The Left hasn’t given up its vision for a Green New Deal — instead, it’s achieving it piecemeal.
On Wednesday, President Joe Biden announced yet another piece of the puzzle: the creation of the American Climate Corps. This government program aims to hire 20,000 “diverse” young Americans to help solve the “climate crisis.” The program isn’t a new idea — either in American history or even in recent politics. (READ MORE: Increasingly, Democrats Begin to Fear the Suck)
In 1933, Democrat President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed an executive order to establish the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The program was designed to help young men during the Great Depression by providing them with some form of employment. It would eventually employ 3 million Americans over its nine-year lifespan, offering participants three meals a day and $30 a month.
The CCC was popular among struggling Americans, and it was one of the most successful programs of the New Deal — which is probably why Biden has decided to play copycat.
Originally, the American Climate Corps was buried among the provisions of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act — an act that, despite its name, has been lauded as the “most significant piece of climate legislation in the history of the United States.” But Republicans in Congress were uncomfortable with the $10 billion price tag the initiative carried, according to CBS News. So, they rejected the provision before allowing the bill to reach the president’s desk. (READ MORE: To Fight Climate Change, Stop Fighting China on Electric Vehicles)
With a year having passed, Biden feels comfortable bypassing the legislative process by creating the program via executive action. However, the White House failed to reveal how much the program — which has been revised since its appearance in the Inflation Reduction Act — will cost. Those concerns haven’t stopped Democrat members of Congress, including Rep. Chuck Schumer, from praising the Biden administration.
BIG NEWS: Thanks to the hard work of youth activists across the country, President Biden just announced he’s creating an American Climate Corps.
I’ve pushed hard for this.
A new climate corps will help create pathways to good-paying green jobs! pic.twitter.com/lne2o5uL3H
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) September 20, 2023
The program has been a longstanding goal of climate activists, including the Sunrise Movement, an activist group that mobilizes high schoolers to petition for far-left climate policies like the Green New Deal. The Sunrise Movement praised Biden’s announcement in a thread on X: “Our vision for a Green New Deal is finally becoming a reality.”
BREAKING: President Biden announced he’s formally establishing an American Climate Corps!!!
This a major victory for our movement, our generation, and our fight for a Green New Deal. Here’s what it means: 🧵
— Sunrise Movement 🌅 (@sunrisemvmt) September 20, 2023
In addition to copying FDR’s 1930s-era program, the American Climate Corps is modeled after existing state programs. Five states, including California, Colorado, Maine, Michigan, and Washington, have already launched their own programs, and California, at least, is claiming that it has been a success.
California Gov. Gavin. Newsom created the state’s Climate Action Corps in 2020, offering participants a $30,000 stipend for a year and $10,000 for college tuition. The program is reportedly dealing with more applications than it can accept. There are five applicants for every position available, according to the Orange County Register. (READ MORE: Replacing Offshore Oil With Offshore Wind Is Biden-Level Stupid)
Five additional states launched similar programs today, including Arizona, Utah, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Maryland.
Climate activists are determined to achieve a Green New Deal — whether all at once or piece by piece over several years.
