Climate Courage Can Win Elections. Climate Cowardice Will Lose Them

Climate Hushing Is Both Stupid and Deadly

In the US there’s a climate cowardice that is infecting Democratic candidates, driven by political elites, talking heads, and party pooh-bahs. These climate cowardice vectors, these climate silencers, just want candidates to shut the ____ up about climate change.

Unfortunately, the infection from these climate cowardice vectors has spread. Communication by congressional Democrats about climate has decreased 80% since 2021 as measured by their press releases.

I can hear the climate cowardice vectors now, telling us all not to worry our pretty little heads: “Oh, once they get into power candidates can do some stuff on climate change as long as it’s below the radar.”

So how do we do speed and scale below the radar?

These guys like short answers, so here’s one: we don’t.

Anyone impeding speed and scale thwarts our vision, purpose, and Major Goal to overcome climate change by creating a just and prosperous sustainability that enhances wellbeing for everyone and everything.

In other words, they’re working for the wrong team, whether they recognize it or not.

Climate Action Is For Winners, Climate Cowardice For Losers

Researchers at UC Santa Barbara’s 2035 Initiative tested the climate cowardice claims.

First, the 2035 Initiative found what Yale/GM and others have found (and what I’ve already written about), that climate action is a low priority overall right now. So while the climate cowardice vectors get this one right, their response is all wrong.

When support for action on the greatest moral cause of our time lacks intensity for most voters, a leader doesn’t act like a coward and run away from it. A leader finds a way to lead, to generate support for what’s right.

Furthermore, and importantly, that it is a low priority overall doesn’t mean it’s not a top priority for some, or worse, that it costs support.

This is where the climate cowardice vectors, the climate silencers are dead wrong.

Instead, talking in favor of climate action increases support much more than it drives opposition in voting. In other words, it will net votes.

People open to voting for a Democrat:

• for 66% their vote is based on who supports government climate action;

• 8% oppose.

Even Republican candidates can win on climate action. In their potential pool of voters:

• 52% support climate action and vote on it;

• 14% oppose.

Further, as seen below, being stronger is better. Voters are ready to reward climate champions. When asked whether they would support candidates that make it a top priority in comparison to just a priority, being a champion wins each relevant category:

“committed Democrats“ +9.5 (versus +8.4)

“open to voting for a Democrat” +7.2 (versus +5.9)

“open to voting Republican” +1.7 (versus -0.1)

Of course, even committed Democrats may not show up. Being a climate champion no doubt can increase turnout, make sure this +9.5 of committed Ds are motivated to show up, and get the +7.2 open to voting Democratic excited enough to do so as well. These numbers win elections.

Adapted from The 2035 Initiative

So the climate cowardice vectors infecting candidates are setting Democrats up for defeat, whereas being a climate champion can lead to victory.

“But We Need to be Talking About ___________!”

The climate cowardice vectors want candidates to talk about affordability and healthcare. These are the top two issues by far for the midterms.

Should candidates talk about affordability?

Duh.

Should candidates talk about health care?

More duh.

Nobody’s talking about not talking about affordability and healthcare. We’re talking about both/and, not either/or.

So let’s talk about affordability and climate action!

Cue the fantastic Leah Stokes:

We can all see our electricity bills are too high. And Trump is pushing them higher by forcing families to bankroll expensive coal plants past their planned retirements. The tab so far: more than $300 million, tacked onto power bills across the country. One Michigan plant alone costs families $615,000 a day. Ratepayers could end up paying $6 billion a year to keep dirty, overpriced energy on life support.

Trump’s war in the Middle East has already cost the average family more than $525 at the pump. Add higher electricity and gas bills, and the Trump energy tax is on track to reach roughly $1,500 per household this year.

So Trump/MAGA are raising costs by forcing Americans to give corporate welfare to Big Producers of Polluting Products. They’re raising costs at the gas pump with their criminal, unnecessary war.

By contrast, in most situations clean energy is the lowest cost option for new electricity generation. And electrifying transportation via EVs, etc, is the way we’re going to ditch our oil dependence and stop US involvement in Middle East wars. That’s what real leadership looks like.

Let’s talk about health and climate!

Trump/MAGA are attacking health care coverage and increasing the uninsured, they are attacking clean energy and giving corporate welfare to big polluters, increasing pollution that sends kids to the hospital, they are attacking climate action as deadly heat and wildfires ravage our neighborhoods and pollute our skies.

Take away healthcare coverage as you help send us to the Emergency Room — that’s the Trump/MAGA healthcare plan.

Democrats can be healthcare champions and climate champions at the same time and connect the dots on how they are related.

In a nutshell: Democrats can be smart, courageous, and victorious — or not. They can be leaders with guts and win, or wimps and lose.

Our Part

We need to be electing climate champions, not climate cowards. But we can’t expect them to be champions all on their own. We must also play our part by growing The Climate Movement and Climate Action Supporters to provide them the political support they need to get the job done. We are in this together.

And how do we do this? We break the Climate Talk Taboo and actually talk to people.

As I posted previously, a Yale/GM poll found that if someone a person likes and respects asks them to volunteer for climate action, the numbers go up significantly across the political spectrum.

Here are the numbers for Democrats:

• Liberal Ds +43

• Moderate Ds +32

As for voting, my fellow Substacker Antonia Scatton has recently reminded us of what’s been known for decades: word-of-mouth recommendations from people we know and respect is the most powerful influencer of all, given that historically 9 out of 10 voters make their decision based on conversations with people they know.

In other words, we have the moral power and we are growing our people power to put climate champions in office. And our staying power will guarantee that our people will rule the roost for the rest of our lives, knowing we’ve got their backs.

So let’s get going. Join us!

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