Victory! We stopped Manchin’s dirty deal, and what comes next.

We win! First of all thank you, so much, to everyone who called, wrote to members of Congress, signed petitions, came to our Sept 8 rally in DC, visited a local member of Congress’ office or in any other myriad ways stood up and said NO to Manchin’s dirty deal.

I made a little video to spread the news, and explain a bit of what comes next. Before you watch that though, take a second and send a thought and some support for all our relatives struggling with real climate chaos impacts from Hurricane Ian and other recents storms. Puerto Rico, Nova Scotia and Cuba are still recovering from storms that just passed, and Ian is laying waste to large parts of Florida today. Check out the Climate Justice Alliance report on Puerto Rico resilience and rebuilding for some innovative ideas, and stand ready for mutual aid and solidarity work in the days and weeks ahead.

Back to legislation and the US Congress, the victory is truly the result of pressure from the grassroots — including you. So thanks, again.

It’s also not the end of the road for Manchin’s dirty deal or the worst ideas of US fossil fueled fascists. In the same breath that Manchin admitted defeat, he promised to bring the dirty deal back for another voter during the “lame duck” Congressional session in December. That timing is important because it will be after the elections, and when everyone will be most distracted, and least likely to mount a major, sustained effort to kill the bill (like we did this month).

Also deeply concerning is that Democratic leaders — including President Biden & Senator Schumer — continue to express support for Manchin’s dirty deal. This week, hundreds of environmental justice groups, dozens of members of Congress, and a handful of Senate Democrats were enough to beat back Manchin’s dirty deal. But if Schumer and Biden make even more concessions to the fossil fuel industry, they might get Republicans to support an even-dirtier version of Manchin’s dirty deal. Again, the timing is important because if Schumer and Biden were to strike a bargain with Republicans, it probably would be after the election – so, again, December 2022.

What’s next

So, where do we go from here?

1. Obviously, we need to keep an eye on Congress, especially during that “lame duck” session after the election, before New Year’s day. 198 methods works on direct action and digital campaigns, but not elections — but you should absolutely register to vote (or check and update your registration if you’ve moved, changed your name or anything else in the last 2 years) and get involved with local, state and federal elections to support climate-minded candidates.
2. Biden, declare a Climate Emergency. Second we need to renew and expand our push on President Biden to declare a climate emergency.
   • First, because having shut the door on legislation for a few weeks, it’s the next logical step for Biden to take. He’s gotten what he’s going to get on climate action from this Congress. Now he needs to take the next steps on executive action, just like he’s done lately on student debt relief and other issues. The fact that the US is being slammed by (yet another) record hurricane season should also make this timing more obvious to the White House.
   • Also, because declaring a climate emergency, and going big on national strategies like a clean energy arsenal of freedom would make good use of the best parts of the inflation Reduction Act, and make it less likely that Manchin and the fossil fuel fascists will try and hijack them for dirty purposes.
3. Finally, we need to get back to the mission we were founded for – which is adding digital tools and capabilities to direct action campaigns that get in the way of fossil fuel infrastructure. Our friends at BXE have already started going back to the monthly FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) meetings to take action at the ‘point of decision.’ Additional tactics and actions will be required soon to stop the Mountain Valley Pipeline, fossil fuel export terminals in the gulf, and a new generation of fossil fuel leases on public lands and waters – just to name a few.

All to say, and you probably saw this coming, we’ve got a lot to do in the days and weeks ahead! If you can, chip in $1.98 a week, or whatever you can afford, to keep us operating and make sure that anytime Joe Manchin brings back his dirty deal, we’re right there to stop him again.