Center for American Progress President Neera Tanden on Monday said Democratic presidential candidates need to have an "actual plan" to combat climate change rather than have everyone "just talking" about what Democrats "like," referring to the Green New Deal.
Tanden, who leads the liberal think tank, appeared on MSNBC's "All In" to discuss the Green New Deal resolution championed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.). Host Chris Hayes likened the debate over climate change policy to the health care debate during the 2008 Democratic primary. He said it was clear the policy-based debate between candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton would result in the formation of a health care bill.
"Do you think we are watching this sort of prioritization battle kind of play out now?" Hayes asked.
Tanden agreed the nature of the debate was similar but said she hoped the Democratic candidates would avoid focusing on motives behind their opponents' support for the Green New Deal or on "who cares most" about the environmental issues. She said the 2008 Democratic primary candidates had detailed discussions about how their plans would work.
"What I think is so vital about this debate is that we have a sense of urgency about it, but I also believe that the next president has to have a specific plan, not just a resolution," Tanden said. "A resolution is really important, but a specific plan to deal with the climate crisis, because if we're just talking about what we like and what we care about and hit the priority, and we don't specific goals or specific legislation, then that too will let a lot of people off the the hook."
Heather McGhee, a senior fellow at Demos, a liberal public policy organization, said legislation has to be one of the next steps of the Green New Deal. In order to do that, Democrats have to get a sense of their party on the Senate floor, she said. There is a "weird can't do-ism right now in this country, even among Democrats," she added.
"We built the Hoover Dam. We put the man on the moon. Why can't we act?" McGhee said.
Tanden agreed with McGhee's point about American accomplishments, saying that is why she appreciates the Green New Deal, but she added, "there was a plan to put the man on the moon."
Democratic 2020 hopefuls have lined up to endorse the 14-page Green New Deal resolution that was introduced by Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Ed Markey (D., Mass.) earlier this month, the Washington Free Beacon reported.
Sen. Cory Booker (D., N.J.) has said the planet "simply can't sustain" people eating meat, and compared the Green New Deal to landing on the moon and fighting World War II.
Sen. Kamala Harris (D., Calif.) called the Green New Deal "practical," during an interview Sunday, adding "of course we can afford" the plan because climate change is "an existential threat to us."
"It's not about a cost," Harris said. "It's about an investment."