A radical climate agenda that seeks to fundamentally transform America’s food system is now squarely in the spotlight as a newly unearthed paper exposes a Colorado Democrat’s push to target livestock, not just fossil fuels, in the name of global warming.
Manny Rutinel, the Democratic candidate for Congress in Colorado's 8th Congressional District, once co-authored a document calling for aggressive government intervention to push farmers away from animal agriculture. This isn't just about emissions; it’s about a direct assault on the livelihoods of American ranchers and farmers, whose critical work feeds the nation.
Rutinel's 2022 paper, published with the Environmental Law Institute, boldly claimed, "Simply put, achieving the Paris Agreement goals will be nearly impossible without ambitious policies that reform our food system." The implication is chilling: the globalist climate agenda, previously focused on energy, now seeks to dictate what Americans eat and how American farms operate. Funny how common sense is often the first casualty of radical climate schemes.
The document reveals Rutinel’s vision for a government-led overhaul, suggesting that agribusiness should be forced to "internalize the environmental, public health, and animal welfare costs of animal farms through regulations, mandates or taxes." This is classic Washington overreach: using the heavy hand of government, through either punitive measures or taxpayer-funded incentives, to compel farmers to abandon traditional animal agriculture for plant-based operations.
His proposal even suggested state and local governments could finance "offsetting projects" to reduce emissions, effectively creating a carbon credit market for agriculture – another layer of bureaucratic control over hardworking Americans. Apparently, our ranchers need permission slips from climate activists to operate their farms.
The sheer audacity of Rutinel's plan is particularly astounding given his current political ambitions. Colorado’s 8th district is the state’s leading producer of beef cattle and dairy, with 75% of its 2.5 million acres devoted to farming and raising livestock. These are the very people Rutinel would penalize and push out of business. It’s almost as if he believes voters won't connect the dots between his radical past and their own dinner tables.
In a politically convenient pivot, Rutinel has recently attempted to portray himself as a champion of the very industry he previously sought to dismantle. He now claims Colorado ranchers are his "friends and neighbors" and the "backbone of our economy." This sudden appreciation for American agriculture rings hollow, particularly for voters who remember his earlier flip-flop on conversion therapy after facing left-wing backlash. It’s a pattern of abandoning principles when political expediency demands it.
Republicans were quick to condemn Rutinel’s true intentions. Zach Kraft, a spokesperson for the Republican National Committee, did not mince words, stating, "You have to be legitimately insane to look at the Green New Deal and think it doesn't go far enough. Meatless Manny's vision to ban ranching would not only lead to catastrophic job losses in Colorado but also cause a beef shortage across America."
This isn't just about one candidate or one district; it's a stark reminder of the radical left's relentless pursuit of control over every aspect of American life, from our energy grid to our dinner plates. The choice facing Colorado's 8th District, where Rutinel will face Republican Rep. Gabe Evans in November 2026, is clear: will they protect their ranchers, their economy, and common-sense American values, or succumb to the dictates of the 'Meatless Manny' movement and the globalist climate agenda?
