Environmental justice. Environmental health. Environmental equity. The Democrats have rebranded the infamous “Green New Deal” to apply in every circumstance, and their latest Congressional taxing and spending spree is no exception. Radical climate activists and the environmental lobby are lining up to cash in, but there’s something much bigger at play. The left is using their ever-expanding "green" crusade as a distraction from the crises Joe Biden and the Democrats have created. 

If you need an example, look no further than the southern border. Just last week, reports revealed that over 500,000 illegal immigrants have evaded capture since October. Among them were drug dealers, human traffickers, and gang members who could still be roaming free in the United States. While President Trump took a strong stance on the border – completing over 450 miles of wall – Joe Biden came into office determined to undermine his progress. The White House has used media-driven climate panic to support expensive “green” initiatives and as an excuse as to why they feel they have no choice but to prioritize the environment over national security. Following the White House’s lead, the Department of Homeland Security issued a plan for reallocating border wall funds over "environmental concerns," and just this summer, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced an "environmental assessment" to halt 70 miles of construction. Meanwhile, the flow of illegal immigrants across the border continues at an alarming rate. 

Biden’s climate cover-up extends far beyond the southern border. The left's spending habit has pushed the U.S. into a recession, inflation to a 40-year high, and consumer confidence to a record low. Still, the White House agreed to a new – and deeply cynical – multibillion dollar spending plan that allows vulnerable Democrats to play climate politics even as American families struggle to sustain their households. If the left doesn't get their way on Capitol Hill, it’s highly likely Biden will declare a "climate emergency,” and leave the American people to deal with the fallout of the economic emergency his policies created. 

This same “green” gimmick is at play with Biden’s energy policies. Since last year, energy costs have skyrocketed, with gas prices alone going up 59.9%. In Tennessee, families are working overtime to pay their electric bills and bus drivers are switching routes in order to conserve their fuel intake. The Biden administration, however, is guilting these same people for not making “greener” energy choices. Determined to make good on his campaign promises, Biden has so far issued 42 regulations that promote "green" energy but sabotaged any chance at regaining American energy independence — which was the status quo on the day Biden took office. Meanwhile, Biden has kept busy overseas by propping up OPEC nations and boosting the Chinese Communist Party's oil reserves – once again at the expense of the American people. 

While some in Washington may view the left’s climate panic as genuine concern for the environment, Tennesseans know the White House's plan is far more sinister. The administration is well aware that just one percent of voters consider climate change the most important issue facing the country, but Democrats will not back down on their relentless climate messaging. They know that if they do, they’ll have to focus on fixing the damage they caused; and with electoral prospects already dim, they can’t afford to own up to the mess. But that doesn’t mean we can’t work together to expose them. I've championed efforts on Capitol Hill to build the wall, slow spending, and support American energy instead of the New Axis of Evil. 

The left has spent their time in power rebranding "green" policies to be the perfect distraction, but Americans see right through it. Rather than using climate politics as a cover for worsening the challenges we face, Democrats need to give up the game. Until they stop the "green" gimmicks, Americans will suffer under their policies.