Education

‘A Little Extreme’: University Of Miami Students Were For Ocasio-Cortez’s Green New Deal Until They Found Out What’s In It

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University of Miami students were supportive of Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Green New Deal, but when they learned about the specifics of the proposal, their attitudes went in a different direction.

One student’s initial perception of the deal was that it was “progressive” and would help “push the world forward.”

“Just from knowing who’s endorsed it and just, like, some little things, it sounds great,” another student said.

“I think if we didn’t do that, then we’re gonna be killing ourselves basically, so we need to take care of ourselves,” a different student said.

The Green New Deal includes goals like bringing greenhouse gas emissions down to net-zero within a decade and taking reliance off energy sources that are non-renewable or produce emissions.

Many students said the plan’s timeliness was unfeasible, with one student adding the deal “sounds like a reach.”

“I think 10 years is a little extreme,” another student said. “I feel like there’s such a big, global market and economic impact of oil businesses, albeit it might not be good for the environment, but you can’t deny there’s a big economic impact to these companies.”

They also answered questions about economic security for those not willing to work, which reportedly was originally in the deal’s FAQ document, leaked by Ocasio-Cortez staffers. The document, however, was taken down and the resolution does not contain this provision.

Ocasio-Cortez has a major following among young voters, as well as a substantial social media presence. She garnered the second-most amount of media buzz within a month, coming in after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, according to Axios.

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