At the Power Shift lobby day yesterday, Minnesotan Senator Amy Klobuchar enthusiastically met with over 70 Minnesota college students from about ten colleges. There were so many of us, the lobby meeting was moved into the main atrium of the Hart Senate building. We could barely fit half of our group into her office. Sen. Klobuchar is a co-sponsor of the Boxer-Sanders bill and is champion of climate change solutions in the Senate.
Her counterpart, Sen. Norm Coleman, was not so excited to meet with us. When we saw that we were not scheduled to visit Sen. Coleman’s office on lobby day, we decided to bring our vision of clean energy directly to him anyway. Fifty students waited outside his office, until the Senator arrived- and then they surprised him by cramming into his office (all fifty!) and demanded that he take our future seriously.
From the start, Sen. Coleman dismissed our ideas and demands. He rejected wind and solar power on the basis that there is no infrastructure and that it would hurt poor people by raising energy bills. He said that “green jobs” are unreliable and ambiguous, and that we really can’t afford to move away from coal, because we would be forcing thousands who work in the coal mines, coal plants, and industries that rely on coal into unemployment. He also condescendingly told us that although he was young and idealistic like us once, he had since grown up and come to live in the “real world.”
Experiences with Senators like Sen. Coleman are incredibly frustrating. We need urgent and comprehensive federal legislation that moves us toward climate neutrality and the creation of skills-based green jobs that can’t be outsourced, and away from coal. Although it is true that we are young and idealistic, we are also practical.
All over the country, students are taking the lead with solid steps in renewable energy investments, energy efficiency programs (that help the low-income communities Sen. Coleman is so concerned about), and community organizing. We are not coming to our legislators and demanding that they do all the work for us. We are all in this together. ALL of our legislators need to step it up and commit to bold and comprehensive climate change legislation.
After our meeting with Sen. Klobuchar in the Hart atrium, students on balconies overlooking the atrium began to loudly chant “80 by 50!” All over the building, Senators and staffers were sticking their heads out of windows and coming out of office to see what was going on. Before being escorted out by security, hundreds of students had energetically and firmly brought their demand for bold and comprehensive climate change solutions to the elected leaders of this country. Klobuchar’s staffers told us they had never seen anything like it before, for any issue. Young people had never created a scene like this before- the whole building was buzzing with our energy. Turns out, Power Shift is more than just a name. Everyone in that atrium could feel the change.
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Word of your “80 by 50″ chant spread throughout the House and Senate office buildings on Lobby Day! I heard questions about it from a couple of people as the day went on and all I could say was “that sounds like Power Shifters to me!” Props to our friends form Minnesota.
I’ve only got one question: is Coleman up for reelection in 2008? Sounds like it’s time for a power shift in Minnesota!
amazing - i heard about this during lobby day too! i think everyone on the hill knew we were there… now we just need to keep up the pressure and make sure the ENERGY BILL GETS PASSED!
don’t worry Laura - y’all are going to kick Coleman’s ass and win back Paul Wellstone’s seat in ‘08.
Coleman actually did us all a favor. Too many politicians will smile and make nice and then vote to favor the fat cats. Coleman told you up front where he’s at and made clear how he does or does not represent us.
The best revenge is to thank him, then work like hell to get him out of office. He’s essentially tied in the polls, one year out. He pissed off 70 college students. Together with their friends, they ought to be able to knock on a LOT of doors and do a lot of volunteer work before November 08.
Thanks Sen. Coleman. One way or another, we’re going to get one more vote in the Senate. If it isn’t yours, we’ll gladly replace you.
Great Job Laura!
I was amazed at the powerful show of force that young people brought into the halls of congress. I could feel the energy and solidarity everywhere I went. We will be heard!
I think what we need now is a national lobbying network to keep all of us Power Shifters up to date on pending legislation. We could flood congress with calls and emails everytime they mistep. Monday, Nov. 5th was only the introduction. We will keep the heat on!
Awesome! Way to stick it to the man there Laura! The only way to get heard it to speak, and it sounds like that happened (in spades). Keep up the good work!