Republicans Just Can’t Stop Talking About the ‘Green New Deal’

(Bloomberg) -- Republicans are embracing Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s ambitious plan to avert climate change -- but not because they favor the Green New Deal. The party hopes they can use it to take back seats in Congress and possibly keep the White House in 2020.

They are featuring the proposal in tweets, billboards and media appearances as they seek to paint Democrats as environmental extremists and socialists. A cadre of Republican senators plan to take to the Senate floor Wednesday to bash the plan.

“We are preparing to have a nice informative colloquy on that issue,” Senator Roger Wicker, a Republican from Mississippi, said in an interview. “We’ll be making some points about the lack of realism and the enormous, unbelievable price tag.”

Talking points distributed at the Republican’s weekly caucus meeting Tuesday refer to the plan as “nonsense on stilts” and a “vehicle for socialists policies that have nothing to do with climate change.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has vowed to bring the Green New Deal resolution up for a vote within weeks.

Democrats are using the debate to point out Republicans have yet to craft a plan of their own to fight climate change. They’re asking Republicans to sign onto a recently introduced resolution that affirms climate change is real, caused by humans, and that Congress needs to take action.

“Climate change is the most significant crisis facing humanity and Democrats are prepared to take bold action to address it but Republicans are standing in the way,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Ari Natter in Washington at anatter5@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Jon Morgan at jmorgan97@bloomberg.net, Elizabeth Wasserman

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