It’s time for a non-corporate, fossil free cabinet

For the last four years, we’ve witnessed the unchecked racism, environmental damage, and sheer incompetence of having the White House and Administration run by corporate fossil fuel flunkies.

Thanks to our work and the work of many others to block Trump’s attempts to undermine the election and overturn the results, and thanks to the votes of more than 80 million Americans, Joe Biden will become the 46th President of the United States on January 20th, 2021.

When he does, he’ll need an administration to get to work on day one that will fight for justice, climate action, and a green new deal to build back better. Unfortunately, Biden is under tremendous pressure from corporations and polluters to rehire the same corporate lobbyists, executives, and consultants from the revolving door of failed action on climate and other priorities.

This week is our best chance to convince Biden and his team to hire real, diverse, climate leaders for key positions in the administration. In short, it’s time for a fossil free cabinet. Sign now to tell President-elect Biden and the Senate: appoint and confirm public-minded progressives who will act on climate to the new administration!

Biden faces an un-enviable list of crises on his first day — from the pandemic to climate change to police brutality. To solve those crises, with a focus on those hit first and worst by the impacts, means we need progressive champions in the administration who see the intersection of race, immigration, policing and climate; And are willing and able to act on day one.

I’m talking about a stark difference between nominees for key positions like the Secretaries of Agriculture, Interior, and Energy, as well as who will lead the EPA under Biden.

Biden needs people with proven track records of prioritizing the interest of the public and our common home. Moreover, he must decline to nominate or hire corporate lobbyists, top executives of big corporations, and prominent corporate consultants — especially fossil fuel corporations. And if necessary, Biden should use tools like the Vacancies Act and recess appointments to overcome obstruction by Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans. Sign here if you agree!

Here’s just a few of the decisions Biden could make this week – having moved quickly to name his nominees to deal with the pandemic and economic crises already:

• For Agriculture Biden is reported to be considering:
  • Heidi Heitkamp, a former Senator who voted to block Congress from enacting a carbon tax, approve the Keystone XL pipeline, and expedite the approval of permits for drilling on public lands. Heitkamp is also famous for raising more money than any other incumbent (at the time) from dirty fossil fuel and big-ag companies.
    Or
  • Marcia Fudge, a black Congresswoman from Ohio who’s spent her career fighting for food stamps, nutritional assistance, and making healthy organic food available to all — which is what 80% of the Department of agriculture budget is for (btw she’s also on the house committee that oversees Ag and has been fantastic at holding corrupt Trump officials accountable)
• For Interior Biden is Considering
  • Senator Tom Udall – another Centrist Senator with a history of backing false solutions like ‘biomass‘, carbon capture coal plants, and nuclear power.
    OR
  • Deb Haaland, a climate justice champion who signed the No Fossil Fuel Money pledge, fought the Dakota Access Pipeline and fossil fuels, and who’d be the first Native woman to hold the role, which also oversees the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
• For Energy Biden is reportedly leaning towards
  • Earnest Moniz, a holdover from the Obama days with a track record of supporting fracking, nuclear power, and worse. Perhaps most-concerning, Moniz once traded favors with corporate polluters in Georgia — leading to higher rates and less clean power, in exchange for a paid seat on the board of Southern Company, one of the country’s dirtiest utility companies.
• For EPA Biden is reportedly considering
  • Mary Nichols, a California political insider backed by big business and Republicans who’s the architect of dangerous emissions trading schemes like REDD that we have protested over in the past.
    Or
  • Dr. Mustafa Ali who led the EPA’s Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice, until Trump disbanded it and he resigned in protest. Ali has been a consistent, constant advocate for climate action that centers the voices of and impacts on communities of color, which is why he’s also endorsed by 350.org and lots of other progressive partners.

Any or all of these positions might be announced this week. If we want Biden to pick leaders like Fudge, Haaland, Ali and more, we need to show him and the Senate that the American people demand bold leadership — NOW.

Sign Now to tell President-elect Biden and the Senate should appoint and confirm public-minded progressives to the new administration!

meme image made with thanks to photography by Gage Skidmore (Biden) Martin Falbisoner (White House) and design by Ruliani (fossil)