A leader in the environmental advocacy group the Sunrise Movement expressed optimism that activists would be able to hold President-elect Joe Biden’s “feet to the fire” on climate issues.
Lauren Maunus, the group’s legislative and advocacy manager, said in a Monday Hill.TV interview that its organizing on Biden’s behalf had delivered a “historic mandate for Green New Deal-style climate action.” Maunus called the size of Biden’s popular vote margin “a testament to him running on that bold vision.”
“Now it’s on us to make sure he embraces that mandate,” she added.
When co-host Krystal Ball pointed out that Biden had repeatedly pointed out on the campaign trail that the Green New Deal is not his plan, Maunus said the Sunrise Movement was ready to “hold his feet to the fire” as president and ensure he “uses every tool in his toolbox to lead on climate to the full extent.”
“I think over the next few years we start with calling an open invitation for Biden to lead on the type of commitments he made, through Day One priorities such as the Office of Climate Mobilization, putting people in his Cabinet who reflect the mandate that he was elected on,” she said, adding, “and I think we use every organizing tool that we have, which is nonviolent direct action and escalated actions and … ask Biden which side he’s on, if he’s with our generation and the movement that elected him with the largest vote margin since FDR.”
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