The Greener New Deal

For my third blog assignment I chose to read and critique The Washington Post's editorial on The Green New Deal. 

The author's desired audience is made clear to me in the title of this opinion piece. Asking and answering, "Want a Green New Deal? Here's a Better One," grabs the attention of those already in support of finding climate saving solutions. The author speaks to those who wanted more from the proposal, who support yet are not yet satisfied with what the policy states as is. I believe that it also speaks to those who may not be sold on the idea of the Green New Deal as it stands now, and introduces a more bipartisan approach.

In summation, the article highlights the issues with the proposal and counters with a more focused, mutually agreeable course of action. The authors call for "smart government intervention - and on transforming the relentless power of the market from an obstacle to a centerpiece of the solution." Clear and efficient, The Washington Post editorial makes the case for harnessing the power of the market by using examples like Dominion Energy's Cove Point plant. Seeing two sides of the issue, the article details how the market responded to cheaper and cleaner energy than coal by the rapid replacement of natural gas. Washington Post uses statistics from The Union of Concerned Scientists and U.S. Energy Information Administration  to demonstrate how well the market responded to a better option than coal. 

A solution proposed by Washington Post is pollution pricing. Stressing a need for efficiency with both time and money, WP uses the results of pollution pricing on the drop in acid rain to demonstrate the efficacy of such programs. The concern highlighted by the article is that the Green New Deal's stance on pollution pricing is too non-committal and is a mark obvious missed.

The Washington Post takes statistics and proven best practice, removes the unrelated and refocuses it's own New Deal to be a more efficient and affordable answer to the policy we have been offered. While I see the importance of some of The Green New Deal's more social policies, I can't help but agree with the Washington Post. Our focus for this deal needs to be solely on meaningful environmental change.