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Friend,
Many eyes were on Orlando, Florida last weekend as the Democratic National Committee (DNC) converged to vote on the Party Platform. Right from the start it was clear from the onset that some of the most contentious issues were climate related, specifically fracking, a price on global warming pollution, the use of eminent domain for fossil fuel infrastructure and the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement.
In the end, we didn't get everything we wanted added to the DNC Platform, but we did win several more amendment votes -- and the fight to improve BOTH party platforms will definitely go on: Right through the Conventions starting next week.
I was in Orlando for the whole thing, and I've written a blog post with links to tons of photos, video and more information. Will you check it out and spread the word about our ongoing work to un-frack both party platforms?
Before the Orlando meeting even started, fracktivists from across the country and Florida including David Braun from Californians Against Fracking, Russell Greene, Bill McKibben, Deborah Snyder, Josh Fox and Betty Osceola held a press conference sponsored by our friends Food & Water Watch. For my part, I reminded the DNC that failing to call for a national ban on fracking is akin to climate denial. I also reiterated that fracking is a profound demonstration of environmental racism because communities of color, including Native American communities, are more likely to be situated near fracking operations and waste.
Drew has also written a quick summary of the Republican Platform process -- which has been much less open to public comment and participation than the DNC platform and, perhaps as a result, produced a platform much does a lot less for the climate, and a lot more to support the fossil fuel industry, fracking and Big Oil. You should check that out too, if you're interested in how both major parties are addressing climate change and clean energy (or not addressing it) so far.
Thanks,
Anthony and the un-frack the platform team at Environmental Action |
