John,

The second round of Democratic presidential debates starts tomorrow, but we already know how things will go down.

In the first set of debates last month, climate change only showed up in piecemeal sound bites with little substance or attention. The Green New Deal, which DFA members like you ranked as the #1 issue in our latest 2020 Pulse Poll, was barely mentioned.

Um... it’s only the most pressing issue of our lifetimes, threatening to destroy our environment with extreme storms and raging wildfires, killing off thousands of species, and harming our economy to the point of no return. AND we’re running out of time to fix it… but sure, let’s skip it.

Listen, the Democratic National Committee has refused to hold a debate focused solely on climate change, but that doesn’t mean we have to let the issue be ignored. CNN, which is hosting the debates this week, can still ask the candidates how they will fight catastrophic climate change. They can still give the Green New Deal the kind of stage time other critical issues get, but they’re not going to do it unless we push them.

The media pays attention to Twitter, just look at the non-stop coverage of every single Trump tweet. Take a minute right now to demand the moderators ask a question about the Green New Deal. You can use our tweet below by clicking here or write your own with the hashtag #DFADemandsAction, either way, we’ll retweet you to double the impact!

Hey @CNN, @DanaBashCNN, @donlemon, and @jaketapper: climate change is the most important issue facing our generation. I want to know which candidates support the #GreenNewDeal. Ask the candidates if they have a plan for tackling climate change. #DemDebate #DFADemandsAction

Even though CNN is hosting a Climate Crisis Town Hall later this year, it's not enough. If you tweet before the debates, it will have an impact. CNN will notice, because when we work together, our voices are louder and more powerful than those trying to drown us out.

-Charles

Charles Chamberlain, Chair
Democracy for America

P.S. Don’t have Twitter, but still want to help out? You can donate $5 right here to help us elect progressive candidates who support the Green New Deal.