I want to read you two recent headlines from New York magazine. They were written within a week of each other. The first is “A.O.C. Is Just a Regular Old Democrat Now,” and that accuses you of compromising on your progressive ideals as you work within the party system. And then came the rebuttal, which was “The ‘A.O.C. Left’ Has Achieved Plenty,” which argued that your wing has pushed the party leftward. Why do you think your role is still being parsed this way by Democrats and by those on the left?
Part of it is because we haven’t really had a political presence like this in the United States before. I think very often you had this consummate insider that was bankrolled by corporate money and advancing this, frankly, very neoliberal agenda. And those were the people that we were used to seeing in power. And so I think over time there’s been an inherent association between power, ascent and quote-unquote selling out.
I often say to my grass-roots companions that the left, for a very long time, was not used to having power in the United States. And so when we encounter power, we’re so bewildered by it —
Yes, the reason we are suspicious of you is because we’re too fucking stupid to understand. Thank you boss queen!!!
Moving your ideas internationally, even if they might conflict with the foreign policy of the leader of your own party?
I wouldn’t necessarily characterize my foreign policy goals as oppositional to the president’s or to the United States. I am a member of Congress. I have sworn an oath to this country, and I take that oath very seriously.
That says it all, doesn’t it?
Do you feel more comfortable in the Democratic Party now? The way you described it initially was fraught. They rejected you, and you were definitely trying to change the party. You have said you’ve pushed the party leftward. Many would agree. So is it OK to be a regular Democrat now?
The activist in me always seeks to agitate for more. I think despite there being progress, many people are still woefully underserved in this country. But the Democratic Party has changed dramatically in the last five years. Even if you just look at the numbers, I believe it’s something around 50 percent of House Democrats have been elected since 2018. And so what is considered center and moderate now is dramatically different than what it was five years ago.
No no wait, that says it all.
Being center and moderate is good now folks!
Could’ve done without the commentary. An acknowledgement of what has been accomplished is not a compromise of existing goals.
It’s clear her goals are just whatever the Democratic Party wants lol
… thats ideal though…, why did you say this like it’s some sort of insult? Party constituents should want to work for the benefit of the party. And the party should want to work for the people. Her not having extravagant goals (unlike republicans) means she is free to serve the people.
You’ve gotten so twisted in these modern Cults of Personality that you’ve clearly forgotten a government is supposed to support the people, not blindly serve said politician’s own lofty goals for personal sucess.
The people don’t vote Democrat because they love it. They do it because they have no choice, because the other party is actual demons.
Nobody votes Democrat because there is no Democrat Party. You can do better.
wut
EDIT Ooh, you’re being a pedant. Okay honey, people like me vote for Democrats because the Democratic Party is the only alternative to the fucking fascist monsters in the other party that want to murder me for being trans.
Fuckin liberals. Instead of addressing what I have to say you want to turn this into a grammar leason to make some smug point.
I’m not a liberal, honeybunch. Nor am I the person you were talking to so I don’t really care to engage with your comment any more than to correct your word usage. You should probably relax a little.
wow what a fuckin idiot
Oh no, AOC isn’t a perfect raging communist! She may as well just be a Republican!
Hey, if AOC is the new center I think that’s progress. As long as we can continue to elect people further to the left we’ll be able to continue to shift the party to a better place.
AOC was absorbed by the center, she didn’t move shit to the left.
She hasn’t changed much at all, she was never a socialist. She and Bernie, despite what they call themselves, are Social Democrats. They are left leaning capitalists, which I say is better than the moderate Dems like Pelosi. In the same way that capitalism was an improvement on the feudalism before it.
It’s hard to see someone moving a few feet when you’re a mile away from them. It sounds like you wanted a revolutionary which AOC has never been.
No one is above criticism. But AOC is just one member of Congress. She does her job and I believe represents her constituents well. What did you expect of her?
