I have been incredibly impressed with AOC over even the last 3 or 4 years.
She used to be “generic Squad member” in that she mostly was focused on antagonizing establishment democrats and not actually accomplishing anything other than giving republicans a chance to regroup.
But basically since the war in Ukraine started it feels like someone gave her a stern talking to and she realized how to actually help people. She is still more than willing to tear into the shittiest parts of the Democrats but she also understands… we have a common enemy and need to focus on that. And when she DOES compromise, she is actually really good about explaining why and what her hard lines are.
She is basically what I wish sanders actually had been: A progressive (with leftist tendencies) voice that also understands how to make progress.
That said: She is still young for a politician. In five or six years (when she is in her 40s) I think we need her in leadership roles. That said… I also think she probably should be ready to flee the country come February because republicans hate her with the fury of a thousand suns.
People forget that sanders was literally a meme about how nobody watches c-span. He spent so much of his political career actively antagonizing Democrats (seriously, look up how he abused primaries to guarantee he won) that it completely undermined most of his attempts to get anything other than a pork amendment on bills.
It is hard to measure direct contributions by the nature of politics. But the fact that they have a comparable track record and AOC has only been in congress for six-ish years kind of says it all. There is plenty of argument that sanders paved the way for her and the rest of The Squad (I go back and forth on that) but… assuming she survives the next four to infinity years, she has a VERY bright political future.
She has a bright political future, but the question is how much that political future will do for the working class. The reality is that there’s simply not much you can do with >10% of congress, and I doubt that AOC’s approach (or any approach that focuses on working within the Democratic party) will cause enough change to turn Congress into a place that can pass progressive policy.
Well, short of leading a revolution to replace congress, I am not sure what you are expecting there? But as a progressive politician with leftist tendencies who is not actively leading a coup, she seems to be doing pretty good.
Well I’m firmly in the “found/participate in a new party” camp, but that’s not really my point. I’m trying to say that it’s way too early to applaud AOC for achieving actual progress because she… Well, hasn’t.
Bernie did exactly what the party would want a caucusing-independent to do. Run in the Democratic primary and win it so he wouldn’t split the vote. Not doing that would have been actively antagonistic to the party. The (I) is mostly just aesthetics.
I have been incredibly impressed with AOC over even the last 3 or 4 years.
She used to be “generic Squad member” in that she mostly was focused on antagonizing establishment democrats and not actually accomplishing anything other than giving republicans a chance to regroup.
But basically since the war in Ukraine started it feels like someone gave her a stern talking to and she realized how to actually help people. She is still more than willing to tear into the shittiest parts of the Democrats but she also understands… we have a common enemy and need to focus on that. And when she DOES compromise, she is actually really good about explaining why and what her hard lines are.
She is basically what I wish sanders actually had been: A progressive (with leftist tendencies) voice that also understands how to make progress.
That said: She is still young for a politician. In five or six years (when she is in her 40s) I think we need her in leadership roles. That said… I also think she probably should be ready to flee the country come February because republicans hate her with the fury of a thousand suns.
Smart, capable, self-made, brown-skinned woman. Oh, and she’s very attractive. There’s nothing that makes their hate wheels spin more.
I mean has she made any kind of progress? Her track record isn’t better than Bernie to my knowledge.
People forget that sanders was literally a meme about how nobody watches c-span. He spent so much of his political career actively antagonizing Democrats (seriously, look up how he abused primaries to guarantee he won) that it completely undermined most of his attempts to get anything other than a pork amendment on bills.
It is hard to measure direct contributions by the nature of politics. But the fact that they have a comparable track record and AOC has only been in congress for six-ish years kind of says it all. There is plenty of argument that sanders paved the way for her and the rest of The Squad (I go back and forth on that) but… assuming she survives the next four to infinity years, she has a VERY bright political future.
She has a bright political future, but the question is how much that political future will do for the working class. The reality is that there’s simply not much you can do with >10% of congress, and I doubt that AOC’s approach (or any approach that focuses on working within the Democratic party) will cause enough change to turn Congress into a place that can pass progressive policy.
Okay…
Well, short of leading a revolution to replace congress, I am not sure what you are expecting there? But as a progressive politician with leftist tendencies who is not actively leading a coup, she seems to be doing pretty good.
Well I’m firmly in the “found/participate in a new party” camp, but that’s not really my point. I’m trying to say that it’s way too early to applaud AOC for achieving actual progress because she… Well, hasn’t.
Bernie did exactly what the party would want a caucusing-independent to do. Run in the Democratic primary and win it so he wouldn’t split the vote. Not doing that would have been actively antagonistic to the party. The (I) is mostly just aesthetics.