(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . How Democrats Can Start Winning on Climate Policy Again [1] ['Thom Hartmann', 'Chloris Creator', 'Dan K', 'Momma O', 'Greg Dworkin'] Date: 2026-07-01 With the 2026 midterms approaching, Democrats are confronting the difficult reality that many of the working class voters who once formed the backbone of the party’s coalition have drifted away. The challenge is especially acute on economic issues, where Republicans — all their inflationary blunders notwithstanding — have made significant gains among voters employed in manufacturing, construction, energy, and other blue-collar industries. That concern was underscored by the Democratic Party’s recent post-election autopsy of Kamala Harris’s defeat. Among its clearest findings was that “climate change and green energy transition messaging” created anxiety among workers in traditional industries who feared losing their jobs. I take no backseat to anyone regarding the importance of clean energy and climate change. I have made those issues a centerpiece of my career in public service. But too often voters now perceive parts of the party’s climate agenda as disconnected from the economic realities facing working families. It isn’t that voters reject the party’s environmental goals. They are just concerned that they will bear the economic costs. This was reinforced by polling in 2024 that found more than half of voters said the economy was an “extremely important” issue, compared to only 21 percent who saw climate change that way. Americans’ concerns about wages, energy costs, and job security remained more immediate than long-term environmental goals. Democrats have taken note and are adjusting their political playbook. A June Inside Climate News analysis of Democratic congressional press releases shows that mentions of climate change have decreased significantly since last year. This isn’t to say Democrats should give up their fight for a cleaner Earth. Not by a long shot. Securing a livable planet isn’t optional. It’s essential to our future. For Democrats, the question has moved beyond whether we should tackle climate change to how we do it. There is a better way forward. We can embrace policies that enhance working people’s quality of life without making the working class feel as if they are footing the costs. The clean energy manufacturing boom sparked by recent federal investments offers a model. New battery plants, solar manufacturing facilities, and grid modernization projects are creating jobs in states that have seen manufacturing decline for decades. By expanding domestic clean-energy production, modernizing the electric grid, strengthening apprenticeship programs, and ensuring new energy projects deliver tangible economic benefits, Democrats can show voters that climate policy is not merely about reducing emissions but also about creating economy opportunity. While many Democrats are wisely adjusting their messaging and approach to climate issues, others are still embracing proposals that won’t help voters struggling to pay their bills. States like California, Connecticut, and Minnesota, for example, have considered climate superfunds or suing fossil fuel companies for decades of damages. The New Jersey Statehouse is contemplating doing the same. These funds seek to recover costs from fossil fuel companies for decades of climate-related damages. Critics argue that much of the cost could ultimately be passed on to consumers through higher energy and transportation prices. In New Jersey alone, estimates project that the climate superfund bill will cost each New Jersey household hundreds of dollars on transportation and electricity costs annually. To be clear: If a company engaged in fraud or deception, it should be held accountable, full stop. But that’s very different from arguing that companies should now be held financially responsible for broad climate impacts arising from products that were legally produced and sold and are widely used by the most economically vulnerable members of the current electorate. Strong climate protections should remain a hallmark of the party’s platform. Advocating for increased investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency, modernized infrastructure, and domestic clean-energy manufacturing will create good-paying union jobs and play well with the electorate. However, given today’s economic challenges and the repeated affordability concerns expressed by voters, policymakers should ensure that the costs of the energy transition do not fall disproportionately on low- and middle-income households, which could undermine public support for climate action itself. The overall transition to renewables, which should still be the party’s goal, will take time. America is still vulnerable to the costs of fossil fuels, as the conflict with Iran demonstrates. Policymakers should be careful not to move too fast in a manner that will impose costs that working families cannot afford. Democrats cannot afford to surrender America’s working class to Donald Trump’s Republican Party. If climate policy becomes synonymous with good-paying jobs, lower energy costs, and economic opportunity, Democrats can build the coalition needed to protect both the planet and their political future. Klink is a former Democratic member of Congress from Pennsylvania [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2026/7/1/800063846/community/how-democrats-can-start-winning-on-climate-policy-again/ Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/