Jay Inslee Says He May Defy the DNC on a Climate Change Debate

[babylonsister]

Jay Inslee Says He May Defy the DNC on a Climate Change Debate
He claimed the DNC is effectively “blacklisting candidates who want to have one.”
Rebecca Leber


Washington Governor Jay Inslee says he won’t rule out participating in a primary debate on climate change, a move that—if he followed through—could risk his being barred from participating in the formal Democratic National Committee sponsored debates.

“I cannot rule out any other debate that would highlight both the necessity of defeating the climate crisis and calling for the candidates to step up to the plate,” Inslee said in an interview with Mother Jones on Thursday, while calling from the road in Seattle, Washington. “Sixty-second sound bites, which is all you’ll be able to get in a party debate, is grossly inadequate to the task.”

Inslee claimed the DNC is “trying to eliminate an opportunity to have a debate” by effectively “blacklisting candidates who want to have one.”

“You have to understand how constricted the opportunity for a full discussion for this will be when we’re talking about mobilizing and rebuilding the entire economy to decarbonize over the next couple decades,” he said. “You can’t describe the mobilization of the economy in 60-second sound bites.”

When asked about this matter, DNC spokesperson Xochitl Hinojosa replied, “It is the DNC’s job to organize the debate schedule, and the ground rules on unsanctioned debates were made clear with all the candidates, including Governor Inslee, and media partners months ago.” The DNC welcomes candidates to join issue-specific forums instead.

At the moment, there is no climate change debate scheduled, whether sanctioned by the DNC or not. But Sunrise Movement, the primary Green New Deal advocacy arm that is planning to protest outside the second debate in Detroit, told Mother Jones it is considering staging its own. “The American people deserve a climate debate,” Varshini Prakash said in a statement to Mother Jones. “If the DNC isn’t willing to put it on, we’ll consider organizing one ourselves.”

more...

https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2019/06/jay-inslee-says-he-may-defy-the-dnc-on-a-climate-change-debate/

[stonecutter357]

1. I think all the candidates are on the same side of Climate Change !

[ancianita]

11. But only he has the actual accomplishments, timeline of action and prioritizes this climate crisis.

And every other economic, social, immigration and ecological dimension associated with it.

His Global Climate Mobilization Plan is the best one out there.

https://www.jayinslee.com/issues/global-climate

Time is up.

Gradualization won't save us.

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5a8b2f10017db29af12740d5/t/5afda271575d1f58a9520ae9/1526571637727/Paris+commitments+-+safe+climate+pathway.png?format=500w

https://www.theclimatemobilization.org/science

[ancianita]

12. Trump is the MOST INHUMANE human on this planet with all the power he & his climate deniers withhold

?lkfmoahuwvswsRsKZHRa2FMazya_Asrb&itok=azeHuK21



If this scares you, good.

But if it doesn't scare you into paying attention to Inslee, we will have passed up on the most important human project ever undertaken.

Saving the planet can begin with spending $5 TRILLION.

Not doing anything will cost us ten times what we could have paid up front. And mass death.

[Indygram]

13. He is a one issue candidate and no one is going to participate and risk other debates

Climate is extremely important and Inslee is not the only candidate talking about it.
Beto has a great plan on Climate Change but he also has a great plan on Immigration, Voting Rights and Choice...all of which are critical as well.

Inslee should just try to get a Climate town hall or something similar. It doesn't have to be a debate.

[ancianita]

14. He is the all issue candidate framed by our #1 future problem: climate crisis disaster, which we are

seeing right now at the border. And no one wants to see this mass migration as climate disaster related. But it is.

Inslee knows how to put our domestic and political problems in perspective.

You're right, the climate crisis isn't up for debate. And climate crisis doesn't care how you see it. It is here.

A town hall for Inslee is fine, as far as it goes.

My view is that he needs to sponsor a major conference on this climate crisis for the country.

Americans are slow to wake up to the disasters around them, for a lot of reasons, one of which is that, if it hasn't happened to them, it's not that serious a political priority.

[Andy823]

22. Exactly!

Climate change has to be addressed NOW, not down the road. Inslee is right, the DNC should have a debate on this, and they should not stop others from attending one by another group by removing anyone who does. It's just plain stupid!

I want to see how everyone of our candidates will take this on. So far Inslee has done more, and put out more information than anyone else. I want so see all of the candidates debate this issue. I also want a candidate who will make this the NUMBER ONE issue as soon as they take office. If we don't get things fixed on this issue, nothing else will matter.

[ancianita]

26. Thank you. Indeed, nothing else we care about will matter if we don't mobilize around climate change

[sprinkleeninow]

30. You said it. Inslee is an

all issue candidate and whose focal point is on Climate Crisis.

What's not to love in admiration.

[shanny]

28. Everyone should participate.

[left-of-center2012]

2. What the DNC is saying:

"[The] goal is to provide a platform for candidates to have a vigorous discussion on ideas and solutions on the many issues that voters care about, including the economy, climate change, and health care. While climate change is at the top of our list, the DNC will not be holding entire debates on a single issue area because we want to make sure voters have the ability to hear from candidates on dozens of issues of importance to American voters."

— DNC communications director Xochitl Hinojosa

https://www.axios.com/dnc-tells-inslee-no-climate-primary-debate-84f304e8-5a1c-4a94-87a6-cd63ee5234ec.html

“No, you can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometime you find
You get what you need”
Rolling Stones

[GemDigger]

4. Those are pretty much the same reasons I came up with.

That is his strong suit and in my opinion his ONLY strong suit.

[BlueWI]

45. Have you looked at his record as governor?

Name one other candidate who has experience as a chief executive - not second in charge, and experience in Congress. Pit their records against Inslee's: see what you think.

Washington under Inslee's leadership has been bold in its approach to economic issues, racial divisions, and the environment.

We'll all vote for who we want, but it's better to credit effective liberal leaders for their successes, don't you think? In no way is Inslee a one-issue candidate. He just addressed the climate issue with an urgency that is lacking nearly across the board - among both parties. Remember, 12 years and counting to avoid the worst effects.

[Honeycombe8]

6. I don't see the harm in having a debate on that one topic.

It's the #1 issue for some Americans.

Why would the DNC blacklist anyone participating in a non-DNC sanctioned debate?

[brooklynite]

27. ...and it is NOT the #1 issue for other Americans...

How many of the scheduled debates should be single-issue, and what issues don't get one when you run out?

[shanny]

29. Well it should be.

If we don't get this right the rest is just rearranging deck chairs while the boat sinks.

And anyone thinking Inslee is simply pushing this to further his candidacy has it ass-backwards.

[ancianita]

34. One doesn't run out of issues with the climate change issue. Immigration, economics,

social issues, science and reproduction issues, legal issues and who we are as a nation all become part of the larger project of saving ourselves and Earth in the looming climate crisis.

All those #1 issues of other Americans do get addressed in the climate change mobilization project.

[brooklynite]

37. Let me know when you've sold that argument to the voters...

[ancianita]

40. Let me know what issues are at the top with voters.

[Honeycombe8]

41. It is definitely in the top 5 for most Democrats. This is NOT one of the DNC scheduled debates.

It's separate.

[Hortensis]

38. HOW would the DNC even do that? They can't.

Inslee will be in the debates. And when and if he qualifies for DNC support he'll get it.

[pnwmom]

15. And the DNC is wrong. They will be holding multiple debates and there is no reason

they can't devote on of them to the life-and-death struggle for the planet.

[Qutzupalotl]

3. This is a conversation we need to have,

if not at the DNC debates, then elsewhere, in detail. Here in Oregon, we spend the summers choking on brown air and fearing we’ll get the call to evacuate. I keep a go bag in my car.

I can sort of understand Perez not wanting to devote a whole evening to one topic, so as not to appear to favor the candidate who made it his signature issue. But I do not get the punitive aspect at all.

[Honeycombe8]

7. I agree. nt

[LibFarmer]

5. He can do so, it is specified in the rules

He will just be barred from future debates.

[left-of-center2012]

8. Maybe it'll get Inslee some needed attention

But not a single issue debate.

[George II]

9. He can hold a town hall on climate change. Most candidates have already had town halls....

...on CNN or MSNBC. I'm sure if he wanted to do one on that issue one of them will run it on their network.

I don't recall ever seeing a debate limited to just one topic.

[pnwmom]

16. We are in the midst of a life-and-death struggle for the PLANET. It deserves a real debate.

Not one candidate's ideas in a Town hall.

[JI7]

18. debates will only focus on attacking candidates over votes

in a town hall he can give detsils .

[pnwmom]

20. A debate on climate change plans can be set up however the planners decide. It does NOT

have to be set up to only talk about candidates votes.

It can and should talk about their PLANS, and why their plans are needed and why they were the best of the alternatives.

[Andy823]

24. I totally agree.

I don't get some of the things people are saying here about why NOT to have this debate. Every single candidate should be willing to put up or shut up when it comes to what they will do to stop the threat of climate change. I don't want our candidate to "KICK" it down the road once in office. I want our candidate to have a "real" plan that will start the day they take office. We have some great candidates, lets here their plans in front of the American people. Let they them explain things in detail.

[JI7]

31. they can do that in the debate they will have. they can do that in other places also

the debates wont really get into what each candidate has to offer.

[BeckyDem]

10. Our candidates are fantastic people. We are so lucky to have them.

Fighting back for the good of mankind by any Republican? Don't make me laugh.

[JI7]

17. is he able to get on talk shows ? i think it's more imporant to discuss his plans

and what he would do.

debates won't give much time for that. instead people will spend a lot of time on attacking over some votes.

[SouthernProgressive]

19. It's done for good reasons.

What Inslee is talking about would cause huge problems. No one here would want it. How about if CNN held a “Social Justice” debate and only invited the top five candidates. Now say every network did that. Everyone would be screaming.

[OilemFirchen]

21. Debate:

noun
noun: debate; plural noun: debates

1.
a formal discussion on a particular topic in a public meeting or legislative assembly, in which opposing arguments are put forward.

Which candidates have opposing arguments? What's to be gained, other than, potentially, nitpicking our way into another useless internecine battle?

Redefining simple words has become a fucking existential crisis itself. Perhaps a language debate is in order.

Save the single-issue debate on this subject with someone who disagrees.

[LAS14]

23. K & R

[BannonsLiver]

25. Did INslee sign the DNC agreement on unsanctioned debates?

[Scurrilous]

32. All I see is a low polling candidate using the DNC as a whipping boy to goose his number (0).

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/latest_polls/democratic_nomination_polls/

Thursday, June 6

2020 Democratic Presidential nomination:

Biden 27,

Sanders 15,

Warren 12,

Harris 9,

Buttigieg 10,

O'Rourke 2,

Booker 2,

Klobuchar 1,

de Blasio 2,

Yang 1,

Castro 0,

Hickenlooper 1,

Gabbard 1

Wither Inslee? Tilting at DNC debate rules.

[JI7]

33. Inslee needs to seriously work on the ground campaign

he really IS the best candidate on the environment. So do town halls and other small events and talk to people about it. if he can't get enough people to turn out at scheduled events just go to diners and other places people are and just start talking to people .

[ancianita]

35. No. It's Inslee tilting at denialists -- "don't give me no bad news" denialists. Who crave distracti

distraction from an existential threat too overwhelming to deal with.

That's why Inslee isn't on your list.

[MineralMan]

36. Where is Inslee polling right now, exactly?

Does he think talking about climate change will push his numbers up high enough to matter? I don't think so.

He'll have opportunities to air his ideas during the debates. He can also hold his own rallies or addresses on that issue at any time during the campaign and try to get them covered by the media.

But, what he really needs is poll numbers that make him look like he actually matters in this primary race.

ETA: So, I looked up the most recent polls here:

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2020/president/us/2020_democratic_presidential_nomination-6730.html

In aggregate, Inslee is showing 0.5%. I'm sorry, but he's pretty much irrelevant at this point in the campaign.

[Hortensis]

39. Portraying the DNC as "blacklisting" candidates may be a cynical

attempt to boost his numbers by drawing some of the conspiracy-prone people who might go Sanders or third-party.

All candidates put on private events frequently to advance their campaigns. Portraying one as "defying" a supposedly hostile DNC supports the suspicion that he is.

Whatever his motivation, Gov. Inslee just slid severely south in my estimation. Huge no to both attacking the Democratic Party in these dangerous times and at any time bottom trolling damaging lies for those who can always be fooled.

Perhaps our next president will appoint him to a role in his administration. Inslee is term limited as governor, so he'll be looking for work.

[marylandblue]

42. I agree 100% with Inslee about the climate crisis, but

the problem is human psychology. Being in the hospital without health insurance is a crisis people relate to. The relationship between illegal immigration and climate is an abstraction.

I wish it weren't so, but that's how it is. That's why we've known about this for forty years and still have done almost nothing.

I hope the next President makes Inslee EPA Administrator and lets him write the climate bill.

[JI7]

43. he is good on those other issues also

[marylandblue]

44. He is, but he's positioned himself as the "climate candidate."

I initially supported him and I thought(hoped?) that would work but it doesn't seem to be. O'Rourke and Biden got more coverage for their climate plans than Inslee did. Hell, just Biden's failure to cite sources got more coverage than Inslee.

Inslee would be better off playing up other issues and ignoring climate for the time being. I say this as a climate alarmist and an Inslee fan.