We all recognized that Trump’s election would be bad for programs to combat climate change, but many of us seriously underestimated the ferocity of his actions to slash funding and regulations. Nor did we foresee the extent to which this president’s brutal attacks on climate science and his reversal of climate-friendly policies would be overshadowed in the public eye by his blatant attempts to undermine the very foundations of our democracy (e.g., free speech, free press, rule of law, human rights, voting) and his disruption of  core elements of our society (e.g., economy, health care). Less surprising but still dismaying, we watched as a compliant majority in Congress and a deferential Supreme Court refused to contain Trump’s onslaught.

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But now, finally, the midterm election could strip this president of his control over the House and even the Senate,

restoring some safeguards for both the climate and democracy. We want to influence the outcome. Yet we recognize that as an election-year issue climate change is eclipsed by voters’ distress over increased costs of living and this president’s voluntary pursuit of an disastrous war. In America, today’s cost of gas and groceries do more to determine how people vote than the price they and their children will pay tomorrow for the worsening and irreversible damage done by Trump’s expansion of fossil fuel emissions. 

 

So, we have developed a strategy that meets two goals: 1) to put our political contributions to work where they can have the most impact to deny Trump his complicit, facilitating majority in the House of Representatives, and 2) to elevate the importance of climate change as a political issue in this and in future elections.

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We invite your participation. Here’s what we are doing and the opportunity it provides those who share our goals:

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1. We have identified eight candidates for seats in the U.S. House who:

• Are running campaigns in tight, “toss-up” races, the outcome of which will help determine the House majority.  

• Are “climate-friendly,” meaning they have professional backgrounds, personal commitments, histories, legislative records and/or campaign positions that favor climate-friendly government policies and development of clean, alternative energy sources.   

• Are in races where support and financial contributions from groups such as ours could make a difference in the outcome.   

 

2. We are inviting our classmates, fellow alumni, friends, families, colleagues and associates to make one or more contributions of any size to each of the eight candidates using the links we provide to their contribution pages.

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3.  We are urging these same classmates, fellow alumni, friends, families, colleagues and associates to spread the word about our campaign, referring them to the campaign description on this page and the Candidates page.

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4. We will take every opportunity to hold out our campaign as evidence of the importance voters like us attach to electing climate-friendly legislators and to a government that pursues sound climate-protecting policies. Every participant in this campaign will enhance the message to elected officials that voters demand action on climate change.

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5. We will inform campaign officials for the recommended candidates of our efforts to elevate the climate as an important political issue and the expected contributions they will receive as a result.

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Think for a minute about what we can accomplish in the next few weeks.  Although we lack the capacity to track contributions you and others may make, we estimate that from the 150 Climate-Concerned Amherst Alumni and from those we reach out to and their friends and colleagues (Join Us), our campaign could generate no less than $100,000 to $300,000 from modest-sized ($10 - $50) contributions to climate-friendly candidates, or $12,000 - $37,500 for each of our selected candidates.

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Second, the uniqueness of our campaign, the prospect of raising significant financial support for climate-friendly candidates, and any public attention we can draw to our effort will help elevate climate change as an issue. Participating in this campaign can be a meaningful contribution to both the climate and to the defense of democracy in the midterms and beyond. Acting together, we can magnify our impact on this election and on climate policies far beyond what most of us are able to do individually.

 

We thank you for your time and hope you will join our campaign!