Is AOC’s Political Future In Jeopardy?
Has the Democrat’s disastrous defeat in November left the political futures of high-profile progressives like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) in doubt? It would seem so as the far-left firebrand faced a pivotal setback when she lost her race to lead Democrats on the House Oversight and Accountability Committee.
Instead, the position went to 74-year-old Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.). Connolly’s victory sparked new anger in liberals pushing for a generational change in leadership, and some are wondering how Ocasio-Cortez will play her cards next.
The “squad” member’s House defeat shows the delicate nature of post-November politics. Her centrist colleagues’ promotion of Connolly sent a clear message that Democrats want to suppress left-wing ideology as they look to rebrand their image, challenging Ocasio-Cortez’s place in the party, which has lost considerable power in Washington.
“Some of the younger members need to be willing to potentially take risk for their careers in Congress, in the political establishment, by calling out Democratic process as harmful to the power-building that they say that they desire,” said Corryn Freeman, the executive director of Future Coalition, an organization that mobilizes young progressives. “I think she needs to say that out loud.”
Some progressives believe she can work more effectively to create fresh energy outside of Capitol Hill. Outside the lower chamber, she would have more freedom to critique the mentality that made fellow Democrats embrace Connolly, stifling her chance to check Republicans under a second Trump term.
While the 35-year-old congresswoman is more outspoken than most in the caucus, she’s still constrained by the House procedures, order, and tradition that can dictate who advances within the ranks. Speaking out more forcefully would likely create ill will in the Democratic caucus, but some say it’s a necessary step toward more national prominence.
“It puts her at risk forever having the opportunity within the party to sit in the seats that we believe she should be sitting in,” Freeman said. “But honestly at the rate at which the Democratic Party is moving, by the time AOC is able to get into a senior seat, a seat of leadership or power in Congress, someone else, it will be their time.”
Democrats have been fighting among each other following President-elect Trump’s win. Moderates have banded together to pin losses on the left. Already villainized by the right, Ocasio-Cortez was considered by many in the House as a risk to promote to the top investigations role. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), the former Speaker, led the effort against her, reportedly working the phones for Connolly to the frustration of progressives who saw the longtime leader as politically hurtful.
If AOC and SQUAD are the FUTURE of the PROGRESSIVES/DEMOCRATS/LEFTIST , then say GOODBYE to OUR FREE CONSTITUTIONAL REPUBLIC and HELLO to another FAILED SOCIALIST STATE CUBA STYLE.
She may be at risk, she may not be. Hard to say. But what I can say is that a house divided among itself cannot stand. Dem Party will only win back power once they start to fully embrace the values of everyday Americans who for the most part do not care about things like woke, tranny rights, gay rights, loan forgiveness, etc. Dem Party has failed in presenting their case as to why they are better for the people than the GOP which is also very sick right now. As an Independent / Unaffiliated voter, I believe our political system is in a sad state of affairs right now with both parties.
Tom, as I said before the election, I feel a McGovern moment coming. And it did. Joy turned to sadness, sadness turned to despair, despair turned to blame. It’s the stages of guilty over losing.
AOC always had the question: keep to the hard left or pivot towards the middle. Coming in like a firebrand, she met Pelosi and cooled her jets a bit. Yet, she fired up every once in awhile. The left has put a target on her back so all was inflated more than the price of gas or eggs.
She walks the tightrope tween the extreme left and the middle and bends extreme, but has listened, at least, to the middle.
I agree, who knows where she goes. The younger in my family are hard left, they even celebrate Luigi as a good start. They are as pissed as the MAGA movement for sure, but in the opposite direction. They have not softened in 4 years of Biden and, as expected, feel cheated by Biden, and so, if they represent our youth, I expect AOC to stay the course and not pivot.
You have some excellent points Frank. As our generation is on the decline and younger generation is on the assent, it seems logical for her to pivot to the left with some modulation on the speed of the pivot. I have considered some of her points in the past to be good points worthy of discussion, and some to be bonkers pass the bong and take another toke points. I think one way or another, she will stay engaged at some level. It would be far worse for her if the far right came to center because then she would look like an outlier with no excuse for why so left.
Yeah that Luigi thing is interesting. I simply take it as an awkward way to express their anger at a health care system and government, neither of which is listening to any of them. I think it was Martin Luther King who said that violence is the language of the oppressed and disenfranchised. Let’s face it, the system is broken and its Medicare Advantage Plan goals of saving the government money is not happening. When a healthcare company puts investors over patient care by denying critical services, its time for a change. Whacking the guy at the top is not the way to make that change, but it does send a message. I have always thought that our Congress should have the exact same health care plans and frustrations as the people they govern. But Congress lives in a Cadillac healthcare bubble that is not representative of the people they govern. Sad. And I do not see Trump making it any better. I am still an advocate for Medicare for all, and everybody pays a basic rate of 5% of their income, period.
FD, when a healthcare company can make $240 billion in a year, that is obscene. The real question is why does Luigi get called a murderer for shooting one person (which I agree that he is a murderer) while the guy at the top of UHC who monetarily incentivized his claims analysts to deny claims which led to shareholder profits and many deaths seems to escape without any condemnation while government knew all about what was going on. Shouldn’t we consider the CEO of UHC to be a mass murderer or at least a serial abuser?
I need to better understand the profit margin and denial story before I conclude anything
They have the most denials but are they Satan or legitimate.
They make a lot of money, but are they ripping folks off?
Looks like yes in both cases but if profit margin tight, a lot of profit means people buy them.
And is high denial rate because they have more people, cover higher risk, both? M
I have had UHC for decades; no issues.
Instead of people like AOC radically changing the Democrat Party to the DemoncRAT Party, maybe we should have 3 political parties. The Sane Republican Party, the Mostly Sane Democrat Party and the Radically Insane DemoncRAT Party!
Actually I am in favor of a third party for moderates from both parties, and Independents. And two election cycles where the first one determines which two of the three parties garnered the most votes and the party with the least votes is eliminated. Then the second election cycle 3 months after the first election cycle to see which party got the most above 50%. And I am also in favor of a no confidence vote where the election did not achieve a winner above 50% and both parties go back to the drawing board.
This actually sounds like a reasonable plan to start with something new. Regardless, our country is being torn apart by the Radical Liberals/Leftists. We have entered a radical political age where we must adopt a third political party instead of the old two archaic party system. It’s time to move forward with something new after nearly 300 years.
And magarat republicans, scared of magarat republicans, rinos, real republicans.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) Media comments from past interviews
This woman is profoundly, agonizingly and staggeringly stupid. In an interview about the Federal Government Ocasio-Cortez was unaware of the Three (3) branches of government. She thought that there were “Three (3) Chambers of Government, The Presidency, The Senate and The House”. In reality, they are the Executive, Judicial, Legislative branches of government.
Her knowledge or rather “LACK” of knowledge of foreign affairs and science is even more staggering! In an interview on PBS, Cortez was unaware that there was a country in the Middle East called Israel oe a territory called Palestine. To QUOTE Cortez, “Who is Mr Israel, I think it is his last name, but it may be his given name, (she referring to Benjamin Netanyahu) if he wants to help build world peace, he will stop with the settlements, and by that we mean “settlementing”, (yes she said settlementing) for anything less than a livable minimum wage. PBS pointed out that Israel was not a fellows name but a Middle East Country and settlement referred to homes built in disputed territory.
Cortez science knowledge, her Climate Change proposal, “If we change our times with the sole intent of increasing the amount of daylight we receive, that’s an extra hour of sunshine that will warm the planet. That’s one Extra Hour per day of extra heat warming our already unstable planet. We need to repeal “Daylight Savings Time” as a primary measure to decrease the rate of Climate Change. Less hours of sunshine equal less heat hitting Earth’s surface. We’re running out of time.
How did AOC even get elected??? Is this what our congressional members are coming to? AOC is a complete Joke, she an idiot!!! She has no business in Congress.