MSNBC "All In with Chris Hayes" - Transcript: "Booker demands answers from AG Barr."
Interview
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HAYES: We are on track to have the hottest July and quite possibly the hottest month ever measured on Earth since we`ve been measuring. That comes on the heels of the hottest June on record, as noted by The Washington Post, quote, nine of the 10 warmest years on record have occurred since 2000, a trend that scientists have tied mainly to human emissions of greenhouse gases. Right now the biggest problem we face here and across the world is the climate crisis that is upon us. But the things that one of only two of the major parties even accepts that it exists, and one of the two parties has decided to do nothing, actually worse than that, the Republican Party is actually committed to making it worse. And so the situation we`re in is that the planet basically depends on electing people to power who will actually do something to address the climate crisis. Now Democrats are left trying to do the work for both parties. But as it stands, they hold a majority in the senate. They have little recourse to stop President Trump as he rips up environmental regulations left and right. So now Senate Democrats are trying to lay the groundwork for actual legislative action if they take back the majority in 2020. Today they took their first stab at that. Senate Democrats held their first hearing of the special committee on the climate crisis. And joining me now is that new committee`s chairman, Democratic Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii. All right, Senator, what`s the idea here?
SEN. BRIAN SCHATZ, (D) HAWAII: Well, we want to lay the predicate for action in 2021. We know that Mitch McConnell is not just dedicated to inaction on the senate floor as it relates to climate change, but to making it worse, to confirming nominees that are destroying the environment, but also to do whatever he can to enhance the standing of polluters in our society. And so we decided we`re not going to wait for Mitch anymore. We`ve convened our own special committee. And the basic idea is to lay the substantive predicate for action in 2021, but also to build the coalition necessary. And that I think is the key aspect of this. We want to make sure that climate action is not just about birds and butterflies, it`s not just about coastal elites or people who like to hike or surf or snorkel, although I`m one of those people, we want to snake sure that people who farm, who fish, who hunt, who worry about wildfires and floods and super storms throughout the Midwest, the west, and the south understand that climate action is way cheaper than climate inaction.
HAYES: So you mean that as internal to the caucus and coalition of the Democratic Party and the center left in this country?
SCHATZ: That`s right. I think we have to do some work first, and as I hear people talk about a climate change, you know, everybody sort of agrees that it`s time to take action, but I think we need to kind of invert this conversation. A lot of people talk what must be done and why it`s urgent, and then sort of the last sentence of the paragraph says oh, by the way, this will be good for working people too. And I think we have to start with working people. We have to center this conversation around regular people who are struggling to make ends meet, describe their situation, and describe how climate action can actually help them. And I really believe that it can. You know, people are worried about AI and robotics sort of disintegrating the working class in the United States. But there are going to be a lot of jobs that can`t be done by robots or AI or automation in laying solar panels, in retrofitting buildings, in clean energy technology. And so what we have to do is a Marshall plan for clean energy. And I think we can do it and build the coalition necessary through 2020, and then in 2021 we`ll be ready to take action.
HAYES: Something interesting I`ve noted, the president gave a speech about the environment, I guess it was last week or maybe the week before, that the reporting indicated was just like put together -- prompted by pollsters -- you`re pretty bad on this and public perception. And today Republicans -- I think this is today -- Republicans today launched an environment minded conservation caucus aimed at battling the perception their party doesn`t care about climate change, which by the way excellent wording their, it`s aimed at battling the perception. The bicameral group lists public land access, water quality and ocean pollution among its priorities. Do you think they`re on the wrong side of this politically now?
SCHATZ: Oh, yeah, they`re on the wrong side of this. You know, a majority of Republicans -- voters, not elected officials -- actually want climate action. And this polls incredibly well with independents. And of course, it`s the number one or two voting issue for Democratic primary voters. So they`re on the wrong side not just of history, but of polling. And they`re now all getting briefed by their individual pollsters and strategists saying hey, you`ve got to come up with something. Now, my own view is that there may be a time for bipartisan work, but actually, our bludgeoning of them on the Senate floor, through the media, through social media and just generally out there in the world is causing them to realize that they can`t stand on this burning platform for much longer politically, they`ve got to come up with something.
HAYES: All right, Senator Brian Schatz, thank you very much.
SCHATZ: Thank you.
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