The Democratic Party is starting its platform writing process this summer in anticipation of next year’s 2022 nominating convention and primaries and state elections. It is a chance for us to help bring the Green New Deal home!

         Getting involved in the platform-writing process not only shapes the climate and justice demands we are able to make on elected officials but also positions 350 Mass members to push for candidates supporting our issues in the 2022 nominating convention.  (And that convention will be a wild one, with big fights for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Sec of State, possibly AG, Treasurer, and lastly, Auditor!)

If we plan well, we can similarly use this opportunity to lay the groundwork for what looks to be bruising 2022 primary and final election fights for State Senate and House of Representative seats. In addition to the new seats that we’ll want to help climate-progressives to win, it is currently predicted that a large number of currently serving progressive Legislators (perhaps 8 Senators and 10 to 12 Representatives) intend to step down, opening room for conservatives to make a run.

 >>There are three ways that 350 Mass members can get involved: 

(1) Apply to become an add-on delegate to the Platform Convention in Lowell on September 25th. Add-on delegates must belong to a historically underrepresented group—youth, minority, disabled, or LGBTQ+.

(2) Speak at one of the open-to-all-Democrats Congressional District hearings and help shape the platform that democrats will vote on at the convention.

(3) Submit written testimony to help shape the platform. This testimony must be received by August 14, 2021 at 5pm.

All Information on The Democratic Platform hearings and how to testify can be found here

>> TALKING POINTS (see below) suitable for all three (including the one-minute verbal explanation of why you want to be a delegate that you will have to give, in person or virtually, to your ward or town Democratic Committee..

         PLEASE encourage all 350 Mass members (in both 350 Mass Nodes and 350 Mass Action Chapters) to do at least one of the three options.  (If you can’t attend the Sept. 25 convention but have a progressive neighbor or friend who might be interested, see if they’d be willing to be nominated – numbers count!)

         AND let Cabell Eames (staff state political director) and Steve Miller (volunteer state political team coordinator) know of which action you are taking so we can keep track and coordinate our efforts:  [email protected], [email protected]

TALKING POINTS

(These echo our state-level and municipal campaign themes, but feel free to add others.)

Three Themes: Prevention, Adaptation, Repair

 (1) We need to continue reducing greenhouse gas emissions to prevent the already-happening climate crisis from turning into a global catastrophe. 

(2) We also need to do more to help communities and families become more resilient by adapting to those climate-related changes that are already locked-in to our future. 

(3) And we need to redress the past and continued inequalities that persist in low-income, non-white, and immigrant neighborhoods to prevent current disparities from worsening.

Three Areas of Action:  Transportation, Building Heating, and Energy Production sectors are the source of most of Massachusetts’ greenhouse gas emissions.

(1) Transportation…

(a) Electrify and expand our public mass transit system – rail, subway, bus, and small vehicles -- revising routes and schedules and fares to better serve working class communities as well as suburban commuters.

(b) Incentivize and require the switch to non-polluting vehicles by government, businesses, and individuals including a ban on future sales of internal combustion vehicles and programs to help low-income families turn-in gas guzzlers in exchange for vouchers for EVs.

(c) Incentives and programs to cause a rapid and massive increase in the number of publicly-available and private high-speed EV charging stations.

(2) Building Heat & Hot Water…

(a) Require Mass Save to live up to the letter and spirit of the state’s Next Gen Climate bill by explicitly helping participants fully electrify as well as weatherize/insulate their homes; with expanded services to make it easier for low-income and non-English-fluent property owners to participant as well as programs that bring landlords and tenants together to raise the value of the property through Mass Save’s expanded programs without raising rents.

(b) Push municipalities to quickly adopt the state’s new “Net Zero” Stretch Code for new construction and major renovation.

(c) Ensure that current workers in the gas industry be given a smooth transition to new climate-protective pipeline jobs or other options, and that there be equitable training for and hiring into new jobs as this industry expands.

(3) Move Towards Clean Energy…

(a) Increase the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) annual increase from 3% to 4% (or more).

(b) Demand that the regional electric grid’s supervision agency, the Independent System Operation-New England, and its powerful New England Power Pool Advisory Board, be re-organized and redirected to prioritize greenhouse gas reduction and environmental justice.

(c) Ensure that current workers in the gas industry be given a smooth transition to new climate-protective pipeline jobs or other options, and that there be equitable training for and hiring into new jobs as this industry expands.