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A recent article by Bill McKibben in which I am quoted has motivated me to write a Future Hope column focused on the issue: what should independent progressives be doing about the Presidential election?
One thing we should be doing is already being done: being visible, demonstrative and in the streets taking action on the major issues. Two weeks ago this is what the broadly-based climate justice movement did for a number of days in New York City, with the big day being the 75,000 person March to End Fossil Fuels on September 17.
Who was the main target of this action? It was Joe Biden, since, as the President, he is the one person who has the power through Executive Orders to escalate the government’s actions to shift rapidly from fossil fuels to clean renewables like wind and solar. With the House of Representatives controlled by the MAGA Republicans, there is zero hope for any significant action from Congress until a new one is seated in January of 2025.
I’m sure some people who get it on the seriousness of the climate crisis and the need for action now didn’t come to the 9/17 action because of concern that the focus on calling out Biden might hurt his reelection chances. That’s an understandable concern. But there is a very strong argument to be made that the chances of Biden defeating Trump, or any Democrat defeating any Republican in the Presidential race, are very tied to how much independent grassroots activism there continues to be over the coming months. The overall progressive movement needs to…
