Jewish Community and the Green New Deal

by: Lenny

Mon Dec 08, 2008 at 17:32:29 PM EST

Since I first wrote about the Apollo Project a couple of years ago, much has advanced. Just this past weekend, President Elect Barack Obama pledged a public works project on a vast scale that would emphasize green investment to achieve economic recovery. Indeed, the progress from vision to reality is truly impressive.

The announcement comes amid a growing consensus that to overcome the country’s economic crisis in a manner that is sustainable and forward thinking, the government needs embark on a "Green New Deal" investing in initiatives to repair infrastructure, increase the production and consumption of renewable energy, encourage energy efficiency, and upgrade the electricity grid. This sentiment has been echoed by leaders across the political spectrum, as well as abroad.

Of course, the Jewish community was a critical part of the original New Deal coalition, the grouping of voting blocs that supported the New Deal and voted for FDR who faced a right-wing backlash. That coalition not only proved to be a lasting political alignment that survived well into the late 1960s but also supported his economic recovery policy agenda.

Now that there is buzz of a "Green New Deal" it seems natural to ask what today's coalition will look like and assess in what way the Jewish community will be involved in these momentous changes.