 |
Plus, call Congress on Friday, tune in to live streams from Congressional Education Day, and check out our latest trainings and blog posts Click to view this email in a browser. |
|
| |
 |
|
| |
| |
CCL Weekly Briefing, Nov. 7, 2018 |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
CCL’s take on the new political landscape in D.C.
The elections are over, the people have spoken, and now the Democrats control the House of Representatives. In the following statements, CCL Executive Director Mark Reynolds and CCL VP for Government Affairs Danny Richter provide some perspective on what we can expect in this new political landscape. Mark Reynolds: “Now that Democrats control the House, there is great potential to move bipartisan legislation to price carbon. I emphasize ‘bipartisan,’ because the only way to enact an effective and enduring solution is to have buy-in from both sides of the aisle. We believe a market-based solution, putting a fee on carbon and returning revenue to households, can find the common ground between Republicans and Democrats. With the IPCC warning that we have little more than a decade to take the 'unprecedented' actions needed to avoid the worst outcomes of climate change, we can't kick the can down an ever-shortening road.” "We also want to thank Carlos Curbelo for his leadership with the bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus, and we hope he'll find a way to continue that leadership on climate change outside of Congress. Curbelo's defeat, however, does not signal the end of the caucus. We're confident other Republicans will step up to lead, and the existing and potential members are invested in continuing bipartisan work on climate. To paraphrase Mark Twain, reports of the death of the Climate Solutions Caucus are greatly exaggerated.” Danny Richter: “With Democrats chairing committees, we’re likely to see hearings that provide a robust and constructive dialogue on climate solutions, like the carbon fee and dividend policy recently announced in Canada. We’re also wasting no time getting the ball rolling on legislation to price carbon. On Nov. 13, we’ll send 621 citizen lobbyists to Capitol Hill to generate the bipartisan momentum to move forward with a bill in the 116th Congress and make climate change a bridge issue, not a wedge issue. We'll continue working on both sides of that bridge." Read more from Mark in his op-ed published today in The Hill.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
621 volunteers heading to D.C. to lobby
Hot on the heels of the one of the most contentious elections in many years, 621 volunteers are getting ready to travel to Washington, D.C., for CCL’s Congressional Education Day. As of Monday, 375 meetings have been scheduled for our lobby day on Nov. 13, 43 of them face to face with members of Congress. In those meetings, our volunteers will deliver the message that climate change must be a bridge issue instead of wedge issue, bringing Republicans and Democrats together on a solution that can find common ground. As a conversation opener, our volunteers will bring CCL’s analysis of the 507 meetings we had last June. The analysis shows the top issues that came up in Republican and Democratic offices. You can download it here. If you’re not coming to D.C., we’ll be streaming some of our sessions on Nov. 12, including the 4 p.m. plenary, “Climate change in the 116th Congress: How the midterm elections impact the way forward.” In this session, we’ll have a conversation with journalists from The Hill, Roll Call, The Washington Examiner, Time Magazine and the Washington Post. Keep an eye on our Facebook page for live streams of other sessions, including strategy from our D.C. staff and communications training from our VP of Programs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Help lobbying effort by calling Congress Friday
 When CCL volunteers lobby on Nov. 13, they’ll be setting the table for bipartisan legislation we hope to have introduced in the next Congress. You can put the wind to their backs by calling your members of Congress this Friday and asking others to do the same. You can find all the resources for this action, including a sample script, on CCL Community. Also, if you sign up for CCL’s action text alerts, you’ll get a reminder on your phone this Friday. RSVP for this action on our Facebook event and share it with your friends.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LTE of the Week: Sierra Sun
Matt Tucker from CCL’s North Tahoe chapter used the election as his hook for this fine letter in the Sierra Sun.
Vote for clean energy
The International Panel on Climate Change has just come out with their latest report on the predicted effects of climate change, and it’s pretty frightening. To summarize, they have moved up the timetable — now all of us alive in 2040 will see vast changes to our climate, with far ranging consequences.
The only way to avert this scenario is to quickly make the transition to clean energy from fossil fuels. But don’t throw up your hands in despair. We can do this! And the place to start is voting on Nov. 6.
Find out which candidates for Congress, for Truckee Town Council, for Truckee Donner PUD are enthusiastically supporting policies that will make a real difference. Vote for them, and if you’re really motivated, do all you can to help them win. This is how democracy works.
Finally, please consider joining your local Citizens’ Climate Lobby chapter right here in Truckee. We work tirelessly to build the political will to act on climate change. The best part is, CCL gives everyday citizens meaningful, actionable ways to contribute to the cause. This is the best medicine to ward off despair and cynicism.
Get out there and vote, and then give joining CCL some serious thought.
LTE OPPORTUNITY: The election will be the topic on everyone’s mind for a while. After a divisive campaign season, it’s time to bring the parties together to solve climate change. In a new post on CCL Community, Communications Director Steve Valk offers guidance on getting a post-election letter to the editor published.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This week on the CCL blog
UM pledges carbon neutrality: In October, University of Michigan president Mark Schlissel announced his commitment to make the institution carbon neutral. UM student and CCL volunteer Catherine Garton wrote about this encouraging promise. Read more. Youth are engaged on climate: CCL blogger Alex Amonette reflects on the big issue of her youth, the Vietnam war, and the parallels she sees with youth engagement on climate today. Read more. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CCL offers two ongoing learning series for volunteers: Citizens' Climate University and Core Volunteer Training. Here are the next few sessions you can join: 11/8 Citizens’ Climate University: Congressional Education Day Logistics and Q&A - If you’re a first-timer to D.C., this webinar is made for you. CCL staffers will cover basics like the Metro, navigating Capitol Hill, and other helpful D.C. details. Learn more. 11/13 Core Volunteer Training: Why the Grasstops are Critical - It’s important to show Congress that business and community leaders support our policy. Learn some successful endorsement examples in this webinar with CCL Endorsement Team Lead Todd Elvins. Learn more. To see all upcoming topics, visit the Learn page of CCL Community. |
|
|
|
 Featured Action Team: The CCL Conservative Caucus Action Team is a group for Republican, libertarian, conservative, and fiscally conservative independent CCL volunteers working to help grow and activate CCL’s conservative membership. Bruce Morlan leads the team in striving for solid messaging and outreach to conservatives. Mark your calendar for the team's next monthly call on Mon, Dec. 10, at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT. To learn more and to join the team, visit their page on Community.
Also meeting this week…
To check out all of CCL's Action Teams and join any that interest you, head to the Action Team directory on CCL Community. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sign up for CCL Text Messages
As we build political will for climate solutions, CCL can notify you of timely actions via text message. This will be critical once a bill is in congress. You can opt out at any time. Sign up today!
|
|
|
|
|
CCL Climate Advocate Training
Do you want to be a more effective CCL volunteer?
Register for our Climate Advocate Training, held the first Wednesday of every month at 1 pm ET and the third Wednesday monthly at 8 pm ET (adjust for your local time zone).
Dive deeper with our Core Volunteer Training, held weekly on Tuesdays at 8 pm ET, 5 pm PT.
|
|
|
|
|
Donate now to support our climate action work
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
