Eugene weekly., August 01, 2019, Page 13, Image 13

the most money his campaign has received so far.
Inslee doesn’t take credit for the increased interest in climate change. He says
voters are witnessing the consequences of climate change, whether it’s the Midwest
being underwater or cities like Paradise, California, burning up. Voters are paying
attention.
those also in the Senate, are too comfortable with senatorial privileges to take away
the filibuster, he says.
Green is the New Orange
If Trump is the “first orange president” — as late-night TV show hosts describe
him — then Inslee might just be the first green president. And he tells EW that his
platform could beat Trump.
In 2016, when Trump was in Eugene, I saw his speech at the Lane County
Talking with EW, Inslee quotes hockey legend Wayne Gretzky: “I skate to where
Fairgrounds. At that point, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton emerged as
the puck is going to be, not to where it has been.”
the Democratic Party nominee, beating Sen. Bernie Sanders in a controversial
By doing so, Inslee joins a million business owners, such as Bill Gates and Steve
Democratic primary.
Jobs, who have used Gretzky’s quote to try to show how groundbreaking their ideas
In his speech, while lamenting the loss of Oregon timber jobs, Trump said he really
are. He also joins the ranks of The Office’s often-awkward branch manager Michael
wanted to face Sen. Bernie Sanders in the general election. Some hindsight polls suggest
Scott, who famously quoted the classic Gretzky quote: “You miss 100 percent of the
that Sanders, whose platform focused more on jobs than Clinton, could’ve won.
shots you don’t take.”
Inslee says he’s beaten Trump 22 times in a row already, adding that he was
Inslee, however, is proposing something that could be as groundbreaking as
the first to challenge Trump’s Muslim ban. Alongside Washington state Attorney
Gretzky’s influence on hockey. He’s trying to transform the U.S. from being a fossil
General Bob Ferguson, Inslee has sued the Trump Administration over policies such
fuel-based economy to a green one.
On May 3, Inslee released his first major policy announcement: a 10-year plan to
as abortion obstacles, an emergency declaration on the U.S.-Mexico border and the
take on climate change and create green jobs.
forced separation of immigrant families at the border.
Called the 100% Clean Energy for America Plan, Inslee’s plan would, by 2030,
Kauffman says what partially affected Clinton in the 2016 election was her lack
achieve 100-percent zero emissions in new vehicles and buses and 100-percent zero-
of focus on the economy. Inslee’s climate plan is more focused on ensuring jobs are
carbon pollution in all new commercial and residential buildings. It would also call for
available for those who have worked in fossil fuel industries.
100-percent clean and renewable electricity generation by 2035.
“Of all the candidates who I’ve heard talk about environmental policy, I think he
has the best chance of breaking through because he does see it systemically,”
Among other actions, Inslee wants to shut down what he
calls the increasingly uneconomic U.S. coal fleet by 2030,
he says.
Inslee addresses climate change as a jobs-boosting endeavor,
and repower with more clean energy. The plan also
Kauffman says.
proposes using tax incentives to push for increased
“WE CAN’T SIT
“He rejects this idea that you have to have a trade off between
development of clean technology.
DOWN WITH
environment and jobs,” he says. “There is a lot of evidence that
Rather than publishing all of his policies at
MITCH MCCONNELL,”
suggests that is a false trade off.”
once, Inslee has been unveiling them slowly. The
INSLEE SAYS.
Renewable energy has to be produced locally, he adds. A green
next plan he released was his clean energy plan,
economy still has to import some parts, but if the U.S. invested
titled Jay Inslee’s Evergreen Economy Plan.
in it, the country could become a leader in clean
The 28-point initiative — built on the model that,
technology of the future.
according to Inslee, led Washington state to become the
The U.S. had a chance to secure its place
fastest-growing economy in the U.S. — would invest in
as a leader in clean technology investment
clean energy research and deployment, create jobs
five to 10 years ago, Kauffman says.
in manufacturing, build green transportation
Because the U.S. hasn’t made a green
infrastructure, support job-training programs, raise
economy its priority, other countries
wages and protect workers’ rights and families.
have jumped ahead.
Inslee’s Evergreen Economy Plan is based on
It’s still possible for the U.S. to
five strategies for economic growth. First, he would
become a leader again, he adds.
invest in an initiative to rebuild millions of buildings
in the following decades.
“One of the biggest critiques of
Second, he would invest in infrastructure, including
Trump’s environmental and jobs plan is that
transportation, water, affordable housing and sustainable
he’s saving a dying coal industry of 6,000 jobs
communities.
and foregoing the opportunity to build a tremendous
Next, the federal government would partner with the private sector to
new industry — that’s a manufacturing industry,” he says.
increase exports of clean technology made in the U.S. He’d also invest in developing
“He’s supposed to boost manufacturing and, by rolling
future clean technology.
back the incentives for building that industry, we have
Finally, his plan would re-unionize workers to create a more inclusive future for all
allowed China and Germany to eclipse us.”
workers, including the elimination of right-to-work laws.
Inslee tells EW he can beat Trump by putting forth a plan that
The first impression that Kauffman has of Inslee’s plan is its level of detail. He
isn’t based on trickle-down economics, which he says damaged the U.S. He adds that
says Inslee understands that, in order to fight climate change, you must propose
he’s not proposing some abstract ideas that simply sound good; Washington state
systematic change.
has shown what works for spurring the growth of the middle class.
“It’s quite detailed to the point where you can see it as realistic,” Kauffman says.
The road to nomination for Inslee is a long one. On the way to the Democratic
“By breaking it down and being specific, you can help people see how this is realistic
National Convention, Inslee has said he won’t accept any fossil fuel or corporate
and not just a grandiose plan — but it is a grandiose plan.”
political action committee money.
Reinventing an economy based on fossil fuels sounds expensive, but Inslee says
So far, according to OpenSecrets, 45 percent of contributions to Inslee’s campaign
money to pay for the plan would come from not having to pay for future climate
have come from small donations under $200, and 54 percent have come from large
change-related natural disasters. He wants to avoid the expenses “you’d otherwise
individual contributions. Most of his contributors are employed with Amazon or
have on the Trump Trail of Tears,” adding that the president’s willful ignorance and
Microsoft, or they are Washington state public employees.
refusal to protect Americans from climate change is going to cost the U.S. a lot of
If Inslee doesn’t receive the nomination, there could be some other alternatives
money in the long run.
for him in delivering his climate plan. Assuming a Democrat defeats Trump, one
Inslee adds that, by repealing Trump-imposed tax cuts, the U.S. could bring in an
potential place for Inslee could be heading a brand new cabinet post focused on
additional $20 billion from the “ill-gotten tax breaks for gas and oil industries” that
climate change, Kauffman says.
could help shift from a fossil fuel economy.
For now, Inslee hasn’t shown any sign of backing down despite poor polling
Kauffman agrees with Inslee, saying to pay for Inslee’s plan would be no harder
numbers. He’s still presenting new policy ideas. Inspired by FDR, he’s calling for a
than continuing the fossil fuel subsidies the U.S. currently pays for.
Climate Conservation Corps.
Passing Inslee’s climate plan would require the Legislative branch being on
Inslee supports the right to collective bargaining. He wants to re-invest in the
board, a tall order considering President Barack Obama had to bring the Democrats
U.S. public education system. And he’s expected to continue publishing new policy
together to pass his Affordable Care Act, which cut along party lines.
proposals.
Inslee cautions us not to underestimate the power of presidential leadership.
He won’t say whether he’s jumping on board with Sens. Elizabeth Warren and
When President John F. Kennedy said the U.S. would put a man on the moon, he made
Bernie Sanders when it comes to student loan forgiveness, though. Rather, he
a difference. Obama made a difference when it came to health care.
supports financing debt relief.
Inslee says there hasn’t been any presidential leadership when it comes to dealing
Inslee does tell EW that he wants to prevent people from getting into significant
with climate change.
education debt in the first place by adopting a plan he signed into law in Washington
And, beside presidential leadership, Inslee says that to get the Legislative branch
state. Those who qualify for the state’s college grant — and aren’t wait-listed — can
on board, the U.S. Senate must abolish the filibuster.
attend a public college and university without paying for tuition and fees if applicants
“We can’t sit down with Mitch McConnell,” he says. “As long as the filibuster exists,
receive the maximum award.
oil and gas industries will control the Senate.”
“The Washington plan is the most comprehensive student financing plan in the
Inslee is one of few presidential hopefuls to have suggested that. Other candidates,
U.S.,” he says. “It’s free college for those who actually need it.” ■
Breaking Down a Green Economy
“AS LONG AS THE
FILIBUSTER EXISTS,
OIL AND GAS INDUSTRIES
WILL CONTROL
THE SENATE.”
E U G E N E W E E K LY . C O M
A U G U S T
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