

The future will not just bring more frequent and worse wildfires. There will be more drought and decreased food production. More floods and extreme weather disturbances. More acidification of the oceans. More disease. More mass migrations. More wars. More human suffering.

Let me be very clear: 

We do not have any time to waste in addressing the climate emergency facing our country and the world. According to the scientific community, we have only a few years to act before there will be irreparable damage.

And yet with all the harmful effects of climate change that we are experiencing across this country and around the world, we have a president who believes climate change is a hoax. Trump is not only ignoring climate science, he is making a terrible situation worse by promoting the use of more fossil fuels.

While the Arctic is on fire, the Trump administration thought it might be a good idea to authorize oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. We are in the middle of a very serious climate emergency and Trump wants to expand drilling efforts on protected lands. 

In addition to the fires raging in the west, Hurricane Laura struck the Gulf Coast just a few weeks ago and was one of the most powerful storms to ever hit the United States. And last month in the Midwest there was a derecho with intense winds that swept through Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana, resulting in horrific damage to homes, infrastructure, and crops. 

Plus, over the course of this year, our planet has experienced rising temperatures that threaten to destroy fragile ecosystems. January 2020 was the hottest January of all time, and the same happened in May of this year. And July 2020 became the second-hottest month ever recorded. 

Here is a radical idea: 

In the midst of this unprecedented climate emergency, we need an unprecedented response. We need a Green New Deal to take aggressive action on climate change and create millions of jobs in the process. 

That is why, first and foremost, we must come together to defeat Donald Trump in November. And then we must end the disgrace of the fossil fuel industry destroying the planet to make a profit, and transition to 100% renewable energy. 

Over these next couple of months, I am going to be working hard to mobilize our movement ahead of this election and help generate the largest voter turnout this country has ever seen. Because the truth is that we must not only defeat Donald Trump — we must beat him badly. 

But we can't stop there. 

If we are serious about saving the future of our planet, we must elect the most progressive Congress in history. We need more people in office who understand that we need to act immediately and boldly if we are going to confront the existential threat of climate change. We need a Green New Deal and we need it NOW. 

It is going to require all of us working together, which is why I am asking you directly: 

Can you contribute today to help me elect a record number of progressives nationwide who are ready to get to work addressing the climate crisis? The future of our planet depends on it.

It is up to us to leave our children and grandchildren a planet that is healthy and habitable. Thank you for being a part of our fight to confront climate change.

In solidarity, 

Bernie Sanders

READ MORE

---

Contribute to RSN

Update My Monthly Donation

RSN: Bernie Sanders | More Drought, More Famine, More Floods, More Ocean Acidification, More Extreme Weather Disturbances, More Disease and More Human Suffering

 

28 August 20

---

Need to Pull a Rabbit From the Hat Today

We are down but not out. As bad as it looks right now, we absolutely positively can do this if we get on a roll.

The key is “you,” not someone else.

Donate folks, we are running out of time.

Marc Ash
Founder, Reader Supported News

Sure, I'll make a donation!

---

Update My Monthly Donation

---

If you would prefer to send a check:
Reader Supported News
PO Box 2043
Citrus Hts, CA 95611

 

27 August 20

It's Live on the HomePage Now:
Reader Supported News

WILL RSN SURVIVE THE POLITICAL SEASON? - Right now we are competing with a wide array of high-powered political campaigns with sophisticated fundraising methods. We are hurting. Please try to remember, when the smoke clears, RSN will be there. But we’ll need a budget to get there. Put something aside for RSN, we need it. / Marc Ash, Founder Reader Supported News

Sure, I'll make a donation!

---

RSN: Bernie Sanders | More Drought, More Famine, More Floods, More Ocean Acidification, More Extreme Weather Disturbances, More Disease and More Human Suffering

Bernie Sanders, Reader Supported News
Sanders writes: "Sometimes, when you hear a speech, what is NOT said is more important than what is said."

You wouldn’t know it if you watched the first night of the Republican National Convention, but we are in the middle of a climate emergency with scientists telling us we have just a few years to act in order to save our planet for future generations.

Just look around our country:

The second and third largest fires in the history of the state of California have burned more than 1.2 million acres in just a month, thousands of homes and businesses have been lost to the blaze, and tens of thousands of people have been forced to flee.

But that is not at all.

In the Gulf Coast, a pair of hurricanes threaten to strike within miles of each other and within a 48-hour period this week, a meteorological event unlike any in modern history.

But that too, is not all.

Earlier this month in the Midwest, an 800-mile wide derecho with winds the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane swept through Iowa and Illinois, causing absolutely catastrophic damage. Homes and businesses were lost. Some estimates say 35 percent of Iowa’s corn was destroyed along with “100 million bushels worth of grain storage and processing infrastructure as well,” according to Iowa’s Secretary of Agriculture. 

There’s more: 

• July 2020 was the second-hottest month ever recorded on Earth.
• June 2020 was the second-hottest June of all time.
• May 2020 was the hottest May of all time.
• April 2020 was the second-hottest April of all time.
• March 2020 was the second-hottest March of all time.
• February 2020 was the second-hottest February of all time.
• January 2020 was the hottest January of all time.

But was any of this discussed during last night’s Republican National Convention? 

Of course it wasn’t. 

There wasn’t a word about climate change, other than to play a video calling me and our ideas “RADICAL.” 

But don’t tell me the Green New Deal is radical. 

What is radical is doing nothing to take on the existential threat of climate change while the world burns.

What is radical is the Trump administration opening up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling at a time when the arctic is on fire and we face a serious climate emergency in this country and around the world. 

What is radical is doing nothing while scientists tell us very clearly that if we do not act boldly within the next few years in transforming our energy systems away from fossil fuel and into energy efficiency and sustainable energy, the planet we leave our kids and future generations will be increasingly unhealthy and uninhabitable. 

What is radical is making the decision to accept more drought, more famine, more floods, more ocean acidification, more extreme weather disturbances, more disease and more human suffering simply to line the pockets of a few greedy fossil fuel executives. 

Here is the truth: in the midst of everything going on right now, a global pandemic, an economic meltdown, a struggle for racial justice and more, we simply cannot lose sight of the existential threat of climate change which puts at risk the very survival of this planet.

We cannot go far enough or be too aggressive on this issue.

We are living in absolutely unprecedented times that require us to bring forward an unprecedented response. 

I wish I could say we could address our climate crisis with a few tweaks at the edges. But I cannot say that. Now more than ever, we need a Green New Deal to effectively address the existential threat of climate change. So, in my view there are two things we need to do:

Step 1: We must defeat Donald Trump. There is simply no way around just how important it is that we beat him this November and beat him badly.

Step 2: At the same time, we must elect as many progressive candidates as we possibly can who will fight to pass a Green New Deal. 

Now, I cannot do that alone. And over the course of the next few months, our supporters are going to be doing everything possible to generate the largest voter turnout in American history, reaching out to people who might otherwise not be voting. We're going to be doing virtual rallies and town halls in every battleground state. We'll be making phone calls, sending text messages, and safely distributing literature throughout communities across this country.

That takes resources, but it is important work that must be done. So today, I am asking:

Can you make a $2.70 contribution to help me elect progressives all across this country who will come into office prepared to treat climate change as the existential threat we know it to be? This is important.

We are custodians of the earth. All of us. And it would be a moral disgrace if we left to future generations a planet and that was unhealthy, unsafe, and uninhabitable. 

So thank you for making your voice heard.

In solidarity, 

Bernie Sanders

READ MORE

---

Contribute to RSN

Update My Monthly Donation