Transformative Change for Our Communities = Angry Elected Officials

At NYCC, we’re pushing for big, transformative policy changes, because little stuff doesn’t make hardly any difference for our members. And there’s no time left on climate change: it’s time to go big or go home because radical cuts in pollution are needed… now.

Our approach, frankly, is very different from most mainline advocacy groups. All-too-many advocacy organizations call it “leadership” when an elected official takes some marginal action in support of a public policy that’s really just a small, tentative baby step in the right direction. When we hear that, we think: this ain’t it, chief. Climate change demands radical action, immediately, to give us a fighting chance at avoiding worldwide catastrophe. The chart pictured here shows the deep and massive pollution cuts needed, immediately. There’s simply no time left for policy that’s a “step in the right direction.”

NYCC demands real leadership on the issue, which involves bold, transformative policy that actually slashes pollution while also taking on inequality… and that means overcoming opposition from powerful, deep-pocketed corporate interests such as the real estate industry and/or the oil and gas companies.

But you won’t catch us praising blue-state elected officials who duck their responsibility to take on the climate crisis by only passing small bore policies that don’t get the job done – and don’t seriously take on the powerful special interests that need to be overcome. Perhaps that makes some sense as a political strategy in red or purple states, but not in New York.

We’re also unafraid of angering politicians. Seriously: most elected officials get mad when we pressure them in public. And they aren’t shy about calling and complaining, or even threatening our organization. We won’t name names, but we’ve taken some angry calls in the past 2 years as a result of our aggressive, results-oriented campaigns.

At the end of the day, though, while many groups prioritize access to elected officials, we prioritize results. As an organization, we don’t need to get a meeting. We don’t particularly care if they return our phone calls. It doesn’t matter to us if they list us in their press releases. While we certainly prefer to be on good terms with elected leaders, we only truly care about results: serious action that’s at the scale of the climate and inequality crisis – and matches what our members and their constituents want and need to get done. Only building and deploying power through organizing and campaigns can win transformative results. So when they get mad and threaten us, we don’t flinch. And funny enough, when they then turn around and do what we want, we’re besties again!