Common sense:
Re: "Ms. Cortez is replacing a fairly safe democratic seat in Congress"
She is replacing a corporate sponsored Democrat. That is actually very important. If, by some miracle, Democrats suddenly had 60 votes in the Senate, and a big majority in the House, what do you think would happen? That we would suddenly reinstate Glass Steagall banking regulation? Wrong. Most Democrats are sponsored by the same banks and corporations that sponsor Republicans. Those corporate funded Democrats that grandstand about helping workers, and vote against corporate wish list legislation? Well, the Republican majority allows them to make meaningless votes in congress, and get reelected.
Again, If, by some miracle, Democrats suddenly had 60 votes in the Senate, and a big majority in the House, you would then see a bunch of angry corporate sponsored Democrats, voting against everything they have been grandstanding against, and against everything the voters want, to placate their *donors*.
And this isn't idle speculation. This is what happened in 2009, when Democrats *had* those huge majorities - *and* some votes from the two moderate Republican senators...
That, plus Obama defending bankers' corruption, is what led to the 2010 Democratic *rout*.
Filling the ranks with non-corporate-sponsored pols, could empower Democrats to again become the advocates of workers that they once were (but now only pretend to be) - and to credibly send that message to voters.
27
I've been thinking about this for a few days now. Young socialist woman beats mainstream liberal man. So many adjectives to unpack. But which ones matter? For me it's socialist, so long a political slur, but perhaps now a balm for liberal psyches burnt by the right. Perhaps now's the time to revisit what socialism really means: not as a proxy for Communism, and not in opposition to capitalism, but simply as a fairer way of governing. As Ms Ocasio-Cortez says, the only way that preserves our dignity as people.
39
Perhaps if you hadn’t spent so much of the run up to 2016 attacking Hilary Clinton for highly questionable reasons and made any real effort to get to know her and cover her fairly, the Democratic candidate might have left the voters less cold. Elections have consequences, Maureen, but so does writing pieces where one begins with the conclusion and then adjusts the body and tone of the article to fit. Once or twice, fair enough, but you have hammered on the party you now seem to wish was in power so hard that - assuming you influenced any votes - you helped elect the current President. It is all very well to say one wants candidates about whom the electorate is enthused, but some competence would be welcomed too. So would policy positions that will appeal to enough voters to get them out and gain a majority. A primary is not the general election, and at heart Americans are sadly frightened and wont to repeat mistakes. The elation of conventions rarely translates to victory for truly innovative candidates in this country, even less so if they are seeking national office, except when their call is to hatred and prejudices. Perhaps you could spend a bit more time considering that in the run up to 2020, and let’s hope no one you know requires reproductive healthcare in the meantime.
48
As a Parkchester Bronx native, I applaud the nomination and almost certain election of this marvelous young woman. You
make me proud.
BRONX GIRLS RULE
29
Ms. Dowd. You quite skillfully avoided telling your readers what the obviously attractive and personable candidate, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez actually stands for and what her election could mean to the rest of us. Simply, she wants America to become Venezuela. Harsh. I think not, and here's why. This is her platform.
1. Medicare for all
2. Free public schools and universities
3. A guaranteed Job for everyone
4. Free Housing is now a human right
5. Reform the Justice System by ending war on drugs, demilitarizing Police and abolishing Private Prisons
6. Abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and
7. Believes climeate change biggest threat and wants the US to be "Carbon-free"and use 100% renewable energy.
I'll not point out the problems inherent in her platform, but say that to all but the most committed haters of American prosperity and greatness, those problem should be obvious.
27
Ocasio-Cortez , brings the hope Obama did , he was elected for two terms but what did he do ? He was stopped by the Republicans from enacting most of what he wanted to do . His signature and flawed affordable care act was sabotaged by the Republicans in red states and literally made it unaffordable to some. Ms Ocasio-Cortez may be from the Bronx but she will have to bring a machete to DC to excise the corruption , and she will find it difficult . She may not flinch , Obama didn't either and look where we are , more divided than ever . She will not get medicare for all , college free tuition , and abolish ICE . She may be a latina from the Bronx but DC is not exactly a girl fight and the guy that makes waitresses flinch is entrenched there . She should ask the other girl from the Bronx sitting in the Supreme Court how easy it goes , especially now that Trump gets to put another conservative on the bench , making the women not only the only liberals but the minority . Put on that armor Alexandra .
10
Super excited about AOC especially if her example inspires more strong young women to run for office,
Hillary lost. For reasons both nefarious and self-inflicted.
Maureen did not cause her loss. Voters against Hillary do not follow Maureen. Some of these comments read like the election was yesterday and Maureen single-handily thwarting HCR.
Time to learn those hard lessons from under-handed Republican tricksters and mount a new line-up of energized Democrats. Put energy into grassroots races not lamenting the past.
16
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) is an inspiring young politician along the lines of a young Barack Obama. Based on what I know so far, I absolutely wish her well and hope she has a long and successful career.
I also think it's important to remember we have a big and politically diverse country. And the system is heavily rigged towards Republican candidates. Despite real political talent, she wouldn't win in most gerrymandered red districts and maybe not in blue districts in the heartland.
I'm less sure of the means to get where AOC wants to take us. I believe in universal comprehensive healthcare worthy of our country. But I worked in healthcare and saw how competition forced our organization to improve all aspects of our delivery. Compared to the British National Health Service, our system performed significantly better for similar costs (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC64512/). Nationally we should be able to do better for far less money than we currently spend.
For now healthcare coverage should be portable between jobs for at least a year. People between 55 and 65, particularly if displaced from the workforce, should be allowed to buy into Medicare. I think rural citizens and perhaps all citizens who are poorly served by commercial health insurance companies should be allowed to buy into Medicaid. If for-profit health insurance companies can't bring value to subscribers, we'll have no choice but to go to some form of single payer.
6
I am going to go out on a limb here. Some commenters remain upset and angry Maureen was unsupportive of Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election and partially blame Maureen for Clinton's loss. Okay, Maureen did not help, and neither did Comey's last minute Hillary email flap.
But I am here to report that most of the women in our southern Trump-voting side of the family said they did not like Trump's behavior, but they just could not vote for Hillary because of her Wall Street ties and her know-it-all, smug attitude she was "due" the presidency. 2 would have voted for Bernie.
Running for elected office is a test, and Hillary just could not pull it off. Remember, Obama came out of nowhere in 2008 to beat the assured, inevitable Hillary who was the darling of the DNC.
Then backbench VT Senator Bernie (no spring chicken) came out of nowhere to nearly beat Hillary in the 2016 primaries.
My point: Leaders are able to prove they can deal with and overcome threats to their leadership--similar in the animal kingdom. Hillary was like that straight-A, hardworking kid in high school who desperately wanted to be president of student government, but just could not manage to do it at vote time.
I knew nothing about Alexandria Oscasio-Cortez before this election, but her proud "unflinching" attitude, can-do optimism, ability to overcome, and her dedication to "people" (not money & power) are just what the Democratic establishment has been lacking, and just what this country needs.
26
Name our star… Chart or course.
I’ve not heard it put better.
That’s the thinking we’ve been waiting for…
That’s the heart we been waiting for.
May there be 100 more like her…
24
Just for the record, Hillary Clinton did not leave me cold. I was excited to have a president with intelligence, experience, and a sensible agenda.
37
Remarkably well-spoken. And she is good-looking. I like what she stands for (see Mon Ray below.) Ocasio-Cortez matters & she will make a difference.
2
I commented earlier today on Douthat's piece in the paper, and that he is now one of two columnists that I can't read. You make it three with this piece. And three is a charm as they say. I also used that exact comment to an article that featured a photo of Justices Roberts, Kennedy and Thomas standing together at the 1.21.17, truly a day that will live in infamy after 11.8.16 and 12.7.41, inauguration of the Grifter-in-Chief and the shenanigans that are now swirling around "his" resignation as it relates to Trump and Deutsche Bank! What a great kleptocracy we live in.
9
New blood is coming into the Democratic party and it is about time.
I liked HRC policies and her brilliance, however, she ran a terrible campaign. Brilliant as she is, she had a terrible campaign manager and whoever advised her to name Trump's supporters as deplorable, was giving a strong leg up for them to get out the vote against her.
Yes, I know there was Russian interference, but there was also a smug expectation to win against Trump. No big push to get the vote out. Key!
What shocked me was to see how much Bernie supporters hated her so much that they either naively voted for Jill Stein or did not vote. I remember begging a friend not to vote for Jill Stein (split the vote in Michigan that led Trump in) and now is in despair with Trump.
One must not forget that HRC cynically voted for the war in Irag which paved the way for Obama to be President.
The old guard democrats cynical, weak, political game players totally lacking genuine connection to the average American people are now on their way out.
Ms. Ocasio-Cortez is the new Democratic voice and hoping she inspires many more like her.
15
You go girl! I don't like to use the word girl, AND the phrase is an old fashioned statement. And I want to applaud a "Puerto Rican girl from the Bronx" for all of her grit and moxie!!!
7
"“I wake up every day and I’m a Puerto Rican girl from the Bronx. Every single day.”
I like that.
In fact, most cities have a Puerto Rican community. There should be a focused effort to get them into the House.
This would give them a de facto Puerto Rican caucus in Cong.
6
I'm not sure your readers are well-served by the incomplete narrative now solidifying....as did I, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez' parents fled the Bronx and its subpar schools when she was five for the pastoral security (and a school system that is one of the nation's finest) of Yorktown Heights in Westchester, where she was educated through high school...it doesn't undermine her accomplishments or bona fades to acknowledge these facts, and perhaps might serve as a clarion call for NYC residents faced with exorbitant housing costs and woefully inadequate schools... That perhaps is the real story here..
7
Bravo for Alexandria. I hope once she gets into the sewer that is the US Congress she can maintain her positive attitude and bring some desperately needed energy to this lifeless institution. Hopefully she will not become contaminated by the old stoics that run the place and move forward with her progressive agenda. Her fresh ideas with the backing of her youthful supporters should help to keep her focused on looking out for the small guy. The rich have had it there way for far too long.
1
TO the many people who say that Hillary Clinton should have bothered to campaign in the Midwestern states: those states wanted tariffs on goods from other countries that competed with their industries-the tariffs Trump is rolling out now with major job losses coming from his actions. Her campaign manager, Mook, told her that going to the Midwest would be a kiss of death for her campaign because they would demand tariffs, and her history as a free trade supporter would hurt her. Sanders allied with Trump on this issue, as did the Russian social media campaign - and that trinity ushered in Trump and the disasters he's brought with him.
TO those centrist Democrats who are now pulling a Bernie Sanders party destruction campaign (that gave us this hellish Trump revolution with 2 alt right Supreme Court justices and the coming demise of Roe v Wade and gay marriage) saying that they do not like Ocasio's socialist proposals-cut it out. JFK and Ted Kennedy were her age when they were first voted into office and their dreams were just as big. It's what we used to call the Democratic Party. She's smart - with outstanding education, she worked her fingers bone to save her family from financial ruin, and she's got more political experience than the Kennedys did at her age-she's just not backed by a powerful family.
The time to battle each other, Democrats, is in the primaries as Ocasio did. After the primaries, EVERY Democrat is better than giving Trump the majority again. EVERY ONE.
7
This woman is a breath of fresh air, no doubt. But Dowd continues to elide the reality that the "coldness" with which the public treated "Democratic candidates" was in some significant part a function of the way certain columnists did their best to lower the temperature further.
2
Ms. Ocasio-Cortez won because of traditional New York City ethnic politics. The district now has a majority Hispanic population so they voted for their "guy".
2
“It’s not like they expect improved and expanded Medicare tomorrow,” she said. “But we need to name our star so we can chart a course.”
That's it. THAT'S IT! She has the vision.
You go, girl.
2
LOVE this young woman...and thank you Maureen, for your wonderful column that highlights what a younger generation can do. I am especially impressed by Ocasia-Cortez perspective...“It’s not like they expect improved and expanded Medicare tomorrow,” she said. “But we need to name our star so we can chart a course.” Bernie Sanders goals were the same, but he neglected to include this important aside. When you reach for the stars, you might land on the moon...or in other words, if you ask for a whole loaf you may get a half, if you ask for nothing, you won't even get crumbs. To Alexandria, I say "GO GIRL", and to my fellow Democrats and Independents I add...pay attention and don't divide. This young lady represents what America can become. If we are sluggish in recognizing that or fall into disarray in defense of the "old guard", not only are we doomed, but we slay American Democracy at the same time.
3
Hmnmmm.
"[At age 5] Her father then moved the family to a house in Yorktown Heights, a suburb in Westchester County, where she would live until she left home to attend college."
Hardly a local girl. And raised in an elitist, wealthy suburb.
Problematic if she tries to claim that she's "from the neighborhood".
4
I hope she does not align herself with Madonna and some of the other radical edges of the Anti-Trump fraction. As some one who volunteered for Bernie Sanders, I can saw with clarity that the Democrats are in danger of breaking apart and losing. We cannot say again that Putin is pushing buttons and that the elections will be rigged. Tried that. We can't say that Republicans are racist, misogynist. Tried that. We can't say that the economy is flat. It's not. Let's just hope that heads are cool.
There are many more Democrats than Republicans. The problem is they never go vote because they wait for the perfect candidate. Republicans just vote against Democrats, every time because they hate them (after all, they kill Precious Preborn Pabies). It's time that changed. I'm not for Medicare for all but I'd vote for Lassie (D) now and most certainly for an intelligent, passionate working-class hero like AOC.
2
You go girl!
Alexandria is seems to be the real deal. A much needed catalyst for shaking up a moribund Democratic party. A party devoid of new ideas and unable to craft a cohesive message.
She's got the spirit and the fire. And she's gonna bring the heat!
Suerte bueno Alexandria!
2
To endorse socialism, it is first necessary to trust government--and, these days, only fools trust governments.
According to a Pew poll of 14 December 17, "Only 18% of Americans today say they can trust the government in Washington to do what is right “just about always” (3%) or “most of the time” (15%)." That's about one in six Americans.
Nevertheless, Ms Ocasio-Cortez would give the collection of clowns in Washington complete control over the county's health care, would tax us all the heavier to provide "free" university education to kids who can barely read after graduating high school, and would make employment by the federal government even more of a welfare scheme than it already is. Oh, and, not to mention, open America's borders to anyone who wants to move here for all the "free" stuff she wants to force the rest of us to pay for.
1
OMG - universal healthcare like all the other first world countries!
How radical!
And we spend $10,000 per capita on healthcare and the other countries spend between $4,500 and $5,500.
And we have parts of the US with infant mortality rates the same as Botswana.
People ask how are we going to pay for it. We already are paying for it. We just aren't getting it. The money we pay to private insurance would go to a pay-for Medicare option.
And we would save money.
You would think corporate America would like it. It would simplify healthcare for them.
27
As Robert Kennedy said, "Some see things as they are and say why. I dream things that never were and say why not."
15
I'm an 81 year old (Anglo) woman, raised in the Bronx. Hurray for Alexandria!!!!!!!!!!!
18
Alright, already. We get it. Look, I love what this woman says. I've been at rallies that she attended and at which she spoke. She has a great platform. But frankly, I'm getting tired of hearing about how historic and amazing her win was. For starters, given the demographics of her area AND the fact that the incumbent didn't even live there anymore, it's not as surprising as the media and the Democratic establishment seem to think it is. Secondly, I've been to this movie before. While I like what she says, saying things is the easy part. So I'll wait until I see what she actually DOES with her time in office before I start dancing naked in the streets like everyone else on the Left seems to be doing. I'm sure she would respect that.
8
Democratic socialist societies concern themselves with the welfare of all their people, even the poor ones. Conservatives like the Republicans concern themselves only with the welfare of the affluent. Choose one.
14
Wonderful! Ms. Ocasio-Cortez looks and sounds like presidential material to me!
4
I can't believe how excited and encouraged I am by her candidacy and stand. The negative message of the Republican party and president is horribly depressing and not even true. It is the message of division, greed, fear, and hate that hurts everyone. A new generation needs hope, and that is her message: Opportunity, education, training, mobility, and creativity, and vision. Let her run with it, and change a nation!
6
Sounds like the star she has her sights on is a supernova. This is what the Democrats need to provide need! The naysayers say her goals are too idealistic, but so was abolishing slavery, women's right to vote, civil rights for all, and the many other advances that took giant leaps down the path to the aspirational touchstones that are the United States of America. The critical part will be for her fellow citizens to stand behind her. Be part of the solution. First and foremost - Vote!
6
You have to read Dowd's essays with care. Note the point in this feel good peace is that Ocasio-Cortez is "no radical" & yet her position on ICE is never mentioned. If the GOP is able to hold onto the House it will because most people think ICE "is" the Border Patrol & thus they see this call as a call for open borders. All the well-justified sympathy in the world for the victims of the child separation policy will evaporate if Trump can convince the American voter that the Democrats as a party support open borders. Leaving this out is intentional, it is part of a strategy that argues that if the Democrats becomes the Party of Sanders it will defeat the Party of Trump and finally be as morally pure as Ms. Dowd sees herself. Well the astronomical metaphors used by Ms. Ocasio-Cortez would not distract the question that people would ask if the Democratic Party were to embrace her and Senator Sanders program. During the Democratic primary the Tax Policy institute estimated that Sanders policies would cost each American an average of 6,600 dollars a year in new taxes. Each family of three would nearly 20 K in additional taxes. Since Dowd never really informs herself about policy in her relentless attacks on Clinton we have to bring our skepticism to any suggestion that the American people are begging to open up the borders, have their taxes vastly increased so that other people get health care & free college. If you believe they are then I have a unicorn to sell you.
4
Good for her! This is what we need. She knocked on doors, had a great campaign video, and understood how to appeal to both hearts and minds. Keep up the good work. PS to the New York Times: I assume you’ve noticed that the ideas Sanders pushed two years ago, which you and Clinton dismissed as too ambitious, are now the driving force and energy in the Democratic Party. Apology accepted.
4
The righteous indignation of youth. Now it needs to be converted into results otherwise it's just noise. Good luck. Ms. Oc
2
I just love that you think we are going to forget that you were up Trump's voluminous behind, as were Joe and Mika, all through the 2016 campaign. We won't. And history won't either Maureen.
5
Your implication is that the democrats made a mistake by nominating Hillary, but people seem to forget she won the popular vote by almost 3 Million votes. It was the antiquated electoral college that gave Trump the presidency. One of the reasons the founding father's created an electoral college was the fear, that because most of the young countries population was agrarian and not formally educated like our founding fathers, that a less educated man might get elected president, a buffoon , if you will could possibly occupy the Presidency! 240 years later, surprise! Surprise!
4
Hillary Clinton was not the problem. FoxNews and racism and ignorance and Russia were the problems in 2016. I am still positive that Clinton was the right choice. I do not think I am alone.
12
"Democrats should be getting high-fives from sanitation truck drivers — that is what should be happening in America.”
Absolutely. And all those trailer parks in rural America that sported huge Trump Pence signs in 2016--places where residents need an adequate social safety net--that's also where Democrats should be getting high-fives. The moth-eaten Dems who sought to rely on suburban voters forgot about their New Deal base of working class, displaced, and forgotten voters.
1
I guess wining a primary means she knocked Oprah out in her run for president. Things really do move fast. All you have to do is change the channel on the remote and you've got the solution to everything.
1
The messes that older people have created for young people are crimes against humanity. It may get ugly for us oldsters when the masses of those youngsters realize that.
1
"It finally seemed to be sinking in that if you insist on putting up presidential candidates who leave voters cold, really bad things can happen."
Has Ms. Dowd forgotten that Hillary Clinton won the popular vote in 2016?
6
This young woman is a breath of fresh air for the Democratic Party!
2
If Ms Ocasio-Cortez charmed, impressed and perhaps dazzled Maureen Dowd, who wrote a very nice column (finally!) - well then there is pretty much nothing she can't do. President doesn't seem so far out of reach!
2
You go girl. We are rooting for you. We will be here to cheer your successes and here to cushion the blows that the GOP will throw. Congrats.
2
This young woman represents a small and soon to be smaller faction in this Republic. The "tear in the time/space continuum" will continue to befuddle the Progressive/Socialists. Poll the desire for Socialism in this Republic....and please include the fabled "fly over country" filled with the deplorables and you'll find that only the extreme left and right coasts favor that system and the majority don't.
Constitutional Originalism" will prevail in the Supreme Court for the foreseeable decade at least.....good bye Socialism.
Brava, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez. If the wretched resident of the White House has given us Darkness at Noon, your wholly wonderful win gives us Hope at Midnight!
3
As a proud boy from the Bronx, I have always maintained that you should never forget where you come from. You go girl! What a breath of fresh air.
2
Oh, goody. Buying votes with promises of bread and circuses, paid with other people's money. What could go wrong?
I've read that she has a bachelor's in Economics. Pushing these ideas, one wonders what in the world they're teaching these days in that discipline. Obviously, enough that this girl is convinced the only reason her grandiose plans have failed in other places such as Venezuela is because no one has done it "right", but she's smarter than all those before her for the last 150 years since Marx first concocted his delusions of economic utopia.
One also has to wonder if, with the positions she espouses, she's a mole for Jorge Bergoglio. There certainly doesn't seem to be much daylight between her and his one-world order.
3
"Recalling her days as a waitress and bartender slinging guac at a taco joint in Union Square just a few months ago,"
"The Boston University graduate, who has a boyfriend and likes to do yoga and write essays in her spare time"
Politics is amazing. Somebody with limited experience beyond volunteer work for Mr. Sanders's campaign, will most likely end up in Congress, determining the future of the US.
Were Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, former waitress, bartender and current essay writer to apply for a job writing op-eds (or news) about herself or anything in the NYT she would probably be told that she was terribly under-qualified and inexperienced and could hardly even be considered for such a job. She should come back and apply when she was actually qualified and then maybe she would be considered.
Isn't politics great? Qualifications? Convincing voters. But after all it worked for Mr. Trump so why not for her.
9
Sigh...have to wait until 2024 to vote Ms Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in as President of the United States.
Born October 13, 1989 keeps her out of the 2020 race.
With a congress of like-minded fair-minded fellow citizens she will right the wrongs committed by the those now wreaking havoc on our nation and the world.
Meanwhile the Dems need to step up their game.
1
No, Ms. Dowd, Trump didn't "slip into office through a tear in the space-time continuum," he won because of how the US Constitution dictates the terms of the presidential election. Your constant anti-HRC drum-beat and the Gray Lady's fixation on e-mails and creating a false equivalency between HRT and Trump was no tear in the space time continuum. It was a smug, condescending editorial decision to make HRT look bad for reasons I can't fathom. Both you and the Gray Lady should look in the mirror for why we are stuck with Trump's presidency.
6
"... raising the shivery specter of even more extreme decisions to come stripping existential rights from women, gays, minorities and just about everyone else because Democrats have no way to stop it."
“The Republicans galvanize their base by inciting a lot of fear ..."
Hmm.
Best of luck getting the “free stuff” / open borders agenda through Congress. The hard left turn of the Dem Party will further cement the party’s regional/coastal limitations. Most of the country understands that somebody has to pay for the free stuff and generally somebody else will benefit.
3
There are at least several other Democrats I can think of who are worthy of notice. Tammy Duckworth, and Kamela Harris come to mind immediately.
1
"People like that say shocking things to gauge your reaction and to read if you flinch. I don’t flinch. I’m not going to flinch.”
It's called leadership, something the sad, drab, timid Democratic Party fails to exercise, and something that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has in spades!
The improbable Obama and Bernie paved the way for Ocasio-Cortez by upsetting the lackluster, entrenched DNC establishment that spends more time fundraising from Wall Street and big donors than carrying out an effective strategy to put the shameless, lyin' and cruel GOP on the defensive where they belong.
Kamala Harris is dynamic, but somehow Oscasio-Cortez reminds me of the young Senator John F. Kennedy, who blew in from seemingly nowhere, with a story to tell (JFK paid his dues as a war hero0, connected emotionally with the people when the Democratic Party establishment did not, and he expressed eloquently and simply what many Americans were feeling at the time.
Also, to be an effective leader in this country, you need to have a compelling story to tell of your past and how you overcame the odds (JFK overcame Catholicism, which was such music to my mother's heart). Then you must demonstrate you know what it is all about (nothing to do with age) and that you cannot be cowed by the opposition. Most of all, you must out-think, out-strategize, and out-flank the opposition's ugliest efforts to bully you and take you down.
Ms. Oscasio-Cortez unflinching leadership is just what is needed NOW!
1
I am 73 years old, fought for my country in Vietnam, and Ocasio is the first breath of fresh air who offers newness to our tired old political establishment. I pray she can stand against blatant insanity.
5
“They groom their young.” I’ve been saying this for years! You rock, Alexandria
And for those who say Crowley WAS the young talent? You’re not get the message.
2
Wonderful profile of this bright, fresh breeze who hopefully has laid a template for others in the democratic party to follow to connect with the middle class. We’ll know she’s really having an impact when her polar opposite swamp thing in the oval office begins with the petty, personal attacks. And of course does what every ten year “intellect” does, assign a derogatory nickname. This, as always, showing his tremendous Churchillian “wit”.
2
So many references to her bartending! I'm still waiting for headlines mentioning that degree in econ from BU.
4
I hope the Democrats are smart enough and bold enough to "keep their eyes on the prize." What`s happening in the United States - a neo-liberal capitalism - demands a radical change. In the words of MLK Jr. - " A Fierce Urgency of Now" calls for 300 more Alejandra Ocasio-Cortezs to turn this country into a true democracy where education will be free and for life; an expanded medicare for all; true living waages based on where you live in the USA; there will be no homeless with homes for all; African Americans will officially be honored - apologized to and receive reparations for the hundreds of years of slavery and Jim Crow incarceration; women will be constitutionally honored; our native peoples will also be honored and treated with respect; our earth will be treated with respect by swiftly moving away from a fossil fuel economy and our waters will be treated as sacred and precious; there will be no men who make millions of dollars a month while others are poor and penniless; we will have a true progressive taxation system. The big banks and monopolies will be broken and sized in a way that is healthy for the U.S. and local economies. Bring on the Ocasio-Cortezs.
3
NYT, let the improbable and inspiring rise of this promising young progressive leader be a lesson to you: Do not miss the boat again.
If the NYT had covered the rise of Bernie Sanders like this, we would not be in this mess. Let’s hope this is the approach the Times are deciding to take (finally) towards covering democratic socialism. Report it like the movement it is (and like you have with Tea Party, Trump, etc) and it will be unstoppable.
3
It's too bad that Alexandria is not yet old enough to be president. She is so much more mature, rational, compassionate, and better informed than the prepubescent man-boy that currently occupies the White House.
2
I first saw her on Morning Joe Wednesday morning and in thirty seconds she reeled off her policy positions. She had absolutely no hesitation, no apology, had good answers to questions. If Hillary had been able to do that, she would have won.
And I think she has a good shot at being our first woman president - even though our illegitimate, dictatorial president has Ivanka in mind for that. Our first fascist woman dictator.
I love her 'I know these people'. She surely does. And she knows what to do with them. Beat them at the polls.
She is the only thing that has given me hope in a very long time. And I know I'm not alone. I thank her for that. Young people need to turn out, vote all Rs out and then start rebuilding our country.
3
Ms. Ocasio-Cortez is one tough, bright, ambitious, and articulate young lady. I can't wait for her to go "mano a mano" with the misogynistic Republicans in Congress on progressive policy issues and even their boorish leader occupying the Oval Office. We could be looking at a worthy Elizabeth Warren protégé. You go girl!
2
What I find most stunning is the lack of voter turn out. I think the total was 22,000! God help the democrats. They need to put Putin on their payroll if they want to win.
1
So now, out of desperation caused by the fact that voters keep moving away from Democrats, and Trumps approval rating is at respectable highs, Democrats and their cohorts in the media are outwardly embracing socialism. They are organizing nationwide protests to support illegal aliens too, even going so far as to advocate abolishing ICE.
2018 is going to be the year many moderate Democrats either cast their vote for a Republican or stay home, recalling “I didn’t leave the Democrat Party, they left me”.
3
"It finally seemed to be sinking in that if you insist on putting up presidential candidates that leave voters cold, really bad things can happen."
So, Hillary, immensely qualified for the job, left them "cold" and the alternative to that was to vote for an openly racist, bigoted, misogynist instead? A charlatan who had not a clue about running the government and whose resume consisted of failed businesses, groping women, and cheating the very type of people who voted for him? Well if that doesn't say warm and fuzzy, I don't know what does.
5
Maybe Ms. Ocasio-Cortez is absolutely terrific and the future of the party and the nation. But, just maybe {all the reading of tea-leaves and pontificating aside}, Congressman Crowley was a white guy in a non-white district.
5
We need many more Loud, Fearless, and Energetic Women and Men straining at the leash to get at Loud-Mouth Lyin' Trump's jugular.
Make room by cleaning house of all the meek and mincing, low energy, corporate Democrats like Pelosi, Feinstein, Schumer, et al.
The reason the oldster Democrat leaders are so easily swatted away by Trump is because they are old, weak, and frail. The best they can do is talk loser talk like, "When they go low, we go high."
Trump will have no chance at all against the younger generation. Let the fun begin.
1
GODSPEED TO THE BORIQUA FROM THE BRONX. Our nation needs leaders willing to DEFEND THE DIGNITY OF THE TRUTH!
3
Awesome. And Steve Schmidt, the sainted face of the now "moderate Republican" MSNBC, can stick it.
2
I'm happy for her, but her Socialist pride will hurt Democrats everywhere else.
1
Ms Ocasio-Cortez may not seek to overthrow Pelosi, but many of us hope she will. The Dem leadership has become an ossified, tin-eared club. They are no different than the Ryan/McConnellites. They fail to inspire.
2
How refreshing. Ocasio-Cortez had a positive message. She did not focus on her gender or ethnicity nor did she dwell on hating Trump. But rather gave her attention to girls behind the bars and guys in the garbage trucks. Yup. That will win back working class votes. Well done!
3
After Trump is dead and long forgotten I will be proud to call this woman our president.
3
Yes, Alexandria Ocasio Cortez's victory is to be celebrated! Indeed, she does represent the future . All the more reason it is absolutely inexcusable the NYT failed to cover her campaign, such a compelling candidate and story, only to learn about her after she had trounced her establishment opponent by double digits. It is safe to predict a meteoric rise in her political career, one similar to the trajectory taken by President Barack Obama's.
2
Hello Venezuela.
This local girl will help the Republicans more than the Democrats.
4
Please let this be the last lesson The Times ever needs about neglecting full-blooded politics at the grass-roots level and skewing its coverage based on sterile data while hobnobbing only with fellow insiders from The Establishment echo chamber.
It's bad enough that The Times was so snobbishly dismissive of the Sanders and Trump phenomena, but Ms. Ocasio-Cortez's candidacy, too? In a district including Queens and the Bronx -- its very own backyard?
More shoe-leather reporting, please, Mr. Baquet, Mr. Kahn, Mr. Healy, et al. It's long, long, long overdue.
Allow the voices of everyday people to be heard throughout the election cycle, New York Times, not just after the results are in.
4
Remember that the pendulum swings both ways.
Remember when Bush jr was at 80 percent approval.
Remember when Obama was elected 2008.
Times change quicker than you’d think. Evil people like Trump get there’s. Be confident and believe in yourself. Trump and his ilk will soon be gone.
1
There is a big difference from the Bronx and the rest of America. Don't count your chickens too soon.
2
Maureen gets better with every column. We are fortunate.
Maureen Dowd, you never miss a chance to stick it to Hillary, do you? Hillary was a fine candidate. If you made a list of everything the perfect candidate should have she'd have 9 out of 10.
The reason she lost is because of the outdated Electoral College.
5
May the Force be with you Alexandria.
1
“I wake up every day and I’m a Puerto Rican girl from the Bronx. Every single day.”
When you describe yourself as an American girl from the Bronx, I may vote for you.
2
Look a little deeper into her past, and you'll find that she's not a "poor girl from the Bronx". Her suburban neighorhood was upscale. Don't we have enough phony politians already?
4
Seems to me to be a one-shot wonder who will be the next Dave Brat. Remember him? Few people do. He knocked off Republican leader Eric Cantor and has hardly been heard of since.
No one really knows anything about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez except that she's young and attractive and female and socialist. We'll see where she goes from here. I'll bet nowhere.
3
More bad judgment by Maureen? This young woman is no Jenny from the hood.https://www.ac2news.com/2018/06/girl-from-the-bronx-ocasio-cortez-called....
Offering to confiscate and spend the wealth of other people to benefit her target constituents and falsely portraying herself as "one of them" is not the profile of a politician worthy of support.
3
“The Republicans galvanize their base by inciting a lot of fear; they operate on a lot of mythmaking,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “So we have to have something compelling. We shouldn’t be afraid to be bold.”
Oh yes! Yes,yes,yes! Be bold! Be enthusiastic! And Be real! And to borrow from FLOTUS; Be Best! Which this young, but mighty and intelligent woman is! Best! And real! (as are some others from other districts 'round the nation.)
The Dems lack the fighting spirit, that Ms. Cortez knows and has been using in her former life. It ain't easy working in the hospitality biz, where only the help is supposed to be hospitable, while the clientele acts-out like spoiled brats. I bet she knows the Queens-guy type. Bluster and arrogance and crudity. (They also exist in the Bronx guy type too, Brooklyn...if its one thing the NYC area has too much of is that "type".)
My worry, the Dem Party leadership and the DNC hacks get influence over these upstart candidates. Try and soften them, try to script them to be cautious and milquetoast. To be like Schumer, and Durbin, so many others. To be all splutter and bluster like Pelosi. Like her, make a lot of noise, then do nothing, but roll over and beg for a belly rub.
The Dems need to spit fire! And throw real punches. To grapple and go to the mat. Like MMA fighters. This ain't that aerobic boxing class, where you throw air-punches!
One caution; these Democratic Socialists, need a serious and sellable answer to the socialist = communist attacks.
1
Breath in the fresh air.
1
The USA swings like a pendulum. It would make total sense for Ocasio-Cortez or someone like her to replace the present abomination.
2
we eso need Galadriel to show us the light now that Sauron from the Dark tower is our president. Nice column Ms. Dowd.
"It finally seemed to be sinking in that if you insist on putting up presidential candidates who leave voters cold, really bad things can happen."
What kind of absurd statement is that? You mean because Hillary "left voters cold" it justifies their being stupid and masochistic enough to allow the most repulsive political character in history to become president? All during the summer of 2016 I appealed to irate Bernie Sanders supporters with the mantra, "It's the Supreme Court, stupid." They ignored my warning and said something insane: "There's no difference between Hillary and Trump." Eight years as First Lady, six years as Senator, four years as Secretary of State, and she left you cold? Democrats should stop crying. You reap what you sow. It's almost a form of Social Darwinism. The jury is still out as to whether these same "progressives" will help Trump get re-elected in 2020.
5
Fresh air and sunshine.
2
Again with the “Democratic Socialist” label? What’s wrong with you people? You’re Social Democrats, not “Democratic Socialists”! Calling yourselves Socialists gives the Republican Party, which has made Socialism a dirty word equivalent to Communism, a huge gift!
2
Just wanted to mention to everyone criticizing Dowd for using the term "girl"-- she is quoting Cortez. Read carefully. Cortex referred to herself this way several times.
1
“I wake up every day and I’m a Puerto Rican girl from the Bronx. Every single day.”
Yes, but let's get real here. If Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez looked and sounded like Christine Quinn, and announced her being an out-and-proud lesbian candidate, the media would be winning at hide-n-seek. No one would know Alex, even if she won.
“Mentors of mine were under a big pressure to minimize their femininity to make it,” she said. “I’m not going to do that. That takes away my power."
And to that we say, "You go girl!" Know your power and work it!
Because in this age of narcissism, insta-BAM, and me-me-me, too, if you want to be a successful young woman in politics, no less with Puerto Rican roots, you better be just one hair strand away from being a J-Lo look-a-like. It's no accident that J-Lo is mentioned in almost every opinion piece on Ocasio-Cortez.
And some people wonder if looks matter.
1
"The Democrats wandered the capital, looking stunned. It finally seemed to be sinking in that if you insist on putting up presidential candidates who leave voters cold, really bad things can happen."
That paragraph is one of the many reasons why I am addicted to reading Maureen Dowd. She is not afraid to speak the truth. Even if that truth upsets the many pearl clutching commenters of the NYT. Stay strong, Maureen.
1
“Girl”? No female is a “girl” past aged 18. Last Sunday’s paper reduced all older, stylish women to their presumed reproductive status as “grandmas”. Why the misogyny? I expected more from you, NYT.
Economic literacy clearly isn’t a requirement for Democrat office-seekers
1
'' The Democratic Socialist is wary of being painted as a radical...''
There in lies the rub. The powers that be (republicans) wish to portray things like a living wage, health care, clean air, water, earth, ending of wars, human rights, a women' right to choose, separation of church and state, and a whole host of other basic needs for people to live a normal life as somehow ''radical''
The ideas were there from the beginning, and all was needed was an unequivocal proponent for said ideas, and the electorate would respond. They did and will do so again.
Simple.
5
Count me a fan of this Puerto Rican girl from the Bronx.
My hope for her is that the "old" DNC gets the guts to follow her lead. It was what Democratic Leaders used to be all about.
It is an irresponsible of the press to even ask whether or not she will support Nancy Pelosi. Who cares among her voters about Nancy Pelosi.
I hope she sticks to her script, her positive proposed policies, keeps knocking on doors and convincing more voters to vote for her.
She is the right person for the right time.
And the rest of the country's Democrats need to get on the train of every Democrat who is trying to right the wrong of all of the Republicans, some of the Democrats and of course Trump and his Administration.
6
One of your better Op-Eds Ms. Dowd.
Keep nibbling those Colorado candy bars.
They are doing you good.
A hat tip and an high-five to Ms. Ocasio-Cortez.
Proud of you and look forward to watching your star rise.
7
If she's half as sensible and immune to corruption as she is smart, articulate, and fearless, we've got a winner.
Continue to grow, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez. and we can hope for our country to grow with you.
9
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/25/opinion/sunday/hillary-clinton-for-pr...
This New York Times endorsement sent chills down my spine! I said NO! They are clueless! I stumped for Bernie in my home-state of Rhode Island, a lot more red than one would assume in a nominally blue state. In my corner of the world- people either said that they would vote for Bernie or Trump and indeed Trump signs, huge MAGA Trump signs were everywhere. Many of these expensive signs were paid for by the individual homeowners. I only saw one limp Hillary sign in a very liberal upscale neighborhood.
Maureen Dowd has been pummeled for her acerbic reporting on Hillary, I wish the New York Times had been clued in and not famously sandbagged Bernie aiding and abetting the other sclerotic Democratic operatives. The outcome might have been different .
The Times never reported on this race- she was invisible, she had no PAC money, she was as insignificant to this newspaper as a wharf rat, they did not even cover her victory but were set up to photograph the preening Crowley! How CLUELESS!
I am over the moon!
8
Democrats who find Ocasio-Cortez appealing or part of a positive new wave of young up-and-coming Democrats really don't get where the country as a whole is. The country wanted and needed jobs and higher wages. They didn't need or want free this or that. Watching the Democrat part just evaporate is somewhat frightening for even a conservative. What's going to replace it? That big tent with no one under it but a few socialists, environmentalists, and a potpourri of gays, atheists, and transgenders will never win a national election. Losing the traditional labor members and seeing the declining Hispanic and black support should have caused the leadership, such as it is, to work on constructing more mainstream and meaningful policies. Just don;t see that happening. The border separation immigration focus is a prime example of being out of touch even at the traditional tear-jerking Democrats do so well. When only 20% of Hispanics support op borders, its a losing theme despite protests of thousands of people at the border and in the urban centers.
2
You're just regurgitating Fox News here. Democrats do not support "open borders." But they don't support ripping young children from their families while their asylum claims are evaluated. If you want the claims evaluated sooner perhaps you should fund more immigration judges.
And health care should be affordable here, just like it is in every other developed country. There are lots of ways to accomplish that, such as a subsidized public option.
Don't be scared off by her membership in DSA. The policies that she'll actually be able to accomplish in Congress will make life better for people who work for a living: preserving Social Security, ensuring that affordable health insurance is available to everyone, affordable state college education.
You're not going to get more jobs or higher wages without more support for education, unless you want to compete for jobs with Bangladesh.
2
You go girl!
3
OMG!! Brown+Female+Socialist= new Democratic Presidential candidate! This newcomer better watch her back- Kamala Harris will have her knee-capped!
2
I'm waiting for you to tear her down.
In the meantime, you've done nothing to tell me about her qualifications or her platform.
6
There is a whole half-sentence on her platform: medicare for all, and free college. These things are actually attainable, if not on day 1.
For instance, you can continually lower the Medicare eligibility age until it is a real public option for everyone. Even during the early phases, lowering the Medicare eligibility age removes expensive people from the risk pool, reducing premiums for everyone.
And you can subsidize state college education, to make it affordable to everyone.
4
There is far more substance to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez than the cute language this article offers. I would like to read a comprehensive profile of the candidate and her successful campaign which was duly ignored by the NYT. An inexplicable omission which earned it a deserved tweet scolding from Jill Abramson, a former Executive Editor of this paper. Go Alexandria, you represent our hope for the future.
11
I’ve been waiting for a sincere, charismatic, intelligent, energetic voice for us progressives. I thought I was waiting in vain - but here she is! I am over the moon about this young woman. She has an amazing natural gift at staying grounded, speaking clearly, eloquently, honestly, and with quick accessible intelligence, untainted by guile. Be safe, my young friend, be safe. We desperately need you.
9
"It finally seemed to be sinking in that if you insist on putting up presidential candidates who leave voters cold, really bad things can happen."
She can't do it, can she? Maureen Dowd can not write a column without shoehorning in a dig at Hillary, no matter the topic.
5
Trump provided the new path to change by being authentic. His violence, lies, and hate are real. The new political mass psychosis is rooted in a strange place—comfort/ugliness as a life-style.
The challenge is not only in policy, in authenticity. We recognize it right away. Those candidates who have it and "respect the hustle" will win. That's the Ocasio-Cortez message!
5
Ocasio-Cortez is probably getting lots of advice. She is a smart appealing person. But the state of affairs is such that real changes need to be made in the Democratic leadership. Pelosi did a fine job from 2006-2012 but the end of the Obama Administration was a time the inevitable disloyalty and loss of direction brought the party to a vulnerable state of leadership brain freeze. The infamous 800 super delegates who cast their votes for Hillary Clinton the day the primaries began literally gave the nomination to Clinton. Who they knew full well was damaged by her own hubris. She was going to be the next president. . . Trump has landed full force on the neck of the Republic. Ocasio-Cortez has arrived the status quo has trembled. Good luck.
4
People have to keep perspective. This happened in the Bronx and Queens. If progressives cannot win in the boroughs of NYC, then they cannot win anywhere. Let's just be frank here: If this had happened in Michigan, Georgia or Tennessee, it'd be notable. In NYC, where Trump won barely 1 out of 10 votes, progressives will do well. When this starts happening in Texas, Florida, etc. I'll take notice.
4
To Joe.
The other side of the election is coin is sensible Republicans opting to back candidates of the Democratic party.
Take note:
The strong Republican enclaves of New Canaan, Darien, Wilton, and Greenwich here in CT. all voted for Hillary Clinton in the past election.
What this says is that well-educated, well-off, and well-informed Republicans - in the privacy of the voting booth - made the sensible decision to choose Clinton over Trump.
Such a scenario could well happen anywhere.
May the days of the existence of the unfortunate entity now in the White House, doing his best to destroy our Democracy, be well-numbered.
4
I feel a little giddy at Ms. Cortez`s win. Hopefully she heralds "The Force Awakens" and provides the spark that will lead the nation to rebel against Trump & his vile abettors. (apologizes to star wars).
5
I am proud a resident of my former Westchester town is making good. She certainly expresses positions many might disagree with. Would it be acceptable to liberals if she was refused service in a restaurant owned by someone oppose to her beliefs?
3
No because she is not taking babies away from their mothers and putting them in cages. Nor is she telling lies every day to support people who are doing that
2
Sweeet music to my ears. So glad to read this. I'd love to meet her or even be in the same room.
9
All well and good, but what Democrats need to concern themselves with most is how to gain Congressional seats, with electoral votes to follow in the MidWest. Megalopolis and The West Coast may be in the bag -- no matter who runs -- but they are not enough. 2016 proved that. How, then, are Democrats going to capture the attention, hearts and votes of many more voters in the Midwest? That is is the real question! What issues sell there? What type of candidates get elected there? Better find out and act on it.
13
Pretty sure people in the Midwest also want health care and a living wage.
2
I was skeptical at first, but I have put aside my skepticism. She and her team worked brilliantly in the primary and she is the Real Deal.
It is time for Nancy Pelosi and her aged colleagues to stand down--what part of failure doesn't she understand?
Ms. Cortez is right about the Republicans grooming their young. The Democrats are notoriously bad about it.
I envy people who will get to vote for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
33
She could easily be one of the next presidents of the United States.
We all need to get behind her candidacy, and more young women (and men) like her. She is our future.
27
avrds, let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. Your sentiments are shared by many and I also hope Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the next Barack Obama. She's bright, young, and charismatic, but we have no idea how she'll perform as a politician over time. Can she work with colleagues as well as members across the aisle? Can she formulate workable policies from her inspiring rhetoric? Politics is tough business. Let's see if she has the talent and the stomach for it over time.
5
She worked for Ted Kennedy and yet I see very little mention of that. She said that experience was important to her. A lot of people who worked for public officials learn a lot and end up running for office. I think Nancy Pelosi actually started that way, as a Democratic Party person. So I hope someone will explore that side of her more.
9
Maybe that should be kept quiet?
1
Other than 'slinging in a taco joint,' and having a degree and a boy friend, what qualifications does this candidate have? A personality and some chutzpah, but what contribution can she make to the Democratic continent in the House?
We need people with plans, a list of items to be addressed backed by the experience and savvy to carry them through. When she talks about her experience and knowledge, I'll be excited, but I really worry we have a kitten with a bunch of likes on Twitter. And, we cannot afford that now.
8
She campaigned full-time for Senator Sanders. That means she has a much deeper knowledge of the issues than most. She holds a degree in economics and international relations from Boston University. She made the Dean's list.
Without the degree, she knows more than, say, Reps. Todd Akin or Louie Gohmert, while in REM sleep and sounds far more intelligent than Ted Cruz or Lindsey Graham. She is more coherent and better spoken than Nancy Pelosi.
As far as being excited only when she talks about herself, she has. It's up to you to find her interviews on The View, Colbert, and many others.
Here is the NYT's write-up
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/27/nyregion/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-bio...
51
She's a rep. There's a reason why the age requirement (25) is lower for reps than senators. A little age might help a person better understand the needs of an entire state, but I think 28 is just fine to understand the needs of your neighbors.
11
Passion trumps experience in politics. Experience can be delegated, but winning and turnout cannot.
In every case (except Sanders) experience means experience catering to your corporate masters pushing policies against the People - while also going on about how you're doing so much for the People.
We don't need that type of experience actively working against our interests.
3
I appreciate almost all of your columns, even ones I don't agree with entirely. I'd be much happier to see intelligent people like Ms Ocasio-Cortez than what I have been seeing the last 18 months.
In the long run, I hope that the current suffering has brought about lessons of wisdom. Wisdom can heal many wounds. On the other hand, if the final outcome of this developing trend will be just a new cycle of retribution by one group on another, then I fear that the ugliness we have seen will only escalate.
4
Let's also keep in mind that only 13% of registered Democrats in the district voted in this primary - 28k out of 215k registered Democrats. Crowley may have lost the turnout war more than the ideology war.
11
Democratic turnout in primaries is always dismal. A win is a win is a win.
1
Ms. Ocasio-Cortez has chutzpah, Maureen. So does Trump, but Ms.Ocasio-Cortez's is *good* chutzpah, one for the people. Trump's is for Trump himself, and his uneducated trumpkins are wrapped up in his mass hypnosis.
Trumpkins rail at Ms. Ocasio-Cortez's comment about disbanding ICE, but look what trumpkins have put in power. Trump is a man of "in your face" comments, too. ICE is merely implementing his anger and meanness. In that case, ICE should be disbanded for an effective and just immigration policy that we are not getting from the surly Right Wing.
Trumpkins have taken over because of the massive propagation of lies in social media and Fox News with help from its Supreme Court, and Russia. We need to build a bulwark against this rapidly encroaching fascism by electing strong leaders who not only support, but rally, a vision of fair opportunity for all citizens. I salute Ms.Ocasio-Cortez.
28
There's no such thing as good chutzpah. She has courage, and will. Big difference.
Patronizing article if I ever read one. Ms. Ocasio-Cortez please stay away from this gossip monger. She stands for nothing you stand for. You are a breath of fresh air for our ailing nation, she is a Lady Macbeth wannabe.
33
What an annoyingly patronizing article from the Queen of Kitch gossip about a true hero who dethroned the King of Queens! Go Ocasio-Cortez, and please stay away from people like Maureen.
24
She has a boyfriend. What about her major in college, Maureen?
17
Alright, already. We get it. Look, I love what this woman says. I've been at rallies that she attended and at which she spoke. She has a great platform. But frankly, I'm getting tired of hearing about how historic and amazing her win was. For starters, given the demographics of her area AND the fact that the incumbent didn't even live there anymore, it's not as surprising as the media and the Democratic establishment seem to think it is. Secondly, I've seen this movie before. While I like what she says, saying things is the easy part. So I'll wait until I see what she actually DOES with her time in office before I start dancing naked in the streets like everyone else on the Left seems to be doing. I'm sure she would respect that. In fact, if we were all freaking out about some other candidate and she was interviewed as an ordinary voter, she would say the same thing about them that I'm saying about her now.
22
I keep hearing that she is so liberal that she'll be a disaster in the general election. But my heart says, "You go girl!"
We need candidates we can love--and just reading her quotes and looking at your photo of her, I love her.
I've just met a young woman running in my district to take on our Republican congressman who is afraid to hold town hall meetings, and I have the same excitement over her. Things seem so much better, with just these two rays of light!
29
How will she pay for all of the free stuff she’s proposing?
That was asked of her and, of course, wasn’t answered.
1
She is not only smart and progressive but very attractive in the bargain. A great candidate to represent the Latino/a and progressive communities.
14
Congratulations, Congresswoman!
Democrats lost in 2016 because for going on 30 years they've been playing Clinton's "triangulation" game, where you cutely stand for nothing but keep shifting to the right to absorb the other party's position. The idea was that the Rs would move so far right, they'd fall off the edge. But the world is round, and they kept moving right...and so did the Dems. Meanwhile, they had no more narrative except "We're not them."
Ocasio-Cortez has a story and a vision. Question is, will the white people buy it? Forget the Trumpist white supremacists, I mean the rich, privileged techies the Dems have given all their attention to these last nigh 30 years? As we see in Silicon Valley, liberal Dems don't care about public schools and public transportation. They want charters and electric Teslas.
It's no good being the powerless minority. Trump and the Rs are quickly and efficiently destroying every vestige of the people's government. They're destroying the very planet with their blind denial of science.
I hope Ocasio-Cortez can bring the techies on board, not by softening her working class principles but by reeducating them about how democracy works best when everyone's included.
30
She gives me hope in these dark times!
32
Right on, Alexandria. Go get 'em!
16
The girl from the Bronx is going to Congress. Those millions of people who marched today, the last day of June, would all 100% vote for that girl from the Bronx.
The times they are a changing.
26
This was just the Primary-she is not there yet-though in this liberal dist she will probably win the seat in Nov. Then she will come to realize what Washington is like and probably get eaten alive by the BEAST that is DC!
I’m pleased that Ms. Ocasio-Cortez won her seat in Congress. But, I find Ms. Dowd’s backhanded swipe at Hillary Clinton to be deplorable. A Democratic candidate that left many people cold is not “the” reason Trump is in the White House. If we are looking for people to blame, we can start with Ms. Dowd, who made a career out of attacking the Clintons while normalizing monsters like Donald Trump. We can blame the rest of the media for its false equivalencies and its disdain for the truth. We can blame the cable news hosts who allow party propagandists to lie to their audiences. We can blame the FBI for ignoring Justice Department guidelines when it announced the re-opening a bogus investigation into Ms. Clinton’s emails 11 days before the election, while scrupulously keeping secret the ongoing investigation into Trump’s treasonous collaboration with a hostile foreign power. We can blame Mitch McConnell and rest of the Republican Congressional leadership who refused to condemn Russian meddling. We can blame the Supreme Court’s Republican majority for legalizing bribery and corruption of with their Citizens United decision. And we can pile a good share of the blame on an electoral system that is anti-democratic and favors rural, low-population states over states with larger urban populations. With that target rich environment, Ms. Dowd’s snarky remark about Ms. Clinton is simply despicable.
60
I believe she won a primary. There is still an election.
I agree! I found Ms. Dowd's articles during the election in favor of DJT. I could not figure out why she did not "tear" into DJT, in her columns, leading up to the Presidential election. I refused to read Ms. Dowd's column ,during this period. Maybe there is hidden conservatism in her blood.
2
Joe - Agree. But the reality is HRC was a very cold candidate. Like Bemidji, Minnesota cold.
It was long talked about during the campaign...how HRC simply could not, some said would not, try harder at being more approachable and less aloof, and less assured of her win.
All your other points are dead center hits. But an exciting, exuberant, and more communicative candidate could have made up for those other hits. They should have figured out a proper response to the email issue instead of ignoring it, or waiting too long.
Compounded by the abysmal campaigning strategy of her staff and the DNC...plus their Bernie Blow-off, and as such his supporters...
Everyone was screaming that Trump was re-writing the script - but clearly no one in the HRC circle heard it, or thought it credible. Big mistakes.
Look at the Cortez campaign. Crowley made a huge error. He didn't campaign where his competitor campaigned. Like the HRC campaign, failed to go where Trump did. Crowley went to the easy places. As did HRC.
This aint old-school politics anymore! Its all busted up and redrawn. Dems need to acknowledge the new game or get off the field.
One word: Impressive.
18
She's a natural. We've been waiting for you, Alexandria.
19
Whenever they attempt to touch you, shout out loud. Whenever they put an arm around your shoulders and whisper sweet nothings about pac money in your ear, run away and tell someone in authority - the voters. Whenever they try to change your vote, find the responsible grownups and show us where on the doll they attempted to touch you. This is not the end. It is the beginning of the difficult road ahead.
14
Congratulations to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and to
everyone who supports her. Will there be more young
people encouraged by her success come forward ?
We should all hope so.
18
It will always be better to have a democrat than a republican in office, perhaps less so with one who has no experience.
Youthful enthusiasm can inspire but it is no substitute.
When reality sets in and people realize that there is more to passing legislation than fresh air it may be too late. The blowhard in charge who campaigned on swamp draining is a good example. How can people be so naive?
4
Most entrepreneurs--if they knew what they were in for in the first business they started--wouldn't start. They start with passion and enthusiasm. From there, business grows.
So with politics.
1
Ms. Ocasio-Cortez is an inspiration. She gives me hope for the future. Her progressive agenda may sound radical to Steve Schmidt, but she's putting into words what every Millennial I know wants. Right now, she's the voice of their generation. And I cannot say this strongly enough: Democrats need new ideas and new blood. We need Ms. Ocasio-Cortez.
21
Obviously, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez's victory was a much-need slap in the face for the Democrats, snapping them out of their tepid, tone-deaf approach to politics. And the "socialist" tag might not harm her that much. Certainly reactionary GOP strategists will attempt to smear the daylights out of her, but that might not wash with rust-belt Trump voters, few of whom can afford membership to Mira Lago or a room at a Trump hotel. They can relate to Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, and will relate to her even more when they feel the impact of Trump's trade wars. At that point, the "socialist" tag might actually sound pretty good. And then -- who knows? -- we just might have an army of Ocasio-Cortez millennials to save our nation.
15
“But we need to name our star so we can chart a course.”
I like that, a lot. Reminds me a bit of Kennedy and Obama. We’ll see if she has the right stuff to govern but she has shown that she can inspire.
16
Let's hope that: (1) the Democrat donor class has finally grown tried of subsidizing the ineffective posers who serve as the party's establishment and (2) their money won't spoil Alexandria.
15
She sounds like a good old fashioned democrat. The democrats of the recent past have been mostly about defending personal rights. The whole class of people struggling for a basic livable wage have not been taken seriously. I hope the terms "elite"and "snowflake"will be put to rest when the republicans see the power wave that comes with her and hopefully other new young democrats. Go girl !!!
12
The Bronx- the best place to grow up during the first half of the 20th century. And maybe during Ocasio’s youth too, as it produced her. Congrats congresswoman .
6
I've lived just north of Ms. Ocasio-Ortiz's district in the Bronx, and one thing I've learned is that this neck of the woods is unique. It's almost entirely recent immigrants, not just from Latin America but from around the world, all strivers, hard-working, close-knit family ties, religious — the kind of people the GOP claims to represent. Except that here, they don't. Because, you know, they're immigrants.
15
There are many, many young people who are like Ocasio-Cortez, fortunately.
8
Bernie didn't endorse Ms. Ocasio-Cortez during her campaign. Bernie has actually been quite dismissive of what he deems "identity politics". Bernie actually has a tendency to be sexist. Perhaps that's why did failed to see Ms. Ocasio-Cortez coming and is now running to catch up.
That is all.
17
Yes, Maureen, Hillary Clinton's candidacy certainly left me, and many others, somewhat cold and resistant. I voted for the Clinton-Kaine ticket but would have campaigned and marched if Sanders was her running mate.
I love that the Bronx candidate for the House has a star worth aiming for. Any deviation from her mission statement is not a cave-in to centrist ideas but will be a practical adaptation.
I also believe in my gut that Sanders would have moderated his views and efforts as Vice President and we all the worse off because of that.
What do we have now? A zombie VP in Mike Pence!
5
Ms Ocasio-Cortez may be shining in the limelight now but her star will fade and she will be a disappointed back-bencher when her agenda is rejected by mainstream Democrats and Republicans.
This nation was not built on Socialism. 100 years of history provides proof that Socialism fails. The most recent example is Venezuela. She may appeal to many, especially those in her neighborhood, but not to the majority of Americans who work hard to earn and save and do not like the notion of sharing an inordinate amount of their success with those who relish the idea of entitlements. She against securing our borders and thinks anyone should be able to cross over illegally. Free college education for all?! Absurd, unless George Soros and other "progressive" billionaires want to underwrite it.
6
I suggest you learn the difference between "socialism" and "democratic socialism" because it's apparently not what you think it is.
Also, no Democrat (including her) thinks anyone and everyone should should be able to cross the border illegally.
As far as "free college education" for all goes, I think you are also missing the point. Not everybody wants (nor needs) a full college education, but nearly everybody needs post-secondary education. But for bright, motivated students that qualify there should be money and resources available to make it happen without incurring mortgage sized debt. Otherwise, there should be job training and other educational programs that give people skills to be productive and earn decent livings to get their start in life. Businesses are crying out for skilled labor and just can't find it, let's give people job training so that they can qualify.
10
I got my engineering master's degree over four decades ago at a flagship state university where tuition was free. If you had the aptitude and were willing to work, America would teach you whatever you wanted to learn without leaving you in massive debt. And, frankly, I do think our American billionaires should start paying some taxes to pay for the education of the rest of Americans.
I'm with Mark, we don't all need a college degree or graduate degree, but, if a hard working kid wants to learn a trade or craft, or work in health care or business, training ought to be available. All of those areas include a lot of tech now--talk to any woodworker about CNC machines.
If you'd care to move outside this hemisphere for a moment, Democratic Socialism has been doing just fine for many years in Europe, particularly in the Scandinavian countries. Socialism, run by nations whose politicians are not corrupt, works just fine. And, please do not confuse socialism with communism.
And, Americans do not save. Credit card debt is ridiculous. Most Americans can't cover an emergency thousand dollar expense. That's why we have social security, to make sure people have enough money for their retirement.
4
The Republicans have successfully vilified Peolsi to the point where she has become a major drag on the Party. Her insistence on vying for the Speakers position, if Dems win majority, is a serious rallying cry for the GOP base.
The Democratic Party needs new, vibrant candidates. The Pelosis and the Schumers are as stale as the McConnells and Hatches.
If the Dems run a woman for president in 2020, Trump (or the GOP candidate) will win. The nation was not ready for a black president, and the nation is less ready for a woman president.
The time for a female president will come--but the time is not now.
1
The "nation" voted in the "black" candidate twice with true majorities. It was the Republicans who were not ready for a black president. Had Obama been able to run again in '16 be would have won a landslide victory.
Great column! Thanks for letting her voice be heard.
3
I’ve been waiting for a Dem Socialist platform candidate absent the “sometimes “ Bernie free for all radicalized posturing- all bite, no bark”. I did not support Bernie- he just didn’t have a big umbrella or skills set for me- not interested in an overthrow. Alexandria has it all. A soft approach Dem Socialism (not Socialist) movement is a coming). Steve Schmidt is really confused (& he worked for Palin- really?) Ms. O- Cortez is sincere, Steve, DT is not. Schmidt loves to go on Nicole Wallace’s show and banter about his emotional over the top “adjective vocabulary “. Nicole Wallace is an interesting pip of conversational deftness- even though she was a Bushy II and an Orange County, CA Repub. Me and my family do tune in.
We all love Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Less so Maureen Dowd who generally pans Democrats and who certainly did a number on Hillary Clinton.
It may not be good for popularity on a nation-wide basis, but your use of the word Socialist as something positive males me happy. Bring on Democratic Socialism which is what this country needs if we are to keep the majority of us out of slavery.
I am not fond of Bernie Sanders, but I understand that you campaigned for the one person who has the kind of fire you have. But I like your fire better than Bernie's because you don't sound so angry all the time. You are willing to admit that Medicare for all is the star we are seeking, but that does not preclude compromise as we move there. Bernie appears to have no room for compromise.
I look forward to learning more about you. You can't help but have a good effect on the Democrats in Congress.
You go, girl!
15
An encouraging column to be sure! But as for "putting up presidential candidates who leave voters cold," winning the popular vote by three million votes surely indicates that some people are impressed by experience and qualifications.
24
Thank you; yes, we can lift up this outstanding young candidate without putting down the woman who won the presidency’s popular vote.
11
Brava, Alexandria — you may not want to be branded as a radical, but the truth is that you cannot help but being so when contrasted with the current center of the Democratic Party. I'd urge you to hold-on tightly because the enormous gravitational pull of that mass of moderates will undoubtedly try to pull you toward its perspective. If you truly intend to remain emboldened, you'd best be prepared for that label, certainly flung at you as an epithet by the right, but likewise used to co-opt you by those supposedly "on your side."
13
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a new name I've had to commit to memory. What's not to like about her? She represents her changing district and I think that her ideological orientation is held with insight and dignity - and no trace of defensiveness. Not Joe Biden, but the Alexandria's represent the future of the Democratic Party.
I do have a piece of advice though, and I would extend it to the Democratic Socialists of America and the Sanders wing of the Party, of which I am surely a constituent, and it is this:
Late in FDR's career, in his state of the Union address in 1944, he left us his vision for the economic security of the nation, forged in the fires of the Great Depression and the rise of fascism out of the troubles it caused in Europe. It was called the Second Bill of Rights. It was conservatively framed as the basic economic underpinning that allowed individuals to compete in a capitalist, competitive economy. It seems to me that Alexandria's platform is made of the planks introduced by FDR, and she would be wise to make the linkage.
And to make the argument to the business community - something they seem to have forgotten: without adequate working class and middle class incomes, business cannot thrive for long, and we will find that out when the sugar high of Trump's policies hit the next crisis, or even just the end of the ten year cycle.
This is the story of Alexandria's district, and also true for much of rural red state America.
26
Congratulations on Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's win! She is much needed, and appreciated. Fantastic news.
19
Just in case you wondered, you have seen the future and her name is Alexandria. There will be others like her and they will change things.
26
It is amazing that Maureen still references Hillary in a dismissive tone because she's "cold." Instead of teaching the American people as to how we should vote she falls in line with those who would elect the most entertaining, the most dynamic, the most photogenic, etc. It's this kind of thinking that got us Trump. Instead of focusing on qualifications, Maureen frets about personality. The biggest mistake we make as a nation in considering what person to put in the White House is that we don't insist on successful public service to be a mandatory qualification. How long before the slowest among us get that businessmen tend make bad presidents. Leadership requires that one has a broad view of what is best for ALL of its residents. Just pandering to your base is anathema to preserving this once perfect union. Compromise is the only hope for America moving forward. Both sides of the political spectrum are not going to give in on their hardened views on abortion, gun control and gay rights. The only solution is to promote a philosophy of live and let live. Let the red states determine the culture and the conditions under which they want to live. Just do not force the blue states to adopt that culture, those conditions. We are desperate for a real leader to make that argument. Trump is clearly not that man. He is actually the antithesis of that man. His words and his actions are tearing apart the social fabric of America. Could Ocasio-Cortez be that person some day?
27
"Could Ocasio-Cortez be that person some day?"
Not with those politics, no. But, she may yet be mugged by reality once she starts doing the math on some of these grandiose ideas on her platform.
But, to your larger point, agreed. We're putting way too much emphasis on personality in politics. I prefer boring politicians who are effective. :-)
8
Khadijah, don't be so sure. What did people say about FDR? What did Reagan say about Medicare: that it would bring a socialist dictatorship, and people would tell their children that there was once a time when Americans were free?
Yes, somehow Medicare for All and free college tuition are subject to "math," while spending almost a trillion dollars a year on the military, gargantuan tax cuts for the rich, and obscene corporate welfate are exempt from mathematics or accounting.
It's not about math as much as it is about national priorities.
5
So refreshing!!!!
7
The second I read of her victory I knew that the United States was doing it again. We have an amazing capacity to mold ourselves into any shape to meet any challenge. I was waiting for this moment. I am stepping light again. The days are brighter than they were yesterday. We will come through this Trump cataract better than we were. I know it now. It just feels great. As the old white MAGA bigots scramble with their twisted tools, trying to stuff the civil rights era toothpaste back into the tube, women like "The Puerto Rican Girl From The Bronx" just brought her foot down on the tube. She is going to make Obama look like Caspar the Friendly Ghost to Trump era dinosaurs.
14
Consider the wailing from the Left: The only 'progress' they've made since Woodstock has been in the courts--not at the ballot box. Not how Alexander Hamilton et al wanted it.
Faux concern for all these faux 'rights'.
How about unborn womens' rights?
3
Are we to be concerned about the rights of the unborn? If so how do we start by restricting those rights to get a fair shake, have strong balanced and fair institutions in the future, be assured some level of honesty and decency in their leaders, have the right to vote, and control there own options? Are you referring to Roe v. Wade or future generations? Just to be clear. We can all pick our favorite framers. But they were all pretty much well-off white men trying to frame for their future right to run things as they conceived fair and just. The second amendment was about ensuring their power to control slaves; not to ward off future invaders or their own totalitarian government. What role did militias play in the war of 1812?
There is no such thing as an unborn woman. Womanhood, like manhood, is attained and to a great extent achieved an infant in the first several decades of postnatal life. Support women who already exist in caring and providing for their families, and you’ll actually be helping the next generation of humans.
1
I can't tell if she is real or genuine or what... But deep within me a shout is growing.
YOU GO, GIRL!
Please.......
6
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez may be "a Puerto Rican girl from the Bronx," but she also acts like Princess Leia Organa of the Rebel Alliance ready to take on Darth Don from Queens and the "dark side" he's been casting over America. The battle is now on with Ms. Ocasio-Cortez and other women ready to lead the resistance to the evil misogynist, male chauvinist Empire.
15
She's a girl in the same way that Trump is a man.
Please use more respectable language to describe this amazing woman defeated all odds by beating the richer older white man.
16
Thank you. I was trying to find the language to express my concern with condescending tone of this column.
This is the EXACT WAY Ms. Ocasio-Ortiz describes herself. It's a shame you don't understand irony, but if you have a beef, it's with her.
1
Wow! I'm with Dowd, and I'm with Ocasio-Cortes. But my main takeaway is what separates them from each other. One is the epitome of the working class, the other writes a few hundred words a week in a column in the New York Times. It all reminds me of Orwell's writing about the difference between the space his words took up on a shelf and the coal the miners mined in "The Road To Wigan Pier". Next week the waitress will be waitressing, and Dowd will be at a seminar on Virginia Woolf.
4
Perceptive comment!! Or, as Karl Marx put it, philosophy is to revolution what masturbation is to sex.
Sending a contribution from her biggest new California fan!!!! Go
Alexandria!!!!!
14
Excepting lives in the Bronx now,grew up in the one percent wealthy enclave not in the Bronx.Democratic Socialism is Another acronym for the US communist party.The same type of political organization which just laid Venezuela to waste,good luck.
3
She lives in a working class neighborhood. You know nothing of the Bronx. And what if she did grow up in a wealthy enclave? It's possible to do so and have empathy.
3
Huh??? Ocasio-Oritz had a harscrabble childhood. Do your homework before commenting!
4
Congratulations to Ms. Ocasio-Cortez and to you for dedicating an entire column to someone who deserves it.
10
May the force be with you young Ocasio-Cortez.
22
Great column, Maureen. Finally, after a long time, good writing on a very important young woman. But then, there was this:
"if you insist on putting up presidential candidates who leave voters cold, really bad things can happen."
Please remember Hillary won by 3 million people. The Electoral College is an old, dead thing and should be eliminated. You just CAN'T resist a dig at Hillary, can you? What's up with that? It brings you down, Ms. Dowd. Low and lower. Give it up!
And you owe Ms. Ocasio-Cortez all the support you can fit into each column every time you write one. It's the least you can do.
34
Without any personal reflection on Ms. Ocasio-Cortez whatsoever, she is a compromise candidate of the New York judaeo-christian leftist radical and conservative Democrats.
3
So work for an Ocasio-Ortiz in your own district!
1
Trump was the only candidate that didn't leave Maureen cold in the last election.
18
Maureen, it’s great when you write an uplifting, positive story, instead of another one of your “Dawn of the Apocalypse” tirades. Good for young Alexandria and good for you!
3
Very much agree. Even though you couldn't resist a slap at Hillary, there are a lot of us that wish you would train your abundant talents on worthier subjects! We know you can do waspish, but for too long that seemed your only voice. We really need your other registers in times like these.
The future is indeed female. Thank God!
Go Terrier!
16
This is a great story, but not the only story. What we need is a more Democratic Congress. Ocasio doesn’t move that needle.
A young peppy Democrat replaces an old stodgy (yet completely reliable) Democrat. Congressional Yield: same party balance as before.
But in Florida, a non Hispanic Democrat beat a Cuban Republican in a district that’s been Cuban Republican for years. Congressional Yield: one more seat for Democrats
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/30/us/miami-little-havana-cuban.html?hp&...
8
Wonderful, unexpected debut. Interested to learn more about what shaped AOC’s thinking. She will not be perfect, no one is, but wow. Let’s support her as she does this job.
Can we clone her? A few Alexandria’s in each state and we make a dent in the old, white guy leadership. Would love to be a fly on the wall of the smug politicians debating her rise.
8
I'm a Brooklynite, but wish I lived in Ms. Ocasio-Cortez's district just so I could vote for her. All the best to all the young people who are fighting to save the Republic from the fascists.
25
"Democrats should be getting high-fives from sanitation drivers-
that is what should be happening in America." Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
That's the meaning of We The People!
14
Ms. Ocasio-Cortez takes positions like Medicare for all (health care as a human right), abolition of ICE, and free post secondary education. If she compromises, her first “offer” puts her in a strong bargaining position.
When you go “realistic” and stake a position well to the right of Ocasio-Cortez, what happens when you negotiate with Republicans who are to the right of Barry Goldwater’s more Conservative nephew?
Stick to your anti-guns, girl from the Bronx. You are teaching Democrats a lesson Republicans learned quite a while ago.
16
"the president from Queens won’t know “how to deal with a girl from the Bronx.”
I love this woman....
I think just from her sheer likability she would have beat Trump.
4
There is no telling to the ending of this East Side Story.
She may fall for him.
1
In addition to telling us her opinion, Dowd may have talked with Ms. Ocasio-Cortez. Dowd did not make up any quotes. Dowd reported the news and was honest. Who knew that would ever happen?
Hillary Clinton NEVER experienced Dowd treating her fairly and NEVER experienced Dowd acting with integrity. But today's column seems fair and honest. May Dowd continue to be fair and honest. Bless her heart.
7
A word to the wise, Ms. O-C: you got a favorable column out of this one- don't talk to her again. She's a cold-blooded assassin & will be happy to take you down in a second.
33
Voters who care about the future of this nation will vote for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. If elected it will only be a matter of time before Trump threatens her by saying "She better watch out what you wish for" the same way he menaced Congresswoman Maxine Waters.
We must turn Congress blue again in order to restore decency to the White House. The cowardly Republicans in Congress are hiding under their desks while Trump runs around like a deranged dictator. Get out the vote in 2018...or we all better watch out!
18
...if democrats keep putting forth candidates that leave people feeling cold... hmmmm, isn't M. Dowd the same person who has made it her calling to reinforce that feeling? You helped more than most sow what we all now get to eat, a whole lot of rotten Trump. thanks for that.
15
I just love a game changer. Doesn’t hurt that she’s cute as a button and smart as a whip! Go girl!
4
Ocasio-Cortez is the future of the Democratic Party.
Note well, Nancy.
4
Dear god, that is refreshing. The return of common sense? Now if her mother can keep her mouth shut...
2
Maureen, its good to see you are not dumping on Alexandria the way you dumped on HRC during the campaign. if you have anything critical to say leave it until after the election. my then she will win.
8
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was endorsed by Cynthia Nixon and Zephyr Teachout. Nixon is running for NY governor and Teachout is running for NY State Attorney General. The Democratic Primary is September 13. Please support them.
5
And the New York Times missed it again! The coverage of this race in the now pitiful metro section is something to learn from. As the times missed the mark on trump in a very big way, so it did here. As a lifelong reader, I question your papers integrity and ability to analyze candidates in any intellectual capacity. Your reporters of this race show just how off based and naive they are. The times doesn’t know how to feel the pulse of New Yorkers any longer and hasn’t is some time. I would suggest you read your coverage of this race and reflect.
13
She is not just a girl making good! She is one of the vanguards of the millennial generation - the same generation that can pull us up from the downward spiral the country is presenty in.
Don't for one minute think this is an anomaly.
It isn't. This generzfion is smart, hip and humanitarian. And they have the antidote to all this president's bizaarisms. The only reservation about them taking over it all - the congress, the political scene, the culture, the humanitarian zeal - is the discipline to be there for the long haul and the outright courage to save this country. Look to them! Encourage them. Let them know you are counting on them. This isn't just a saturday night beer fest.
This is for the soul of the country.
22
I'm old enough to remember when the same words were used to praise Boomers in the '60s. Or to quote that avatar of youthful protest and promise, the Monkees, "We're the young generation, and we've got something to say." It's all part of what Joni Mitchell called the Circle Game.
8
Maureen has to accept her role in the election of Donald Trump. She picked at Clinton more than she ever picked at Trump. And now she decides to be critical of him?
36
agree with you completely!
1
The one Ocasio-Cortez most reminds me of is Michael Avenatti.
Now, if she were named Leia and had a brother named Luke, then the implicit imagery of this op-ed would be complete.
Ocasio-Cortez, A New Hope...
2
GIRL? Seriously? In this day and age, you insult a young woman, someone to be admired, by calling her a GIRL? Aaaah. If women aren't sensitive to the diminutive, insulting nature of that word in this situation, how can we expect men to be? Get out of the 1950s, Maureen.
11
Well, AOC called herself a girl from the Bronx." It's cute and anachronistic, but I think she'll grow beyond that, and be a strong woman in Congress.
I sincerely wish this young lady the very best of luck in her life. Her courage and charisma are infectious. Of course her win is probably causing retching among Democratic Party strategists as they think about how to hold together the competing factions of the party. To repurpose an old line: how will Ms. Ocasio-Cortez play in Peoria?
9
She's not representing anyone in Peoria. She's a much needed breath of fresh air who is representing the people in her district - and that's where the change begins.
6
I don’t mind the term “socialist” as long as you correctly call conservatives “anti-social.”
37
Youth, fight and energy. Forget about the far left views. Democrats, try this and then wonder why you loose national elections while being so popular among the latte-sipping crowd. And while the Republicans are Trupified and the Democrats flirt with Socialism, the moderates will have to find another country to live in.
You are blinded by labels. Do you support Social Security, Medicare, clean water and clean air? Do you oppose separating asylum seekers from their children? How about public education, safe food, and free and fair elections? Do you think the government should control women’s reproductive rights? Look, we use to think that every American should get a free high school education. It is clear that to be competitive, that now needs to be a community college degree. How about non-discriminatory health insurance. Do you have a pre-existing condition. The Republican Party has become a right wing, neo-confederate cult, incapable of governing. Time to throw the bums out. VOTE FOR DEMOCRATS AT EVERY LEVEL!
Maueen Dowd may have done some reporting in this column. Dowd may have talked to Ms. Ocasio-Cortez before writing the column. Dowd apparently did not paraphrase or rewrite what Cortez said in order to be more entertaining. Who knew that Dowd could act with integrity?
Everything that Dowd has written about Hillary Clinton, including the nasty aside in today's column, indicates that Dowd does not do reporting and has no more integrity than President Trump. BUT today's column portends good tidings for the future, just like Ms. Ocasio-Cortez's victory.
11
Dude, MODO is an opinion writer, not a reporter.
Actually, Maureen is correct about the Clintons. Bill fooled lot's of us--he certainly had much charisma, but his talking of the middle class, rather than the working classes gave way to Republicans to take that handle, even though they didn't give a hoot to the working classes. Bill's "end welfare as we know it," spoke clearly to the Republicans--see the Democrats don't care about you. Hill's support for Henry the K, said much about how out of touch she is for progressives leftists like the "Local Girl Makes Good." Remember HRC said: "super predators...need to heal." How enlightening for this 28 year old, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to say that she is a Democratic Socialist.
I have spent too many Sundays commenting on your columns, Maureen, too often having to remind you of your early, long, and unneeded bashing of "Barry" and Hillary. Thanks for this one. Nice to see you calling out Trump what he is: the Death Star.
8
You go, Girl. Show them how to do it! Suzy Kline
3
Love this woman.
2
**Resubmission** Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez may be "a Puerto Rican girl from the Bronx," but she also acts like Princess Leia Organa of the Rebel Alliance ready to take on Darth Donald from Queens and the "dark side" he's been casting over America. The battle is now on with Ms. Ocasio-Cortez and other women ready to lead the resistance to the evil misogynist, male chauvinist Empire.
4
"She said she knew the status quo needed to be challenged after she asked 15 of her fellow restaurant workers if they had health care, and all of them said no."
Dem Power People are too successful and protected to feel the reality of issues like health care, except in the abstract. But a huge number of people in the US, soon to become the majority unless there are new ideas and power structures, have to deal with lousy health care, hopeless schools, taking crummy jobs, and buried in debt from student loans.
These things are not abstract to Ocasio-Cortez. They provide her motivation, and her charisma takes care of the rest.
14
I am very excited for these progressive women. I would note that we have too many people in this country who are crazy wealthy while too many struggle to get by. It is long past time to equalize the equation a little with healthcare and education oh, and a livable minimum wage. Ocasio-Cortez may be on to something!
7
I come from the working class am fairly well educated second generation immigrant and older. I went to work the day of Ms. Ocasio-Cortez's name was in the media, I was so happy because I work with many young people like her. I let them know that they are our saving grace, that they have big shoulders to carry us forward from the mess they have inherited.That is as it should be. She is not an exception. Greasy politicians take note. Even her opponent was conciliatory on her winning over him. There are many people like Ms. Ocasio-Cortez who are truly grounded in who they are and are Americans too. I feel this sense of gratitude in some release from the miasma mentioned in the article by Ms. Dowd. I love the word miasma the dark mixed up place where beauty in many different forms can escape from. Freedom.
8
It's great that Ocasio is a positive enough political figure to bring out this (rare) positive column from the Red Menace. Thumbs up to you both!
4
Ocasio-Cortez 2028 ?
1
This column is sadly ironic.
We have two women running away from the vile mess they helped to create in helping to elect Donald Trump.
Maureen Dowd by her constant belittlement of Hillary Clinton and her softball treatment of Donald Trump.
Ms. Cortez by her work with the Trojan Horse Bernie Sanders who was instrumental in crippling the candidacy of Hillary Clinton.
So excuse me if I choose not to believe the continuing handwringing from Maureen Dowd or join in on fawning about this “local girl” rising star who thinks we should ignore her role in helping to burden our nation with the vile darkness of Donald Trump.
6
Hillary et al, her campaign, crippled herself.
The Democratic Party failed to get out the vote.
+-88% of Sandernistas voted for HRC.
Multi millions of Dino's flipped to Trump.
Multi millions of D's stayed home.
Quit blaming everyone else except the guilty ones.
Stop punching down and Left.
1
Nice piece Maureen, now if you want the dems. to win the Congress in 2016 and the WH in 2020 start printing pieces on moderate democrats like the newly elected senator from Ala. or Lamb in Pa. or Sen Manchin in W.Va.
If you don't you will help to create another Hillary disaster, ie like Lemmings jumping over a cliff to their deaths instead of moderating their views.
Learn from Lincoln Maureen, see the Spielberg movie or be condemned to repeat history's worst mistakes.
7
Ms Cortez is also a reminder that all politics is local. She represents a district much different than that of Connor Lamb. Connor Lamb was elected in a district that had always been Republican. With some redrawing of the Congressional map in Pa that may not now be the case, but the policies of the two will differ. There is no one size fits all candidate and the party must learn to let the voters have their say and give equal,support to the candidates.
1
Thank you for your Bashh1, if I read your post right you agree with me.
Ms. Cortez is right for her district but there are not many districts like that in America even in major cities.
As Reagan taught us a 80% republican is good enough for him.
Democrats like Lamb and Mancini in W. Va. fit that description. There are some many democrats running in districts like that.
Women like republican senators like Murkowski and Collins learned that lessen. They ran as 80% Reagan republicans and won.
Ironically these women may save the Roe/Wade decision.
I love Ocasio-Cortez. But I'm far from ready to let Maureen Dowd off the hook for her hypocrisy and her blinkered refusal to acknowledge her own role in the outcome of the 2016 election. We didn't get Trump just because the Dems supposedly ran an unlikable candidate. Shall we pause to remember who won the popular vote? Apparently, then, more people found Hilary "likable" than Donald. Oops. The media was also culpable, and Maureen Dowd was one of the worst, utterly fawning over The Donald, preening and cooing, and repeatedly reminding us how pleased she was that he took her phone calls. Presumably she allowed herself this lapse because she didn't think he could actually win - fine, but it's time to fess up, then. Or is it just that she's essentially nothing more than a "mean girl" at heart herself, and enjoys hurting whoever it seems popular to hurt at the moment? She has gotten an almost sociopathic glee from attacking the Clintons for decades now. Maureen Dowd seems to be about 13 years old emotionally. I find her unworthy of the New York Times.
14
Inspiring column Ms. Dowd, thank you.
2
I too applaud the victory of Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, and wish her all the luck in the world in her political career. But I’m more than irritated by Ms. Dowd’s gratuitous swipe at Hillary Clinton as a candidate who leaves everybody cold. Ms. Clinton won the popular vote by more than three million votes, and by the rigging of the election by the antiquated and long-irrelevant factor of the Electoral College; as well as by the perfidious machinations of Russia and Wiki-leaks, and by the stupid and naive presence of a Nader-like third-party candidate. Ms. Clinton had a brilliant career from the moment she left college. Did she have faults? Of course. But which of Ms. Dowd’s readers wouldn’t give their eyeteeth to have her in the White House right now? But Ms. Dowd has always been a Casual Insulter with skill almost unmatched until Donald Trump himself came along. Who can calculate how much damage she did Al Gore with her incessant harping on his “wooden” personality? And to John Kerry with her snide suggestion, when he went goose-hunting, that his wife could make fois gras with it? But I digress. Long life and success to Ms. Ocasio-Cortez. There are dragons to be slain and Augean Stables to be cleared. Vote, think, breathe, eat, drink, Democratic!
17
George,
Why point our low % losses like 3rd party, Wiki and Russia. Why do you ignore the multi-millions that stayed home? The Democratic Party failed to get out the vote. Why do you ignore the multi-millions of Dino's that flipped, and voted Trump?
Put your shame and blame on the big %. The small % will always be with us.
Get out your base or lose.
2
At first, you had me all agog thinking about Ms. Rebecca Of Sunnyside, The Bronx, Going to Washington.
Then I recognized your agenda: to excuse your contempt for Hillary Clinton, you want us to believe it is okay to put Roe on the verge of repeal because the woman candidate wasn't likable. The future belongs to a Socialist from the Bronx, not the Capitalist from Chappaqua.
Try selling her "bold" ideas in Puxatawny, Pascagoula, Ponca City, and Pasadena. You'll be poorer than a prairie dog in Pocatello.
Her faux confidence and loaded language (or is it youthful hyperbole?) sounds like a course from Trump University (with P.T. Barnum as visiting professor)
It's only months before the Puerto Rican Reverend Al shuffles around greasin' her palm, and shakin' her pockets. Before you know it, Mother Jones morphs into Marge Schott. Pardon my pessimism.
The Democrats don't need any more good ideas. What they need is to learn how to WIN. It's imperative they acknowledge what Bernie and Company, Jill Stein, and Susan Sarandon dealt them.
O.C. will be a welcome voice ... on the margin of the Democraic Big Tent, especially if it cuts into Maxine Waters' fifteen minutes of infamy..
4
"The Democrats wandered the capital, looking stunned. It finally seemed to be sinking in that if you insist on putting up presidential candidates who leave voters cold, really bad things can happen."
Ms. Dowd: Would you please stop flogging Hillary Clinton? Even when you don't mention her by name, you rarely write an article without getting your little 'dig' in at her. The fact of the matter is that Ms. Clinton won the popular vote by almost 3 million. That hardly meets the qualification of "leaving voters cold." C'mon!
I'm very happy that Ms. Ocasio-Cortez won her primary; I look forward to seeing her elected to Congress for the coming term. But couldn't you -- just once -- celebrate her accomplishment without having to diss Hillary Clinton?
13
It is pathetic how the Democrats and pundits are making a big deal over this small local political event, which symbolizes the fairy tale story of nothing more than a young attractive woman winning a primary in a district that matches her ethnicity against an older smug arrogant white man. How absurd is it that the Democrats, who have be given a jelly bean, when they hunger for a bite of steak, are celebrating this event, as if this is the Second Coming, or that a new and better Obama has ascended. Soon a fable will be constructed- Ms. Ocasio-Cortez Goes To Washington.
This is just another BIg Story from Ms.Dowd.
6
Ms. Dowd give away her hand with this one millionth gratuitous dig at Hillary Clinton: "The Democrats wandered the capital, looking stunned. It finally seemed to be sinking in that if you insist on putting up presidential candidates who leave voters cold, really bad things can happen."
No, Ms. Dowd, really bad things happen when you have a columnist who, under the guise of being a liberal Democrat, does everything she can to undermine the party's candidate.
15
It's not Dowd's job to be a cheerleader for Clinton or any other candidate. She calls it like she sees it. Why do you think so many Dem voters stayed home who voted in droves for Obama the previous two elections? Why do you think that is?
I've been impressed and heartened these past couple of weeks by two things: Ms. Ocasio-Cortez's win and Steve Schmidt's leaving the GOP. I understand his caution re Ms.O-C's policies. But, it's a starting point for a discussion. Isn't that what debate is all about?
Perhaps if these two fine examples of the American Way get to talk to each other, we'll survive the dtRump regime.
12
The same Steve Schmidt who brought us Sarah Palin? And thus Donald Trump? Oh goody. Now he's not a Republican. He likes his MSNBC friends too much.
1
Yep she's just what we need and what the Democratic Party needs. But I'm sure as time goes by and especially if she goes for higher office the facile closet Republican Maureen Dowd will find new and inventive ways to throw shade on her the way she did with Dukakis, Gore, Climtom and Kerry. Her make up will be wrong, or her heels to high. Some trival nonsense to diminish her, and put her Republicsn opponent in power.
5
You go, girl!
Signed,
Another girl from the Bronx
4
I am so glad she wakes up every single day and is the same person! Wow!
6
She has 100 times the charisma that Biden has and 1 times that intelligence. Dems will run him and lose again.
1
Well they can't run Cortez., she won't be old enough. I do like Biden, but he is too old to run. He has a worse campaign record than Clinton's and we don't need a repeat of her attempt at a second coming.
"A girl from the Bronx" you say.....
Actually she grew up 20 miles north, in Yorktown Heights.
3
Actually, Maureen, she's a woman. Mary McGrory would be spinning in the grave - again...
1
A solid defeat for the moth eaten, degraded and corrupt Clintonville Democrats. Wall Sreet may continue to prop them and their ilk up for a while but time is ticking. Your time is up.
You knee capped Bernie when he was the choice of hard working people and you lost to TRUMP... and now well stumble and bumble directionless in Congress with hand wringing and stomping your feet is no strategy.
2
Not only is it becoming a choice between the extreme left and the extreme right, but the election of J. Lo Jr. suggests it's also becoming a choice between the extremely young and the extremely old.
Where are all the Middle-Aged Moderates? Oh yeah, they're out in the non-elected sector keeping the world going round.
The USSF evil? Let us thank our lucky stars the dear leader is finally cracking down on extraterrestrial illegal immigration, intuitively understanding that a goodly portion of his base watches those cable shows about the UFO menace. Klaatu barada nikto!!!
And when Trump gets around to doing something about Bigfoot, that should lock things up for 2020.
1
Bless that Puerto Rican girl!
1
I find myself writing it again today, but, "good luck with that".
America is NOT NYC. America is Texas. It is a wasteland of gas stations and mini-marts filled with ignorant and frightened people.
9
Dowd....do you have to tell us she 'has a boyfriend'? Who cares? Do you have a boyfriend? So what, one way or the other?
This woman, with her courageous, ethical convictions and her charismatic, powerful personality is actually challenging the US establishment of money and power. That's what we care about and are impressed by.
I saw her debate on line with Crowley. His words went on and on, but had little reality content. Ocasio Cortez's words had a lot of reality content.
In this age of Trumpian Reality TV politics---real reality means a lot.
3
Just think: were it not for the likes of Dowd and older white women like her (Kathleen Parker, Mika Brzenski) the Supreme Court would be 6-3 liberal right now and every thing from voting right s to gay rights to union rights to reproductive rights to immigration rights would be saved.
Check you rear view window Ms. Dowd. That's Hillary waving back at you in the distance.
And, oh, can we at least wait until Ms. Cortez wins her seat in Congress before we make her Speaker?
9
Nice to read a relatively positive Dowd column, although the swipe at Hillary was unnecessary.
Talk about the complete opposite of Trump. Trump - liar, cheat, bully, ugly, old, male, white, rich. Ocasio-Cortez, the opposite.
Who makes this stuff up?
4
Go Girl!! The Democratic Party needs you!!!
2
May Alexandria always wake up every day as "a Puerto Rican girl from the Bronx". If she can maintain that reality, that identity, she may be able to wend her way through the swamp she may well enter after November, without getting all the mud and muck on her, drowning in the murky waters.
3
To Sister Ocasio-Cortez: You go girl!!!
10
Maureen, it's always rich when you opine about Clinton losing, even briefly, given how many columns you wrote bashing her. So please stop with the projecting. Clinton didn't leave voters cold. She left you cold. Please accept some blame for her defeat. You made money on her rising and now she's still your muse and you're still at it.
Why not try and write a column without her in it?
Let go, Mo. And then, some of your readers might believe you.
11
I love Ocasio and this is a decent piece, but I swear the vintage Dowdism is the observation that the newly nominated "has a boyfriend."
4
Maureen now is thinking of the damage Donald Trump is doing, and will continue to do to the country and our democracy, amazing grace...! I remember Maureen's snarky columns about Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama, combined with her bizarre crush like attitude towards Donald Trump during the election campaign. Maureen you owe the readers of this paper an apology, after the mea culpa, maybe I can again, read your columns without recalling your previous, wrongheaded malicious attitude.
5
Advocating socialism, an economic system that has murdered over 100 million people in the 20th century, is making good?
3
46% of Americans cant cover a $400. emergency.
164 million 'Mercians.
40% of all American workers (39.6% to be precise) make less than $20,000 a year.
In the United States today, the wealthiest 1% of all Americans have a greater net worth than the bottom 90% combined.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the middle class is taking home a smaller share of the overall income pie than has ever been recorded before.
Approximately one out of every five households in the United States is now on food stamps.
The median working-age couple has saved only $5,000 for their retirement.
Advocating American capitalism, an economic system that has committed genocide on its original inhabitants and built its foundation upon slavery is making good?
4
She's really just another lying rich kid from Westchester County, whose daddy was an architect. At least Bernie actually was on food stamps before enriching himself in public office.
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/06/29/fact-check-girl-from-...
2
Would not analyze "arrieres pensees of Cong. Crowley, but have a hunch that he had had it with politics, is now ready to cash in his chips, as it were, ready to use connections he has made while in public service to become a lobbyist. Might have reckoned that it was now or never, and the political game, necessity of constantly importuning donors had given him the "ras bol."He was fed up.Hence, his lack luster campaign for re election. If Ocasio wants to really have an impact, she might begin by calling for the upgrading of public housing, elimination of fire traps like the 1 in the Bronx that killed 12 in Jan., and leading a campaign against "permanent government "of heartless landlords who r evicting the old and infirm from apartments they have lived in or owned for generations. Times newspaper ran a magnificent investigative series on the victims, and photo of that 80ish woman,almost homeless, with her bull terrier dog, no doubt a rescue from Animal Care and Control where I rescued Lucky years ago with the help of State Sen. Liz Krueger--see my video "Krueger and my Dog,"is heart rending. First things first Ms. Ocasio.All politics is local, and housing crisis in ur district, exacerbated by the complicity of mayor and governor with landlords, should be on your most urgent list.Dowd dropped the ball in the end zone on this one! Leave socialism,attacks on c-in c for later. Those r not what should be on the Congresswoman's immediate agenda!
Congrats to Ms, Ocasio-Cortez for her unexpected victory. As for Ms. Dowd’s comments that the 2016 Democratic candidate—-namely her bete-noir, Hillary Clinton—-left people feeling cold, she again fails to acknowledge that Clinton won the popular vote by four million. Yes, the Democrats need new leaders, but part of their current predicament stems from journalists like Ms. Dowd having elevated the stature of the current Liar-In-Chief by debasing his more worthy opponent in 2016—and continuing to do so today.
6
It's not so much where we are from than who we are. The ability to not flinch in a world where the lexicon is full of smut and crudity is a big plus.
Even bigger is being able to do something for those you serve....the people. All the people, not just some of the people. Find us a local girl like that and the good she makes will cover us all.
3
Sooner or later, the columnist will find some excuse to tear this new one down, just as she has so consistently with other Democrats.
8
Sadly, I was thinking the exact same thing as I read this piece.
2
She's not running against Trump or the Republicans............she's running for the working class!!!
21
Probably won't get posted by the NYTimes staff, but here goes.
New and energetic and old and tired are both on display in this Dowd column.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez' is new and energetic and brings hope to all who want progressive humanity and thoughtful government.
Maureen Dowd, sad to say, is not a good fit with this young woman. The writing here is formulaic and tired.
Ms. Dowd shows little understanding of what the election of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez' could actually signify, instead throwing in the old shot at Hillary Clinton and some tired stuff about Ms. Cortez' mother and older men.
Trump was a novelty for Ms. Dowd to have some playtime, rather than taking a hard look.
Time for all journalists to get serious now and stop the People magazine political coverage.
5
Go Girl!
8
I am so happy for you, Maureen, that you have found a woman candidate you can support.
16
To paraphrase a Levy's bread ad, you don't have to young and a latino to love Alexandria Octavio-Cortez, the giant killer. I'm 73. Si se puede.
4
It is hard to imagine Maureen Dowd giving Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez the time of day a week ago.
3
Always forward, never back. Copy that, please, Ms. Dowd.
4
DOWD, old enough to be a Medicare recipient, is still trying to be hip, trendy,young, focusing on the allegedly anti Trump message of the election of Ocasio Cortez, but ignoring the real challenge to any politician in the 5 boroughs, which is to defend the old , infirm against a heartless and determined "permanent government"of real estate developers trying with success to kick vulnerable tenants out of their apartments through the courts so they can rent them at a much higher price!. Times newspaper did a great job of exposing this scandal in a series of investigative articles. To a person in his seventies and up in danger of being evicted, what does he or she care how Ocasio Cortez feels about Trump , ICE or socialism. When The Donald inveighs against the fakery of the media, he can point to superficial articles like this. Ms. Dowd was hired to make us laugh, focus on REAL issues, not to proselytize! Recall an entire article of hers about a French diplomat whose only distinction,"parait-il,"was that he was gay. That's newsworthy?Re socialism, good luck with that!We fought the Castro regime for 70 years to insure that socialism did not succeed in L.A.and Americans read everyday about the chaos in Venezuela under socialism. As Thatcher said, in a rare moment of lucidity, socialism is great until u run out of other people's money!Dowd should try to write with gravitas. This piece just takes up valuable editorial space.Perhaps time to hang up one's spikes!
3
Another column where Ms. Dowd can't help but disparage Hilary Clinton. She lost her right to call herself a Democrat even before the election of the worst president and human in history. Yes she did not call out Mrs. Clinton by name but it was pretty clear who she was writing about. What could have been a positive uplifting article was instead Ms. Dowd, like clueless trump, obsessed in bashing Mrs. Clinton. Get over it Maureen, you know deep down you helped to elect 'make America a third world dictatorship ' Putin lover win.
9
As a Kiwi living in America and a big Bernie supporter I told my American friends before the election that his platform was no different from the society that I grew up with in New Zealand.
Admittedly that New Zealand doesn't quite exist anymore but the inspiring win of Ocasio-Cortez reminds me a little of New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern who at the age of 37 is the third female leader of her country and is an inspiration to maybe get back to that New Zealand that I knew where health care, education and housing of its people are a priority.
I wish Ocasio-Cortez that same trajectory that maybe within my lifetime I will see an America that has come to its senses and have the resilience to overcome a flawed democratic electoral college system that has allowed an anomaly like Donald Trump to rise and be so powerful. Her election is certainly an inspiration and I wish her a similar path to Jacinda's that maybe one day she will become a leader on the world stage.
3
Ms. Ocasio-Cortez is a force of nature with a positive message that resonates far beyond her constituents. She’s obviously intelligent and politically astute. I hope she would look to Nancy Pelosi as a mentor, as Rep. Pelosi is a master legislator and knows the parliamentary rules of the House better than anyone. Her two successors can’t even count votes. Rep. Pelosi does need to pass on her vast knowledge to the next generation.
7
"Rep. Pelosi does need to pass on her vast knowledge to the next generation."
The sooner the better.
Quote: “It’s not like they expect improved and expanded Medicare tomorrow,” she said. “But we need to name our star so we can chart a course.” Here is someone who grasps the concept of vision and patience.
15
Alexandria is a very attractive candidate in many ways but the problem with Democratic progressives remains: how can we possibly pay for all the free stuff she wants to give away ? I appreciate that from her vantage point there are many people with less, but the way to greater prosperity is for those with less to improve their skills, get better jobs, and gain wealth. Is that hard ? Of course. But it’s still the only way forward.
There simply arent enough rich people to pay for everything the Left wants.
4
This reminds me of an online exchange:
Billionaire: if every tech titan would take a local public school under his/her wing, think of the benefit!
More progressive tech titan: Yes! We could call it Taxes!
You see, there are these countries far, far from here, somewhere in northern Europe, where public education and health care for all are subsidized by these things called taxes.
There are plenty of wealthy people to pay for these things the left wants. I'm not a tech titan, but I'm a one percenter. I'd be happy to pay more taxes to help people go to those schools to learn new skills. Then, when they become affluent, they can help out the next generation by paying their taxes.
That's how it works.
9
The way to pay for ‘free stuff’, as you call it, is to stop giving tax cuts to wealthy people and corporations, and insist they pay their fair share (during the 1950’s such was the case and the country enjoyed the benefit of a robust middle class), stop giving money to the corporation called Pentagon, this is the 21st century and Russia attacked the US in 2016 without a bullet being shot, and curb corruption in government. In other words, government for the people. Of course it can be done, if changes are made to the current system.
3
"how can we possibly pay for all the free stuff she wants to give away ?
First of all, it's our TAX money. Nobody is giving us anything for free.
As for your Q: it ain't that hard or difficult. Let's stop our endless wars, cut the Pentagon budget by half, and tax the CEOs who collect paychecks in 7 figures while their workers earn minimum wages.
3
You go girl from the Bronx!!!
2
Ocasio-Cortez is another maifestation of the anti-Semitism and anti-Israel wing of the democratic party. She supports the BDS movement and condemns Israel for defending itself. And of course the MSM ignores this as they ignored Obama's ties to Farrakhan, Ellison's subservience to Farrakhan, and the overt anti-Semitism of the leaders of the Women's Movement. But she's a bright shiny newcomer and all is ignored. Her ugliness will eventually shine through.
4
Boycott Divestment Sanctions (BDS); Mainstream Movement (MSM) in case you were wondering. Took me a while to track down.
1
Once again Dowd manages to take a nasty swing at Hillary Clinton.
(Your basic premise regarding the quality of the Clinton campaign is wrong inasmuch as it was affected by outside influence.)
Give it a rest Maureen.
(You are becoming a tedious bore and your jealously is showing through once again.)
For your information:
The strong Republican enclaves of New Canaan, Darien, Wilton, and Greenwich here in CT. all voted for Hillary Clinton in the past election.
What this says is that well-educated, well-off, and well-informed Republicans - in the privacy of the voting booth - made the sensible decision to choose Clinton over Trump.
Why can't you do the same Dowd or do you indeed support the ....... unfortunate entity now in the White House doing his best to destroy our Democracy.
6
In your face Donald Trump.
Let's see you grab this woman's privates and get away with it.
Glad to see Mo is on the right track now.
7
Socialism on your agenda.... it is on hers.... even though she was brought up thru capitalism and lived in Yorktown Heights NY, one of the richest towns in the U.S.
As a former Marine here with 2nd Force Recon, lets hope you research who this lady is and cut back on personal issues....I do not approve of them.... debate not degrade going forward...when you reference Mo, not a fan of hers, she is on several different tracks but has no clue where the train is ....
1
Hate to break it to you, Dems, but Ocasio Cortez will still be too young to run as your presidential candidate in twenty twenty. You're stuck with Kamala Harris. Bwahahaha.
3
Pigs are flying, Maureen Dowd said something nice about a woman. If only she had done that during the election.
11
We need more Puerto Rican girls running with high ideals
4
Yes!
3
Maureen you trying to redeem yourself for all the help you gave Donald? Sorry but you are complicit and will always be so. You make me sick.
13
What, Maureen? You've given up your snarky Hillary-bashing columns? You are no different from all the other middle class white women who have us Donald Trump and now will be ringing your hands over the likelihood that Roe v Wade will be overturned.
6
Maureen from Boston -
No, the white middle class women want Row v Wade overturned. Of course there will still be places for middle class and rich white women to go.
But the white war on minorities elected Trump to overturn Roe v Wade, expand gerrymandering and expand so-called freedom of religion exclusions to the 14th Amendment.
Spare me. “Girl from the Bronx...”. A very wealthy section of the Bronx, where her father was an architect . She attended Boston university, a very expensive college snd no mention if she had a scholarship, an affirmative action babe, or did daddy pick up the tab? Working as s waitress....ok. Very good story for the media and her socialist followers. Give me a break!
4
Her dad died when she was 18
3
"I asked Ocasio-Cortez about Steve Schmidt...railing against her “dishonest progressivism” as simply a variation on “dishonest Trumpism,” citing her promises to provide job guarantees from the government, free college education and Medicare for all."
Promises to keep often require miles to go before you sleep--Didn't Frost teach all Americans that?
It's only miles to go--risky business--because Republican pols and their moneylords fight tooth and claw. So end their reign of terror.
As Ms Dowd teaches--with remarkable consistency over the years--the Democrat's Disease entered its crisis stage with the Clinton Compromises 1 and 2 (CC1,2)
CC1was Bill Clinton's "Third Way" pandering to Republican platform, prejudices and rhetoric to seize the middle and political power. He/they threw the American working class under the bus. Tony Blair "socialism" was the Brit example--pathetically sucking up to Bush.
CC2--was Obama's pandering to Republicans by knighting compromised HR Clinton--despite her sucking up to Goldman Sachs and other compromises. He may have thought it a revolutionary feminist thing. And it also may have been safe--to prevent the Clintons from stabbing him in the back--as he stabbed Sanders by calling him "comrade".
Timid Obama asked "Was I ahead of my time?" No!--he was too far behind; Trump is on him too. Americans are not ready for political etiquette.
Even Krugman and the Times caught Schmidt's smoke--insisting single payer health care is out of reach.
2
Spot on.... the biggest mistake Obama made in his 8 years was making clinton secretary of state. She never should have been appointed. If she wasn't secretary then, we wouldn't be in this mess now.
I like Maureen, mostly, but this is a empty column. Who is this lady, what has she done, what does she believe in, what does she want to do? All I get is that she is from the Bronx. So?
5
She beat an incumbent representative while advocating universal health care and education and wants to have our wealthy nation care for all it's citizens. Besides being from the Bronx.
4
She's a young woman who stood up for her community. She has been a community activist, and a progressive voice in the Sanders campaign. People want to be represented by people that understand who they are, not the anointed ones, that the party deems worthy. She wants to change the conversation towards Medicare for all, free trade school or college, guaranteed wage, not that all these things will happen in my lifetime, as she admits. She speaks for those that have been disposable in our country for way too long...
3
Maureen says she has a degree from Boston University.
Want socialism? Read the pope encyclics rerum novarum and populorum progresum
It is not socialism any more than Social Security and Medicare are socialism. If you are in favor of ridding the country of every program that benefits the social welfare of the most vulnerable among us, you better move, like so many folks, behind your gates with your guards. No society can function with so much inequality. They implode from within, which is where we are heading with the austerity loving, unfettered free market, oligarchy that now presides over this country.
2
Republicans don't like people whose names are hard for them to pronounce. Ms. Ocasio-Cortez will do fine in the Bronx, but in Trumpland she'd have to change her name to Lucy May and marry one of the Bubbas. She probably never castrated a pig or killed her a deer. I hope she never does.
Her beautiful brown face scares hell out of Trump voters. They know she is what America will look like very soon. Fox News will feast on the words Democratic-Socialist. I hope she will retain her dignity when that onslaught gets going.
Chuck, Nancy, it's time to find a a couple hundred more like Alexandria, even if their name is Bubba or Lucy May.
4
Wow....a woman who not even Maureen "Mean Girls Millennium Edition" Dowd can't snark about. Now we KNOW she's a star.
Maureen I can't wait to see what will make you hate Ocasio-Cortez.
3
She reminds me of Hilary Swank in "Million Dollar Baby". Not the other Hillary thank goodness. Kick those Republican butts. And don't get blind-sided like in the movie.
Distractingly slugging HRC, Dowd lands another punch.
The problem isn’t Clinton, it’s group think propaganda lead by Putin and fomented by Americans like this columnist.
6
Clinton and the Democratic party politic were part of the problem as well, actively working against Sanders for their anointed, ordained successor. (I was a Clinton voter, btw.) They ignored the states where 70,000 votes won the election. Obama didn't play dirty and appoint Garland in recess, and buck McConnell and tell the American people about Russia's efforts to influence the election. (I'm not sure if it would have helped. Trump would have called it fake news and his base would have believed him.) The point being, Dems need to change their game.
"f you insist on putting up presidential candidates who leave voters cold, really bad things can happen" Yeah, like Russian efforts could intervene to make sure the candidate that stood up to them couldn't win the electoral college. Sorry Maureen but millions more were left not only cold but dyspeptic by the guy you propped up before the election.
10
The Boston University graduate, who has a boyfriend
Maureen can be so sly.
OK. We get it. She's not gay.
2
Wow Maureen she looks and seems to behave like a woman not a girl
2
"The president who slipped into office through a tear in the space-time continuum" is the best (and most humorous) explanation/description of what happened. Loved it. I wish the new Congresswoman-elect all the best. Go Dems.
5
I hope a lot more young people are inspired to vote in the midterms and beyond. We need them!
6
I am not inspired by her win as a socialist
She is as radical as the right wing and I am concerned that she will be very divisive in New York . That her views will echo the Mayors on schools and hurt the middle class
2
What a breath of fresh air! We need more young progressives like her to carry the torch forward. I look forward to watching her success.
4
I like her and agree with all of her proposals except abolishing ICE, which I think is ill considered and amounts to killing the messenger not addressing the real problem which is bad policy.
2
It's the last two paragraph quote from Ocasio-Cortez that truly captures my enthusiasm for her. She is smart and enthusiastic, and proudly a "democratic socialist" yes; but she is also authentic and not afraid to be cheerful and cute, and most definitely not politically correct. She refers to herself as a "girl" from the Bronx.
That is the kind of big tent that Democrats need to really offer. One where optimism combats fear and anger. One where, of course, diversity is at its core and counters the bigotry of right wing reactionaries. But that diversity includes accepting that a young woman can call herself a "girl" and not be corrected, just as another young person can proudly adopt the pronoun "they" and be welcomed and respected.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is clearly bright and ambitious, a leader at a very young age. And she is also engaging, charismatic and dare I say it, wise beyond her years. You go "girl."
8
Thank you Ms. Dowd, for shedding light on Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
"Out with the old, in with the new", Aldous Huxley stated in Brave New World. Alexandria is the the country's new role-model politician.
2
Can we please stop referring to women as 'girls'?
I don't care if it's a cutesy throwback to local newspapers.
That kind of language is the pablum of the 'great' , folksy America we are being encourage to return to.
It wasn't great for 'girls' or women. It's better now, but we have a long way to go and language matters.
3
The takeaways, for this Democrat:
"'Democrats should be getting high-fives from sanitation truck drivers — that is what should be happening in America.'"
"'I understand men like [Trump]. ... He’s not just a figure. He’s a type of person. People like that say shocking things to gauge your reaction and to read if you flinch. I don’t flinch. I’m not going to flinch.'
"She did not dwell on Trump in her campaign, preferring to offer a positive vision. 'We get dragged onto his turf,' she said. 'I feel like we should be catching up to the dice game by now, the Twitter distractions, the cries for attention.'"
"The democratic socialist is wary of being painted as a radical. 'I feel like there’s an effort to say that my win is somewhat divisive, like I’m being framed as an antagonizer,' she said. 'That’s not at my core who I am.'"
"'It’s not like they expect improved and expanded Medicare tomorrow,' she said. 'But we need to name our star so we can chart a course.'"
"'I’m not going to compromise who I am.'"
That's good enough for me. This Democrat can't vote in New York's 14th Congressional District, but I'm cheering on those who can.
9
The millennial and women's vote does not need to be secured. They are there. If we can turn them out, Trumpism will crumble like the Berlin wall. Joe Biden will not turn them out, and none of the old guard will do the job. Just because Bernie should have been our candidate in 2016, that doesn't mean he should be in 2020. He should throw his support behind a younger candidate. By 2020, Trump will be long gone, having copped a plea against Mueller's overwhelming catalog of his crimes, and we will no longer be fighting against a cult of personality, but against a profoundly backward conservatism that is anathema to the voters that put Ocasio-Cortez in. Booker, Harris, Lieu, Swallwell, and the various versions of Ocasio-Cortez that emerge in November are the future of the Democratic Party.
2
Ocasio-Cortez is a breath of fresh air compared to the ossified Democratic party leadership. Her directness on Trump ("I understand men like him"), her energy and her intelligence are apparent.
May her early success translate into a new, younger aggressive Democratic party. It is way past time for Pelosi to pass the torch to the younger generation of future leaders. This column was inspiring and hopeful and represents a sharp contrast to the depressive environment of Donald J. Trump.
3
It’s called grit. This Bronx girl has grit. Congrats!
3
Alexandia Ocasio-Cortez for Speaker of the House! Get this woman in a leadership roll immediate after she gets to congress, if not before, and Democrats will sweep up. Seriously, this is the future when you can energize nineteen year olds to come out to vote. She lays out explicitly what she stands for and what she wants to do as opposed to the mealy mouthed corporate Democrats that say nothing, do nothing but we should be grateful that they " 'lead' with their values."
If we are ever going to turn this country around, we have to start by transforming the Democratic Party back to the party of working people, progressives, and true liberal minded people and away from the neo-liberal, corporate Wall Street Democrats beholden to their monied donors.
Sanders would have beat Trump by the way.
3
Trump pulled off an Electoral College victory by a measly 77,000 votes distributed among three states. In other words, he won the presidency without a true mandate, yet is proceeding to destroy America’s image, integrity and global leadership. Ocasio-Cortez, and a few dozen more inspired, articulate and youthful Democratic candidates can certainly change 77,000 minds....can’t they? PLEASE?
6
Very Stable Genius.
As a 70 year old DEM it makes my very happy to see a person like this running for congress and defeating one of the good old boys who was "too busy" to debate with her. Here on Staten island we have Max Rose, a 30 year old vet, running to unseat the good old boy GOP club. He has my vote and I wish her well. These people are the future of our country.
5
Trump is lucky she can't run against him in 2020.
That's the kind of take no prisoners attitude we need to bring to the party that's been missing.
2
You still have Hillary for 2020. Or maybe Pelosi.
Congrats to anyone that puts their name in the hat and pulls off an upset of an entrenched politician, regardless of party affiliation. Crowley was low-key compared to the other camera-seeking NYC Congressional Reps. and it served him well for 20 years. #Term_Limits
Like Mayor De Blasio, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez won with less than 25% voter participation. Given this, it seems a little premature to make sweeping judgements about the future of the Democratic Party or the electoral heft of what can only be described as sheer demagoguery (i.e., free healthcare, free college, free childcare, free everything, and, let's not forget, open borders! Yeah!).
2
Gee, Bill, trump lost the popular vote by 2,800,000 votes but thinks he has a mandate to blow up the entire world order!
2
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a joy in my heart on July 1, 2018. She does not need to become President of the United States of America, she needs to be who she is. I am the POTUS' age and he is not anyone. Perhaps never was. Not all humans inhabit the same world I do. I do not mind, much. Life is too important and difficult for me to waste time deciding what everyone else is or should be. It is a mixed bag, obviously. I am happy Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is here with us. Thank you.
2
My daughter was a bartender in NYC for 10 years.
She handled problem drunks, fights, sexual harassment and did it with aplomb.
I applaud Ms. Ocasio-Cortez and as a fellow Bronx native,
I say, kudos.
4
Looking at Alexandria and then looking at Trump is like comparing clean fresh water from the mountains and raw sewer, and I don’t think I need to explain who is what.
2
I share your enthusiasm for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and she will make a great Congresswoman, both in representing her district and reminding the Democratic Party that we stand for the rights of all people. But Maureen, in celebrating this very happy, promising event WHY do you have the need to once again take a shot at Hillary Clinton?
“The Democrats wandered the capital, looking stunned. It finally seemed to be sinking in that if you insist on putting up presidential candidates who leave voters cold, really bad things can happen.”
She didn’t leave this voter cold and many millions agreed with me. I’ve mostly enjoyed your columns fir over twenty years, but, please, you have to let go of this Clinton thing.
3
Yeah, you should probably run Hillary's again.
Once again you refer to Hillary Clinton as a candidate who left voters cold. What does that make Donald Trump, who left three million more people cold.? Is cold that the reason she didn’t win? Or could it have been anything having to do with Comey, Wikileaks, the Electoral College, or perhaps even collusion? Stop trying to use Hillary Clinton’s policy-based approach to make a false point.
6
Love this fighter! We need about two dozen more--step up, young Dems!
Democrats must motivate more people to vote. I fear that 'democratic socialists' will not only motivate more traditional Democrats (good), but also more GOPers (and some independents), due to the usual GOP fear mongering and lies. Hard to predict which will prevail (but after the 2016 debacle it's clearly foolish to trust any polls). As another commentator this morning (to the Miami Blue Wave article) said: 'social democrat' might be a more winning label than 'democratic socialist.' (Yes, there is a difference, but let's at least win this time).
1
This win brings to mind Jon Stewart’s 2004 commencement address at The College of William and Mary, where he told graduates if they fixed the world problems previous generations created (“we broke it”) they would be the next greatest generation. Here’s hoping...
1
Democratic "presidential candidates who leave voters cold," was not the reason that Merrick Garland was denied a hearing on his nomination to the Supreme Court. The reason for that was hypocrisy, racism, and disrespect for the (then) President.
6
Two bad MSNBC and other media have let themselves be dragged onto Trump's turf. It has undone their influence. As a kid from Queens who went to high school in the Bronx I can only cheer for Ocasio-Cortez and hope she will be a spark that helps rekindle the America that symbolize hope for so much of our history.
2
What a breath of fresh air Ms Cortez is. This anti-Trump representative brings a perspective and energy that will excite and motivate the majority of Americans who are appalled and embarrassed by the Donald at the White House. This is the new wave Democrat that will return a sense of normalcy and decency to American leadership.
1
local girl still has one more election to win before being given the laurels. I hope she wins and then learns from the great parliamentarians in Congress who can teach her how the system works when inside the system. only then can she make real change. if not, then she will end up with most of the other pols, all polish but no shine.
1
Simple minded questions: when will Liberals recognize 1) that the US has a two party political system and 2) that voting for a Green Party candidate hands the election to a Conservative? Jill Stein garnered 3% of the vote in 2016 giving the election to Trump and Ralph Nader earned 7% of the vote handing the election to George Bush.
After George Wallace won 15% of the vote, Conservatives learned that running a third party conservative was suicide.
6
re "Boston University graduate":
As a parent of a BU grad, there are memories of a slogan at the time, perhaps even now: "Be You."
Yes, "Be You," which Ms. Ocasio-Cortez certainly is. With so much phoniness, packaging, hypocrisy and pay-to-play in both parties, it's a quality that voters are craving:
Authenticity.
And in her case, the "A" should indeed be capitalized.
2
Ms. Ocasio-Cortez is an intelligent strong willed person which is more than most of the lackeys with whom will be seated.
I wish her and her contemporaries well
3
Thank you for writing this Ms. Dowd. I hope Ocasio-Cortez wins her election and goes on to a stellar career in politics as a tribune of the commonwealth and defender of the public interest.
\
1
I hope history is honest with Hilary Clinton. She was flawed from the get-go; I said two years ago she wouldn't be elected, and I was right. Now move on to the younger generation.
You Times writers and pundits have been asleep at the switch twice now, once with the presidential election that you didn't see coming, and now with this young person who just might go pretty far. It's time to stop sleeping!
You did on a local basis, walking from house to house, what Harry S Truman did nationally in 1948. He went by train from town to town in his campaign against a "sure winner," Thomas Dewey, Governor of New York. The upshot for him was displaying the newspaper that guessed wrong with the Dewey Wins headline.
Keep up the good work! Maybe some other candidates will follow your example.
2
What this does is open peoples eyes. The concept is you have to BE a politician to run for office. What does that mean, actually? That you have to learn how to thread the needle....to mislead, speak in politically correct language, and tell your constituents what they want to hear to win and then you join up with the "good ole politicians" club and begin to look more like the politicians in Congress than the person you were when you ran for office. People hate Pelosi. Yeah, I get that. But how different is she REALLY from Ryan and McConnell and the rest? What people want is someone like them, a blue collar person whom they can relate to. Not someone beholden to the pharmaceutical industry, the NRA, defense contractors and the like. Republicans may think they are on top once again, But they are really dying a slow death. Eventually catering to wealth and telling people you just need to get out and work harder and tighten your belt a little more and then the gravy train will return is a message that will get very stale very fast. And people like Ms, Ocasio-Cortez will be there for them. Because one thing bartenders do very, very well is listen to their patrons. And feel their pain. Mitch? Not so much. He is too busy trying to get away from angry Americans using his wife as a bodyguard to pay much attention to the people on the street.
4
OK, I agree with everything you say, but then why is the Trump "base" supposedly the Blue Collar Worker, who has no health insurance, and no mobility? If working people with family values really want "someone they can relate to" why do we have a rich con artist in the White House?
1
I do not know this woman. I have not followed her in any of the ways we have these days to ascertain a persons value. So I cannot say if she truly has merit. But I will say this by way of an observation. Her ascension is a clear indication that the old guard in the Democrat camp need to start giving way to the future less they be run over (and forgotten) by it.
John~
American Net'Zen
1
Ocasio-Cortez provides another example of why the Democrats will lose the midterms. By not utilizing young firebrands like her, Eric Garcia, Tim Ryan, Chris Murphy, Mitch Landrieu, and others as the faces of the party, they will whimper away in defeat. Pelosi is as toxic as Hillary. The GOP is salivating planning the attacks on her to maintain control of Congress.
3
Free this, free that. Nobody pays. Except all of us eventually.
She doesn't miss a note when she speaks. I listen carefully to new young people to see if I can hear truth in their grammar and syntax. She's like the young students in Parkville. They want what they say to be clear and they want to have the tools to be able to say exactly what they mean. She's extraordinary that way. And that tells me there are more extraordinary people like her. We must find them.
4
Dear Mo, this was a good column. Please let this stellar young woman be herself and don't you start pulling her apart like you did to Former Pres. Obama, and Former candidate Clinton.
You began to praise Trump before you realized what he really is. and your snark was unappealing when covering Obama and Clinton. None of us are perfect, but I hope you will let this young candidate alone for a a while. She is one of the hopefuls for us seniors who have had enough of Trumps degrading presence.
1
You go Alexandria! The U.S. of A is with you. I am so glad to be a member of the human race to witness this first hand. Finally, a force worth reckoning with.
Ms. Ocasio-Cortez enjoy the article from Ms. Dowd. It won’t last. She’ll start the snark soon.
But from the rest of us, while we may not agree with everything it is great to see your generation (and younger) getting involved
The country needs it. The boomers failed us (I speak as a tail end boomer) as did the next generation (and they seem unable to make a graceful exit) .
We also need more people who have real life experiences, not just career politicians and the ultra-rich. Both forgot or never knew what it it really like out there.
Go get ‘em!
2
Trump has infested our front pages for too long. I agree that we need to stop giving hm the head-space he craves.
The sense of relief and excitement is awesome. I don't care which party she's in, I support her honest smile and courageous heart.
As a Brit I would happily donate to her political cause....
(But, being a Brit...would she be allowed to accept my donations???)
1
With American democracy seeming on the Via Delarosa heading towards Golgotha, it's jarring to encounter a fresh face with a broad, sympathetic smile who provides at least momentary comfort in a country overtaken by breathtaking meanness and spectacular ignorance.
4
‘The Democrats wandered the capital, looking stunned. It finally seemed to be sinking in that if you insist on putting up presidential candidates who leave voters cold, really bad things can happen.’
You also need to add “When the vilification of Hillary Clinton was aided and abetted by left of center politicians and pundits who were all to glad to grant laser focus not only on her ideological shortcomings but the fact that she was ‘stiff, disconnected, elite, old, emotionless, wonky, sick, humorless, compromised, old school (and much more) - without helping to clarify her role historically as a progressive leader and as a victim of fake news dating back to the 80’s - whiteout confronting wholeheartedly the cascade of sensational memes being used to drive negative emotional responses - without being able to immediately see and report on the falsehoods and obviously right wing foundation of the Never Hillary movement. In short, Maureen, where is your mea culpa?
5
Seems the outraged GOP anti Trumps will go only so far and no farther.
Matt Taibbi in Rolling Stone writes:
“Steve Schmidt – ex-Dick Cheney aide, new liberal hero and not at all the guy who helped unleash the modern far right by inviting Sarah Palin onto McCain’s ticket…. told MSNBC the result of the Ocasio Cortez win is a boon to Trump.
Schmidt: "What Trump is doing is radicalizing American politics. And he is a beneficiary the more radical politics becomes."
Schmidt pooh-poohed the Ocasio-Cortez platform of a government jobs program, free day care and free college education…these things can't be paid for, he insisted. Therefore, the Ocasio-Cortez brand of politics is inherently dishonest.
"When we have dishonest progressivism and we have dishonest Trumpism," the former Karl Rove devotee went on, "an alienated middle… surrenders."
But Schmidt should answer why they can’t be paid for in the richest country, when most of America’s wealth goes increasingly to the 1 percent, who buy off our politicians to get tax breaks and no regulation by the government we elect to represent our interests.
And explain how other democracies manage to pay for health care for all, family benefits, and low cost college tuition.
Not ‘radical’ abroad.
But keep that dark, lest it interfere with the GOP message.
6
After watching just a few minutes of Ocasio-Cortez's recent interview with Stephen Colbert, I had that feeling in my gut when you go off the top of a roller coaster. Whatever it is that we need, she's got it.
To the candidate:
The usual rules apply: do your homework and surround yourself with the best people.
And in this crucible, remember that you must always stay true to yourself. That will be the most important thing for your success as you move forward.
2
Free college for all sounds fantastic , medicare for all even better but who will be paying for all that ?
Donald J. trump , Jarvanka who are making billions from the White House doing nothing ?
Well and good and congratulations to all the so called " Progressive" women, they all are young and attractive with promises.
I hope they can win in the 2018 election against the Republicans. But before voting, let`s not forget about another progressive " Jill Stein", where is she now ?
Gave the Presidency to trump and we are in knee deep and sinking fast.
4
Ocasio-Cortez is inspiring. We need many more like her in Congress, people who will stand up for the needs of the poor & middle class. She supported Sanders in the last Presidential primary. I think that if he had been the candidate, he, & not Trump would have won. But instead the greed-head, war-monger was the candidate, so guess what happened?
“I wake up every day and I’m a Puerto Rican girl from the Bronx. Every single day.”
And thank God for that.
2
Alexandria is so inspiring!
3
She went out and knocked on doors. She took her message out there and it worked. Good for her and for us.
9
It's so great to read an uplifting piece of news and commentary! This woman knows what Danica Roem knows: Talk about the issues and what people care about, and keep the focus on the people, not on you-know-who. Don't get dragged onto his turf. Brilliant. And, a woman of color. This is exciting!
4
Steve Schmidt was absolutely correct.her brand
of "promise them anything" socialism is as false
and dishonest as is Trump's phony right wing
bragadoccio. all of us ,after a certain age,benefit
from government programs, but we should never
expect the world on a silver platter.she can not
keep any of the promises she is making and the
odds are she knows it.all she will accomplish, if
she is not careful,is to give Trump yet another
bogeyman at which to rant and rave.
1
Thank you Maureen for giving the gal from the Bronx a chance to really speak. The TV stuff was nice, especially Colbert, but I'm more impressed with her now.
This is what the Democrats need to remember and focus on. It's not enough to be angry and outraged. The old guard may have new sound bites but some are out of touch.
We need new voices to silence Trump. We need women who can make things happen. We need men to stop worrying about privilege and step up to be good men who can balance their ambitions and work well with women.
We need to move forward, not backwards. Most of all we need plain-speaking and bi-partisan discussions.
I'm tired of the Orange Mango's lies. Truth-tellers step up and make things happen.
Did you not look at her face? Did you not hear her speak? Does her message not resonate with your senses, with your being, with her empathy for the well being of the many yet? In that case, you have no eyes to see, no ears to hear, no sense what is happening to America; you still listen to the background noise, which, by the way, many of comments indicate.
Now, look at Alexandria's face. There is no guile, no hidden creases or crevasses etched in her's but genuine kindness, rare honesty and intelligence. Her words she delivers with certainty and aplomb are the sign of great awareness and conscience that yes, come with maturity and political responsibility that she exudes, that she conveys...!
I submit that most of us, many of us for sure are not quite ready to understand Alexandria, are not ready to rise to the Occasion. She is!
Go Ocasia, Go!
6
Unfortunately, your coverage of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will only energize Trump's people even more this summer. She is the proto-typical Democratic candidate. Trump won't even have to say she's for open borders.
3
About time. Baby boomers need to step aside and Let the Right One In. GOP has made a faustian bargain with a 3rd grader con man. Time to take our democracy back. My only question is what happened to those Bernie Bros?
1
“I wake up every day and I’m a Puerto Rican girl from the Bronx. Every single day.” I love this statement. You go, girl, as far and as fast as you can. We need your reality. Stay true to you.
1
Great story about a great person. We need more people like Alexandria. Democrats need to get out of their arm chairs and figure out what is going on out there, out where the real people live, the ones that voted for Trump because they were tired of being left out, tired of going from pay check to pay check, tired of seeing houses taken away and rents sky high and education so expensive with not promise of a job. Our country is headed down the tubes and the blame should be squarely on the heads of Democratic leadership that decided to run an entitled Hillary Clinton for president who sat in her arm chair ignoring the real people and preparing to move into the White House. Shame on the Democrats but someone needs to get organized and rein in this destructive, hateful, mean Trump administration.
3
This reader's knee jerk initial reaction that the shocking defeat of Joe Crowley by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez must be yet more bad news for the Democrats, was thankfully mistaken. This election, and elections so long as free and fair elections are being held will be determined by the participation (or lack of same) of young women exactly like this fearless young New Yorker who are driven by current events to fiercely defend not only their own rights as citizens but who further believe to the depths of their beings in the idea of a future that includes life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all Americans; the voiceless destitute and those who've been hobbled by circumstances beyond their control (such as a pre existing medical condition) included.
4
While I'm very happy for Ms. Ocasio-Cortez and think that the Democratic Party desperately needs her type of young energy and enthusiasm -- and see her future as boundless -- I am also troubled by the fact that in a populous congressional district spanning two of the most populated counties in the United States, the two candidates between them only received 20,000 votes. Something is very wrong in our democracy. Why states have different primary days for national elections, and why New York State has a separate primary date for the Governor's race that is much more widely known and reported on, and why most all New Yorkers (never mind the country at large) woke up to Ms. Ocasio-Cortez's win being bewildered that there even was an election, is a searing indictment of our system. In an actual democracy, the real vote should have been on the order of 120,000 to 90,000 or double that, not 12,000 to 9,000. We really need to rethink our entire electoral process.
On a related note, Ms. Dowd has to take another pot shot at Hilary Clinton. For the record Ms. Dowd, and I know you know this, Ms. Clinton won by about 3,000,000 votes. I do not call that leaving voters "cold". And that doesn't even touch Russian interference, James Comey, voter suppression, the end of the Voting Rights Act enforcement, Citizens United and dark money, the lack of a paper trail for voting machines and the years of fake Benghazi investigations.
How long will it be before Ms. Dowd turns on our "local girl"?
4
And let's see how effective she is in Congress. Those Republicans and trump will eat her alive. trump must already have a flattering name for her.
1
She is energetic and sincere, and smart. I wish her the best. But joe crowley hasnt been an ogre while in congress. I wish she were running in a district with some old white Republican incumbent guy to trounce. Even better get rid of jim jordan. Now that would be cause for real celebration.
5
I hope she's very strong because mcconnell, ryan and of course trump will do everything to eat her alive. Good wishes to you Ms.Ocasio-Cortes!
Hillary: "put up candidates who leave voters cold". Ms Dowd is probably going to take a lot of flack for that from Times readers, but it's true. Lying to cover for Bill in '92 (maybe it was wishful thinking, and if so, i apologize), working for the Firm in L.R., failing on healthcare in '92--that was a big one; they ran on that and they lost their majority--in with the banks on the financial meltdown which continued, and maybe Monica costing Al Gore an election. What readers have been really objecting to is that, "how could she, when Trump is so badly horrible". This was more than plain to anybody who even briefly reads the Times, and they all voted for her, even if they bought into the baggage rather than the promise, which did seem to waver at times. Admire Ms Dowd's truthfulness, that's what we're paying for.
Clearly Warren would have been the better candidate, an expert on banks and debt, consumer fraud, and government sponsored inequality, the main issue of our time. "Pocahontas" would have backfired for Trump; he would have been up against princess summer-fall-winter-spring.
A good write-up for Ms Ocasio-Cortez; we wish her well. Other democracies already have free tuition and Medicare for all. We should have it, too. Both are also to our economic health and well being. And please take the Parkland young people seriously. What we have now is an NRA dictatorship; that's why Congress doesn't mind if Trump is marching to a Russian dictator.
"The Democrats wandered the capital, looking stunned. It finally seemed to be sinking in that if you insist on putting up presidential candidates who leave voters cold, really bad things can happen."
Um, actually, Hillary won almost 3 million more votes than your buddy, Donald Trump, did. I like this new kid on the block a lot. But she won't appeal any more to the Dowds of the USA than Hillary did. BTW, Joe Crowley conceded with a graciousness you, Donald Trump, and your family will never understand. Graciousness. Look into it.
4
Gird yourself for the attempts to shred Ms. Ocasio-Cortez using anything in her past, on social media, or even fabrications with modern technology of voice and image synthesis. There is no floor to how low modern politics will go.
1
"....citing her promises to provide job guarantees from the government, free college education and Medicare for all."
Goals are not 'promises' Maureen. Can you cite even one instance where Ms. Ocasio-Cortes has 'promised' these things? When journalists (and mainstream Democrats, Republicans and Fox News) surrender to the temptation to oversimplify discourse and process and discount vision in this way—as you all continually did with Bernie Sanders—you do us all a great disservice. You can do better!!
5
Ultimately it’s a numbers game. Our country is becoming more diverse. The Hispanic population will continue to increase. As will other minorities. “Whites” will continue to decrease. And younger voters and soon to be voters are shown to be overwhelmingly progressive in their views. What we are seeing now is the death grip, the dying gasp of a particular xenophobic, marginalized sector of the white population. It’s ugly. It’s loud. It’s dangerous. And it knows it’s days are numbered. Again. It’s a numbers game. The midterms will show this trend. And state government elections will also. We need to ride this out but it will get uglier before it gets better. Pray that we get through it to see the other side.
Congrats to Ms. Ocasio-Cortez for her upset victory. There’s no denying the Democrats need some new blood. However, I don’t agree with Ms. Dowd’s comment that the Democratic party put up a presidential candidate who “left voters cold” in 2016. In fact, she won the popular vote by 4 million. But this columnist’s vendetta against her—-which continues to this day—-was part of what helped “normalize” Trump and put him on the same playing field as an obviously more experienced and intelligent candidate. Ms. Dowd, in assessing the current bleak political landscape, should admit to some responsibility for its existence.
2
It looks as though the Democrats are finally draining their own swamp. The voters are ridding the party of corrupt old timers to make way for these of eager newcomers. The torch has finally been passed to the next generation.
Joe Crowley is a “corrupt old timer”? What’s the basis of your charge, other than the fact that he’s in his mid-fifties?
4
How is a 28 year old adult female considered to be a "girl"? It's great that she won this primary, but don't apply silly labels. It trivializes her and the effort it takes for anyone, man or woman, to campaign and win in this crazy, dysfunctional political society we have made for ourselves.
2
Dinner at Roberto’s at the Arthur Ave section of the Bronx. Yankee Stadium. The Bronx zoo. And now her. Being from Queens, I’m starting to get jealous.
2
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has a compelling story and we certainly need new young leaders however the rush to make her President is rather sad. If shutting down ICE, free college and Medicare for all sounds great, it should. It can never work our economy will collapse. The love fest for Ms. Ocasio-Cortez reminds me of the search for new school superintendents in big cities. They want a compelling life story and not so much a competent manager. Often the candidate sounds great on paper until you learn they never actually taught in a classroom once yet they are going to lead a massive school system.
3
A new face - an old, tired message. Every Democrat from FDR onward had been advocating advanced social agendas like Medicare, affordable housing, living wages, etc - BUT THEY HAVE NOT DELIVERED. In fact they mostly roll over and let the GOP hacks steal more and more. She looks good but can she deliver? Democrats have to get over addiction to good looking politicians and support politicians who have the drive and determination and the will to deliver an alternative to the GOP.
2
She brings tears of joy to my aging heart!
16
Me too! She is a gift to Republicans in the next elections.
I worry about her lack of experience. She seems naively optimistic that she can shoot for stars that are way out of reach at that level of government. The types of change she wishes for are important and essential to the evolution of positive growth and change in our country. But that type of grand sweeping change will only happen incrementally. I wish all the Bernie folks and the Democrats would coalesce and do the grassroots coalition building, community organizing and foundation building that could provide a strong, resilient platform for the next elections and big fights ahead. I worry that these young bright stars are not prepared for Washington....they talk a very good talk but have not laid the foundation for the changes they propose and do not have the policy making chops required to be effective. I also hope she proves me wrong!
9
Good idea to organize and build foundations. We can organize to fight for progressive goals like Medicare for All, $15 minimum wage, free tuition at public colleges and universities, reforming the terrible mass incarceration "justice" system, useful, humane and just immigration reform, infrastructure build-out, and saving Social Security and Medicare by making the supporting income taxes more progressive. Or, we can nominate Hillary again. I think Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has better ideas. Difficult? OK.
Were the New Deal reforms easy? Was the Civil Rights Act easy? Republican-light seems like a sure-fire looser. But easy.
1
Many of my family members are totally stressed out by Trump's attempts (and success) at blowing up the world as we knew it. We are feeling it in our gut and losing sleep, as so much progress from over the post few decades is being shredded.
Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, the "girl from the Bronx," was a wonderful ray of sunshine in an otherwise bleak week in TrumpWorld. However, she is a New York phenomenon. The Democrats need to embrace her, but democratic socialism will not win control of Congress this year, or 270 electoral votes in 2020.
We need a strong center-left message, and leader, to dislodge Don The Con. The Democrats' left flank needs to accept a platform that includes some of their key beliefs, such as Medicare for all, but is overall more centrist. We need the great energy and determination of the left, but if they won't accept a more moderate path, I am afraid they will take us over the cliff and give us Donald Trump and complete Republican control until 2024.
In this most dangerous time for our democracy, smart politics is what's called for, not ideological purity.
11
You mischaracterize what Steve Schmidt said. He asked how she will pay for all the wonderful things she wants. It was a shot of reality and a fair question. Once again, the media exaggerates the importance of her win and raises unreasonable expectations for a Congresswomen who will be very inexperienced. I applaud her victory, but this district has lost a representative with seniority and it will hurt their power. It will take time for her to develop skill and acumen in her new position. Lets see how she legislates before "replicating her" in every district.
8
One of the most promising winners in Congressional contests this year. She knew her home turf, understood the needs of those who are neglected and spoke to them about what should be done as opposed to what a focus group felt could be done. How very American. Hopefully, the tremors she created will inspire others to stake out new turf, discuss humane legislative goals and add some hemoglobin to the lifeblood of elections.
Query to Ms. Pelosi: What exactly is wrong for Medicare for all? As the old saying goes, lead, follow or get out of the way.
13
I am becoming weary of the trope of “lack of experience” being deployed against Ms Ocasio-Cortez and other young people running for Congress or state legislative bodies. These people are not running for executive positions where lack of government executive experience can be devastating, e.g., the blazing dumpster fire that is the Trump administration. Legislators require different qualifications: ideas, a moral compass, the ability to listen, and the ability to collaborate. We need some younger voices in Congress. People who have not yet achieved the maturity to know what you can’t do and the feet of clay to go with it.
55
"The Democrats wandered the capital, looking stunned. It finally seemed to be sinking in that if you insist on putting up presidential candidates who leave voters cold, really bad things can happen."
I hate to say it Ms. Dowd is correct. Hillary was totally qualified to be president, but unfortunately competence was not enough. Now we're stuck in a huge sinkhole. My heart breaks at least once a day as this president destroys everything good that we stand for as a nation.
53
All during the Democratic primary, I argued with my friends that Bernie's message was a framing of what we should aspire to, that we required a vision and an energy for a new era. All I got in return were specious arguments that didn't hold a lot of water. I told them that no one was ever inspired by 58 white papers and I was correct.
Bernie was also correct in understanding that change comes from the bottom up. Welcome to grass-roots organizing.
Now this wonderful and passionate, articulate and sincere woman arrives and people sit up and take notice. Will she make mistakes? Of course, she's only 28. But does she inspire with her clearly stated vision and actual sound ideas on how we can approach it? Yes.
Fearlessness, that's was missing in most of of Democratic politicians. Imagination is lacking. They should be asking themselves how they can harness our outrage at what Trump and the Republicans are doing to us. Be bold for a change.
By the way, I'm a 71-year-old female, so please don't accuse me of being a Bernie bro. There were many such as myself in his corner, along with a tidal wave of young and impassioned people such as Ocasio-Corez.
51
I keep bringing this up, but it's important. Clinton received 2.8 million more votes than Trump. That she didn't win the Oval Office because the right number people in the right number of states voted against her doesn't say anything for or against her. It's evidence something has gone deeply wrong in our political system.
57
Voting for Clinton, as I did, was voting for the lesser of two evils. Perhaps the thinking that 2.8 millions votes were actually truly in support for HRC should be reconsidered. After the way the Democratic machine treated my guy, Bernie Sanders, I contribute nothing to them. Unless there is a change in leadership, they get nothing from me.
7
While it is correct that HIllary Clinton won the popular vote it is not entirely the fault of the political system. Had Hillary actually bothered to campaign in those midwestern states that even armchair pundits like you and I know are crucial to winning the presidency and had she humbled herself to ask those people directly for their votes, the results might well have been very different.
12
It wasn't so much that people voted against Clinton - it was that they were not energized by Clinton and stayed home. I know people who did not like Trump but said, in essence, "I could never vote for Clinton." Well - guess what - you might not be crazy about Clinton but she is clearly a lot better than Trump. At least she is not nuts.
Next time, get out and vote and vote for Democrats. And don't waste your vote on a third party candidate who has no chance of winning. A vote for Jill Stein might as well have been a vote for Trump.
Let us hope that Ms. Cortez is not just a flash in the pan.She
could be the future in American politics.
26
“It’s not like they expect improved and expanded Medicare tomorrow,” she said. “But we need to name our star so we can chart a course.”
Reality takes hold in the Bronx and Queens. These are words of a leader with a clear head. She has no delusions but is willing to "chart a course" to get to where the country needs to be. We all need to pay attention to her and absorb the energy she brings to the table.
Joseph Stiglitz, a Nobel winner in Economics, says "we are close to losing it all". The GOP amoral ideology and complete lack of ethics has overtaken our political system. SCOTUS is simply the last brick in the wall to complete the coup.
The Democratic 'old guard' needs to pay attention and forget their simple fear of losing their jobs. Give voters some fresh ideas and energy. The Puerto Rican girl from the Bronx gives many of us renewed hope.
80
Also support old ideas such as the value of unions for the working class and the poor.
25
"forget their simple fear of losing their jobs"
Well, apparently they are losing their jobs because they aren't making any changes and thinking they're safe just because they have incumbents.
2
Yes, noosat unions! Bring some balance back into our economic lives.
To "...if you insist on putting up presidential candidates who leave voters cold, really bad things can happen.", I would add that if you don't bother to vote in off year, local, state and mid-term elections really bad things do happen.
56
What is amazing is how well Trump is doing despite the fact that almost all the mainstream media is strongly against him. Now that same media has found someone they can build up to counteract Trump.
7
The mainstream is not "against" him just reporting the facts, ma'am
2
Hooray for Ms. Ocasio-Cortez! I also hope that this is not just a blip on the Democrat radar. I live in Syracuse, NY and we had a similar primary result here. A newcomer Dana Balter was running against Juanita Perez Williams and won. Balter has no government experience and Perez Williams was a former NY State Assistant Attorney General. Personally, I voted for Perez-Williams given her government experience. The older Democrats better watch out. This may be the start of a new younger blue wave. Vote Democrat this year and we will see change!
25
Sorry, but she’s no local girl. She grew up in a wealthy Westchester suburb, went to Boston University, and hasn’t lived in the Bronx as an adult for that long. She has no known prior experience on a community board, advisory committee, city council, state legislature, nonprofit board, or anything else that demonstrably reflects her competence or commitment to the community.
All the progressives in their affluent segregated communities nationwide are cheering. But local people are worried about an inexperienced and potential ineffective Congress member. The young white professionals here have kids and leave for the suburbs eventually. The Bronx, Queens, and really all of NYC relies on the seniority of people like Joe Crowley. We send a bunch of taxes to DC but have to constantly fight to get a fair share back.
17
But she’s good-looking and articulate! She’ll change the world!
Don’t get me wrong, I hope she does. But you bring up points that not one journalist in the slanted landscape brings up. Why?
As sad as it all is, I’m starting to see Trump’s point that “fake news” is amok.
No one in the media talks about the FACT that Trump DOUBLED the deduction, stopped wealthy homeowners (like myself) from deducting more than $10k on their taxes; these two facts alone immediately helped low-income places - like the Bronx. What did Obama’s do for them? Very little.
The Cult of Personality world is alive and well in the desperate democratic circles.
26
Chen,
So how is that status quo working for you?
This young lady is a breath of fresh air and from what I read you are underestimating her!
Give me more like her and the world will be a better place!
4
And what has supporting Crowley, Pelosi and Schumer gotten you? What? Huh?
4
Arizona's 3rd district has a large Hispanic population. The last white Congressman was the son of Dan Quayle, who used his name recognition to win the seat. Quayle joined the Republican Party regulars and gained influence in the party. But he was defeated by the first viable Hispanic candidate who ran against him. The election involved a party change for the district, but people understood the election to be driven mostly by demographics. And ever since the switch, this has been a reliable Hispanic, Democrat district. Nobody touted the new wave as being a harbinger of great change on the national level, even thought the Hispanic Congressmen who have served have been very liberal.
The demographics behind Ms. Ocasio-Cortez's election are about the same as that of the Arizona 3rd district. The upset of Quayle and the upset of Crawley were two peas in a pod. My instinct -- which may be wrong -- is that Ms. Ocasio-Cortez got nominated mostly for the same reason as Arizona's Raul Grijavala.
New York's "local girl" has a better smile than Arizona's local boy. Other than that, the similarities far outweigh the differences. I noticed that the press jumped all over the New York election results. The similar Arizona election got little publicity. It seems like either Ms. Ocasio-Cortez was lifted by the press or was so amazing the press couldn't resist. Maybe someone could explain.
14
A young Democrat beats an older (but by no means old,) experienced, and pretty well regarded Democrat. A Progressive Democrat against a Status Quo Democrat. That's the story. Crowley was, supposedly, the "fresh blood" of the Democratic party. Apparently, not fresh enough.
Pretty face? You should spend some time in NYC. Nobody there falls for some "pretty face." People are too street smart. Too cynical. I know, I once lived there.
I wish her well. We have to get past our present two-party system: Republican and Republican Lite.
1
We need to replicate this young lady in every voting district in every state in the nation! There is hope in her win and in her eyes.
27
My hope meter just flickered back to life.
39
Mine too, and it needed a SERIOUS jumpstart.
1
The best of luck to her - hopefully, we’ll hear much more from her.
16
Queens has changed over the years. I can walk the entire length of Queens Center Mall in Elmhurst without hearing a word of English.
11
I deeply and truly doubt that.
The Mall isn’t in the 14th District. It’s in the 6th District, which is entirely in Queens and represented by Grace Meng. Cortez wouldn’t have stood a chance in the 6th District with her platform. We’re normal people here.
And it’s unlikely you could walk the full length of the Mall and not hear English. There are still many Black and White people still in the area. And with Hispanics and Asians, the predominate language among the children is English. It’s so multi-ethnic here, English has to be the common language.
Do you speak English? If so, one person does. I think you exaggerate.
2
One cannot help but be inspired. It is young people like her that will save the country. Hopefully she will return the Democratic Party back to the left where it belongs. I am so impressed with the Millenials like her. I don't believe we have ever had such a well educated and informed generation. America, there is hope!
43
Millenials like her are certainly a welcome sign, but they’ve been awol for the most part in voting in 2014 & 2016.
2
A breath of fresh air. And a major lesson to the Democratic Party, which may or may not lift its Wall Street-blinkered eyes and deadwood "leadership" to heed it. Though Steve Schmidt is right to question the viability of Ocasio-Cortez's platform, and I myself am in favor of debt-free rather than completely free higher education, she is right to insist that the issues be addressed.
The American Experiment was at a crossroads the last election. It's not too late to reverse course in the next few years and then take the fork toward social democracy a la the Scandinavian countries. Or we can continue down the Trumpian path toward an inevitable business authoritarianism. Those are the two choices.
The trend of SCOTUS, the greatest damage of the Democratic Party failure in 2016, is a heavy anchor but not the final power. That rests with the American people. Will they act with wisdom and courage, or continue to be so easily distracted and fearmongered?
47
Alas, the "American People" have been brainwashed by advertising for so long that they can no longer discern truth.
1
Ms. Ocasio-Cortes hit the nail on the head on her analysis and recommended reaction to the "types" of the current president. They're out to provoke and taunt. Do not flinch. Ignore their baits, focus on your program. Eyes on the prize. She certainly sharpened her skills in human dynamics in that bar job. Listen to her in terms of strategy. She has her finger on the pulse of large sectors of the population. We need her perspective in the DP and Congress. (I do not totally agree with the dinosaur theory in the DP, however. Obama was the youngest president ever. There must be many other young people ready out there. I'm not sure if grooming within the Party ,ay be such a good idea. It seems we need fresh air, but when the breeze flows, do not shut the window.
45
Obama was the fifth youngest president ever. I’m an independent, certainly not a socialist, but I applied that this young woman came forward to serve her constituents. If more young people did so, we would be a lot better off.
20
Oh Lord, I pray she wins! This is precisely the kind of person we need in Congress - and we need many more like her. MJ Hegar from Texas is another fine candidate for the House; I'd love to see her defeat the 76-year-old incumbent, John Carter. Hegar served three terms in Afghanistan in the Air Force as a Combat Rescue helicopter pilot, has an MBA and a PhD in Public Affairs. She has fought for change, both in the military and the private sector. Both women are intelligent, hard working, accomplished, and tough as nails.
And even more than that, they are compassionate human beings - and we so badly need compassion in our lawmakers, especially now, when it's in such short supply in Washington. I'm with her, and her!
80
Alexandria shows competent leadership with what she says, and the way she says it. And she will be attacked from every angle because of it. Thanks Mo for your essay on this new leader in the Democratic Party.
53
@ERIKW65: Alexander Harrison never refers to an editorial writer by his or her first name, as in "Of course I agree with you Paul,"or to Maureen Dowd as Mo! Sounds unctuous. What strikes me is the tone of the huzzas directed towards Ocasio Cortez,and she hasn't done anything yet, has she?You r not living in the any of the 5 boroughs, so u r unaware of the real melodrama being played out here which is perilous sub standard housing, firetraps and indifference of political class to address the crisis, and the successful efforts of landlords to have the elderly, infirm, evicted from apartments in which they have lived for decades, and with nowhere to go.Political class, incarnated by the governor and mayor, appear complicitous, hoping for campaign contributions from the "permanent government"in case they decide to run for president!Attention showered on Ocasio Cortez who , in appears,is for open borders, and seeks to do with away with brave ICE agents who guard our security, appears superficial, another example of the shallowness of the media, which The Donald refers to as the "fake media!".
1
Great that she is a voice in her party. Leadership is another issue. She must demonstrate competence to achieve that.
12
Pelosi, Hoyer Clyburn, etc... are all well into their 70s or might even be hitting 80 in the next year or two. Think about it, Paul Ryan was speaker of the house and is now stepping down before he is even 50 years old. He is 48. Look at all the young federal judges the GOP is nominating and appointing to the federal bench. The majority of of the judges are in their mid to late 30s and in their 40s. They can be on the bench for decades! It is probably safe to say that Trump will nominate someone for the Supreme Court whose is somewhere between 45-55. The person will almost certainly be no older than in his or her late 50s.
Even at the presidential level, while 2020 looks to bring forth some exciting candidates for the democrats, a number who are in their 40s and early 50s. some in their late 30s. what are we continually hearing in some democratic circles, "we need to nominate someone like Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders etc... Yeah right, people who are heading into their 80s! Insane. The democratic party has to stop embracing his geriatric mentality. No one is saying that no one in congress should be older than 55, but the party cannot continue to ignore and fail to groom the more vibrant, youthful, energetic,
members. If they continue down this path, they will be headed for the political wilderness for many, many years, possibly decades.
42
What you’re saying is that the ideas don’t matter. I don’t care how old the candidate is. If he or she is raking in corporate cash he/shedoesn’t get my vote, period. If Bernie runs He gets my vote because I don’t have to think for one second who he represents. You never have to follow the money. I don’t care if he’s 8440b he gets my vote because I don’t have to think for one second who he represents. You never have to follow the money. I don’t care if he’s 80 or 40.
I agree age should not be the sole factor, but it certainly needs to be considered. Even octogenarians with good ides are still octogenarians. The clock is ticking.
People read or hear the word Socialist and think OMG, government ownership of business. Doesn’t always mean that at all.
The Socialist Sunday School movement grew in response to the extreme exploitation of London workmen of the 1890s. It arose out of desperation. The workmen had no economic power and no political power to change the horrific conditions in which they lived. But, they did have one leverage, their children.
That movement published the Socialist Commandments found at the following URL There is nothing in there about government ownership. It’s about social behavior for fair treatment, respecting labor, and getting along with each other rather than succumbing hate to divide, conquer and justify inequity.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialist_Sunday_School#/media/File:The_So...
When Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said, “…What that moment tells me is what we did was right. We are touching the hearts of working people. Democrats should be getting high-fives from sanitation truck drivers — that is what should be happening in America,” my thought immediately flew to the Socialist Commandments and respect for the role of labor.
Finally, after all the years of neglect, someone is finally speaking up for the vast majority of us who labor to earn a living so we can survive and build our own future.
“The Fourth of July commemorates our political freedom—a freedom which without economic freedom is meaningless indeed.” FDR Sept 6, 1936.
45
Thanks for info on the Socialist Sunday School movement.
This amazing candidate is exactly the type of new blood we need in both parties. I've been so impressed by her statements since election night. I hope the democratic leadership will understand how important it is to get the younger generations involved so they can bring their fresh ideas and help break the current stalemates. This young woman has cheered me up immensely and given me some hope.
I don't understand how anybody can think Republicans are for the middle class more than Democrats but I hope that false narrative can be put to rest by candidates who average people will listen to.
30
She is exciting. I am certain she will be an inspiration to a new generation of policymakers. I like the focus on policy and if she sticks to staying with policy and not get involved in reacting to the Trump cult, she can do a lot of good for all Americans.
There are dozens of issues that have been lingering for a very long time: our version of free-market capitalism has been unable to supply certain services like healthcare and education, and as she probably knows from her time as a waitress, we clearly haven't come up with a politically acceptable means to achieve a fair income distribution so that working people can earn a livable wage.
She will also be confronted with assuring micro and macro economic stability by deciding how to vote on trade policies and funding the social safety net including social security insurance.
I say all this because she will have to be Bronx tough to keep focused on making America a better place for ALL Americans.
For example, there are fixes to income inequality like eliminating the cap on social security payroll taxes, and the variety of tax treatments that favor those who don't earn their money from a payroll and everyone knows that in the US there is a growing gap in wealth and income per capita, and the big problem is she probably won't decide what the issues are that she will be asked to cast her vote.
No worry, she is bright, energetic, and probably very persuasive. Big tip: she needs to know her district cold.
23
Ms. Cortez is just getting started..She will succeed because she owns herself and fear is not her mantra. I watched her ad last week and was moved to tears..Her authenticity, drive, determination and true grit are going to propel her beyond the spotlight. When all is dark and many are filled with despair life throws a lifeline to sanity and hope...Ms. Cortez is the real deal.
52
Dare we hope that this appealing young woman's unlikely victory portends a turning point? Might her story inspire many others. both candidates and incumbents, to boldly state the case for progressive principles and policies without apology and move our national discourse away from Trumpism and conservative, capitalist myths and truisms? I very much like her statement, "...we need to name our star so we can chart a course."
30
Easy reporting Maureen...when you are facing a winner. And Alexandria Ocasio-Corte'z is a winner already (the primaries a first step) but much more, as her authenticity and courage attest. She seems a politician we can identify with, and support, as we shall also benefit from her entrepreneurship in our behalf...when the need arises. And it will. To the despicable Trump's of this world, the time to abuse power may be up sooner than later. And that would be a joy to celebrate. Enough already of this climate of 'fear, hate and division'.
22
More young Democrats need to run for office. The leadership of the party is too old and out of touch. Progressives or Moderates. Doesn’t matter. We need more young Democrats in Congress and state legislatures. Run. Organize. Vote!
28
AN ELOQUENT CRITIQUE OF MS. CORTEZ PLEASE ALLOW ME TO INCLUDE WEST SIDE STORY, MARIA, I ONCE MET A GIRL NAMED MARIA, WHEN YOUR A JET, AND MS CORTEZ IS A JET, AND WHEN YOUR A JET, YOU WIN, AND CONGRATULATIONS TO HER, SHE IS A BRIGHT STAR, AND BIG BREATH OF FRESH AIR. AMERICA FINALLY HAS GOOD NEWS.
19
Get that keyboard fixed soon. The shift key must be broken.
2
In a striking similarity to Conor Lamb, she won, not by attacking Trump but by offering a vision. Note she won by much more than Lamb's victory numbers.
Those who think defeating Trump by attack, vitriol or insult are probably following the wrong path.
Trump will defeat himself, go for the good, the true and the real.
45
She knows her constituents want and doesn't trust polls. Gee, what a concept.
16
[sigh] Maureen, the Trump debacle is not the result of Democrats failing to provide a candidate superior to Trump. They provided a candidate orders of magnitude superior to Trump. The present misadministration is the fault, and only the fault, of a breathtaking act of civic vandalism and misfeasance by the voters of the United States of America.
88
Mr. Aretin, you are spot on. Excellent comment.
1
With assistance from a certain opinion writer at the New York Times, who wrote puff pieces about Trump while tearing down Hillary every week!
1
(sigh) Keep drinking that centrist Clinton KoolAid.
Brava Alexandria! You are the future. Go and make your mark, we are rooting for you!
52
Osacio-Cortez is a fresh face and welcome contrast to the national embarrassments like Republican congressman Jim Jordan and Democratic congresswoman Maxine Waters. Hopefully she and other newbies inthe millennial generation will restore a sense of bi-partisanship and civility to our body politic and temper the vitriol of our ratings driven cable networks.
6
Although born in the Bronx, Ocasio-Cortez spent most of her formative years in the wealthy Westchester suburb of Yorktown Heights (81% white, median family income $96,000, twice the US average). I think her architect father could afford a newspaper.
13
Charlotte NC, huh? Says all needs saying Charles (not in charge)....
She lives in Parkchester, AH
But it is far more "marketable" to claim she's "Jenny From the Block" and capitalize on her natural good looks.
Will she win against a Republican? While ossified old people may need replacement one has to remember that the younger generation who did not vote or voted for a third party candidate are partially responsible for Trump being elected. Are they so wise based on this? May be not.
3
I don’t agree with all her politics but i commend her spunk and drive. Good to see the next generation getting engaged in oublic life.
5
"The Democrats wandered the capital, looking stunned. It finally seemed to be sinking in that if you insist on putting up presidential candidates who leave voters cold, really bad things can happen."
I agree completely. Instead of taking everyone hostage by fielding an unlikable candidate, the democrats would do well to nominate candidates who are not corporatists and who can win.
14
I do not agree with all of Ms. Ocasio-Cortez's policies, not by a long-shot. No matter. She has the courage of her convictions and is willing to take a stand rather than offer mere watered-down, milquetoast Republicanism, lest anyone might be in any way offended.
Of course, the Red State voters have always preferred the lively original to a lifeless copy, and the Democratic Party has failed the country if it stands only for being not quite as awful as the disgracefully awful Republicans.
On the points that matter the most, it happens that I share Ocasio-Cortez's convictions: we should embrace our singular cultural diversity, welcome newcomers who want to contribute, and do our best to give everyone of us a reasonable opportunity to enjoy peace, prosperity and respect.
That above all means giving everyone the opportunity to work for a living wage, to attend university (if they qualify), and to receive health-care from cradle to grave, just like they do in every other modern society. It is a matter of priorities, not an impossible pipe-dream.
I therefore can and do support Ms. Ocasio-Cortez and hope that many others with her courage, passion and intelligence will become involved while we still have a Republic.
It is long past time for Democrats to stop cowering in fear of the Red State mindset. How wonderful that this gifted, inspired young woman has come forward to fight for us all.
55
I live in the Congressional district immediately to the east of the one Alexandria will soon represent, and got to see her speak a couple of times during the primary campaign.
She's smart, savvy, and apparently indefatigable--that last part being as much a part of her win as any other. It's a reminder to all of us that reactionaries never sleep, so neither can we.
May she be the first of many. (MANY many.)
96
A very bright light, and at just the right time. I wish you all the best, Alexandria!
43
Ms. Ocasio-Cortes was articulate, intelligent and incredibly poised in several interviews over the past few days. What a breath of fresh air; good instincts, hard worker and charming. There was much to admire – well done!
54
Alexandria, shoot for the stars, Girl...you have what it takes! This old lady - well not too old - is ready and willing to pass the torch to our younger generation. They get it. They ARE this 21st Century. They know the needs for today because they are living it. They want to make the now better so the future can be better. They understand the meaning of equality no matter one's gender, race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual identity.
We older adults should have seen the trajectory of this nation through the eyes of our young during the 2016 primaries. What did not make sense to me then, does now. And that was the extraordinary enthusiastic support for Senator Sanders by our young working adults and college students. These individuals were trying to tell us something, and we weren't listening. Now we should embrace their messaging. Because what we have now is not enough to fight a looming oligarchy and, heaven help us, a theocracy. I have faith in the generations that followed me. I guess we did indeed do something right!
42
I'm so happy people are ready to listen now and embrace these ideas. And Alexandria's win has given us a ray of hope. I do feel a bit troubled that this win is being framed in terms of young vs old. As an old lady who went door to door canvassing for Bernie, I saw that the messages he had to offer reached across age, gender, and racial boundaries. It's wonderful to know that there are young people whose fires were lit by the sparks of hopeful ideas, and who will carry the torch into the future. But let's set aside identity politics for long enough to see that these issues matter to all of us. I look forward to voting for people like Alexandria.
14
Ms Dowd doesn't mention this, but she used to be a Bernie Sanders organizer.
I remember reading, I think it was in the Times, that all Bernie Sanders supporters were "Bernie Bros" who had no idea how to appeal to communities of color. It seems that not all the Bernie Bros were bros, and that the Bernie Sanders style message can succeed in the Latino community.
Ms Ocasio-Cortez has done the Sanders-Warren wing of the Democratic party a huge favor by showing how to win Latiino votes.
93
The odor of Sanders and his ilk should make her unelectable. We may be moving right under Trump but that’s no reason to take a hard left in response.
2
Hey, wait. This is a refreshing story about a new comer to politics who, one can hope, won't be corrupted in the first 15 minutes if she gets to Congress, but remember this: there is a distortion field of the media when it comes to what happens in New York. That's how we got Trump, for heaven's sake. Everything in NY is ten times more important than anywhere else, right?
Surely, surely?, the Dems will go bold in 2020. They basically have no other choice, Even if they pick an oldie but a goody like Biden, he will have to throw out a whole bunch of new ideas and lay down some serious challenges to the status quo. Some people, a lot, will even support a candidate who has some ideas they don't like if the candidate will, please, stand for something and make it known.
It is entirely possible that the nation might even go for someone under 40 who has won some stripes and shows the promise of sound judgement. The presidency is not a one woman job. The chief function is to communicate and hope to unite (tell that to DJT) and, in the course of four years, make a few really critical decisions while getting the country ready for the future.
Big changes are on the way. Trump is inadvertently laying the groundwork for an eruption of change in his wake, even an earthquake. One critical task is to fix the Constitution so that we get more, ah, actual democracy in the process and less Electoral College nonsense.
We don't need democratic socialism. We need justice and fairness for all.
34
I like this new Democratic nominee. She's cordial, tactful yet candid, and obviously very savvy. I think she'll do well.
115
I like you comment and agree I am hopeful she is on the way to a bright future. Hope others
Will be joining her.
7
I'm a white male Euro octogenarian, and without any hesitation or reservation I say that this Latino female twenty-something is one of us, which is an extinct species in the GOP, but unfortunately also a rare one in the Democratic Party. We in Rochester just lost one of the rare ones with Louise Slaughter's recent passing.
Democrats need to keep in touch with their grass roots. I don't mean this so much ideologically as literally. Joe Crowley is a good guy and a good progressive, but it seems he was getting too comfy, thinking his constituents were there for him, rather than the reverse. As I wrote this last sentence, I thought of Hilary Clinton's slogan "I'm for her"; a seemingly small thing, perhaps, but if it had been "she's for me", she may well have been in the WH now.
217
Very astute comment! Of course, she wasn’t for us; she was first and foremost for herself.
6
I hope Ms. Ocasio-Cortez does become president one day, and I hope I live long enough to see it. She's amazing.
82
"It finally seemed to be sinking in that if you insist on putting up presidential candidates who leave voters cold, really bad things can happen."
Even when you are writing about Ocasio-Cortez, a bright shinning rising, Democratic star, you can't help yourself, Ms. Dowd.
This is dangerous, that you can't admit the election was stolen, that your intense dislike of someone clouds your "opinion" to the point that you misrepresent what happened.
To recap:
An enemy state reached out to a number of members of a presidential political campaign, offering help and "dirt" on the opposition candidate.
One campaign was hacked by Russians.
Emails from one candidate were leaked, slowly, before the election.
Members of the intelligence community approached Obama and McConnell before the election and asked them to issue a joint statement that the campaign was hacked by the Russians. McConnell and the Republicans refused.
And, then, the head of the FBI didn't tell We, the People, before the election, that actually, .
Please stop misrepresenting what occurred in the 2016 election.both candidates were being investigated.
And then there's the issue that Trump lied about just about everything he would do if elected, running as a "populist."
Ocasio-Cortez is the real deal, a true progressive/populist who actually has worked literally in the trenches.
Ocasio-Cortez is exactly the tonic I need for this catastrophic time we are living in.
801
You left out about a half dozen of Hillary's excuses. Dowd is absolutely right about HRC, difficult as that may be to admit. It's long past time people like she and her husband and Pelosi and Hoyer and on and on start to recognize what voters care about. We cannot keep losing with these millionaires for whom losing doesn't matter. At that fancy schmancy Beverly Hills fundraiser last night Obama said voters can't wait for someone to tingle their spine. (He tingled some spines back in '08) Good lord, if you want to go back to community organizing then go to a community that isn't made up of millionaires. It's more authentic and you find out how people really live.
171
While Hillary appreciates your loyalty, we have to move on. Hillary was many things, but riveting wasn't one of them. Boring was a lot closer to it. Ocasio-Cortez is moving on. Let's move with her. All of us. We are in this together. The Republicans have played divide and conquer for forty years. Stop giving them the outcome they want. We all stand together. No more Bernie bashing. It may feel great but it doesn't help. No more Hillary bashing for the same reason. If we want to win in November and again in 2020, we must join hands and inspire each other to keep going no matter what they throw at us. The corporate Dems haven't the stomach for that, so it is up to us.
36
To V (LA) ~ This comment of yours is riveting, as many of your comments are. I only wish that I could be so eloquent when I try to defend what Hillary Clinton was up against in election 2016. And I agree that "Ocasio-Cortez is exactly the tonic" the Democrats need at this "catastrophic time". Thank you for speaking out. I think history will be kind to Hillary Clinton.
73
This is the best thing to happen in politics in the past half year. Congrats. Hope she absolutely smokes out the Republican. Makes one proud to be a citizen.
83
Proud, and cautiously hopeful.
4
She is the legacy of Barack Obama. He said if we were not happy with the status quo, that we should lace up our shoes, grab a clipboard and get some signatures. His foundation is dedicated to developing the next generation of political leaders. She was paying attention and used his playbook. I am excited about her candidacy.
These are such dark terrifying times, but Obama’s legacy will not be erased. She is living proof and ther are many more to come.
476
I watched an interview with Sy Hersh, the legendary reporter who exposed My Lai, the prison in Iraq, etc. , many things. He said that he could not write a book about Cheney, because Obama had shut down the government, meaning he would prosecute every whistle blower he could, and the chill made it impossible to write the book. He did manage to prosecute more whistle blowers than ALL PREVIOUS PRESIDENTS COMBINED, under the Espionage Act, a WWI relic that is inappropriate today.
So, there is your Obama. And there is your closed government, even more so under Obama than Bush W. The man who said grab a clipboard and put on your walking shoes, has made it impossible to have an open government. Your hero, Obama. I voted for him too, but saw after a few months that he was going to free the banksters to do what they want, and work against the people. He is a pawn of the elites, the establishment, and he knows it. Glad we have a new girl from the Bronx, who hopefully, will be the real deal. Not like Obama, the no deal (except for the banksters).
Barack Obama has siphoned all the available cash from the low hanging fruit donors for his bloody library. He couldn't care less what happens next.
See "Where is Barack Obama" in New York Magazine.
2
>Nj
"She is the legacy of Barack Obama."
Something that Ms. Dowd could not say, of course.
Think what you like of Barack Obama’s
presidency, I still believe that he, not Bernie, is the spiritual godfather to what we’re seeing now in the young Socialist-Democrats wins. Bernie has given them tough-mindedness and clarity of vision in speaking about and focusing on the future, but his campaign was only about white guys until he got “reminded.” Obama’s campaign and presidency broke through the white wall and made young black, brown, Latinx, and gender-neutral young people believe they could run too. ‘Yes We Can’ at certain times sounded cringe-worthy but suddenly not anymore.
They have a tough road ahead and may lose everything for the Democratic with their lack of political experience and stubborn idealism, but I hope they run hard and win enough to turn the sinking ship of state upright again. I don’t want to live in Steve Bannon’s dystopia and it feels a lot like he’s whispering in the president’s ear.
97
Kedi,
Joining you in feeling that Barack Obama's presidency represents everything that America should be, and reminds us not only of its potential to do better, but is a source of inspiration to our next generation.
If a driver from from our public works in the city offers his support, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez is right to sense that she has captured the trust and spirit of those who voted for her election. A wise head on young shoulders, this public servant is going far and one of her greatest challenges will be the Media.
This voter is tending support based on merit and knows the newly-elected official is not wasting time navigating on a ship of fools.
When a friend ventured a few weeks ago that Bannon was gone, I suggested that he was in Rome. Now she is insistent that I read his book. It's all starting to make sense, she added, causing a light reply on my part of hope for a happy ending to this Star War figure's vision of America and the World Beyond.
In the meantime, let us beware of complacency and remain 'En Garde' as Napoleon might say.
3
The Obama administration disbanded the incredible grassroots network that got him elected. And anyone who still
thought he was going to be a president of the people even after he stocked his cabinet with Clinton corporate hawks and bankers either wasn't paying attention or got distracted by their outrage at what happened next, the rise of the Tea Party.
1
To Kedi: As to Sen. Sanders, that's not right or fair. He lived in a mostly white state, but that's no crime. As campaign chair, he helped deliver his state to Rev. Jackson in the '84 primary. His legislative record always has been on the good side. He never gave speeches about "superpredators" and he didn't promote the bankruptcy law rewrite of which Ms. Clinton was an important promoter, and which hurt so many low-income people. He's not an evangelical Christian and he didn't make an art form out of appearing to be just like plain Black folk like the Clintons did, but to say he was just about white guys really is reprehensible.
Reminds me of a time from my childhood when my party represented the working class, the regular person.
103
I remember when it did, so you must be quiet a bit younger. The America I grew up in during the sixties was vibrant and full of opportunity. Things changed under Great God Ray-gun and have gotten steadily worse every since, but it doesn't have to be this way. Really!
10
Another Puerto Rican woman from the Bronx made history this week.Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote a powerful dissent to the court's decision on the Trump Travel Ban.Her dissent will become a chapter in law books. It was great week for the mighty, talented and wise women from the Bronx.
750
The future of America is looking dim. Ms. Ocasio-Cortez gives one a moment of relief from despair, but Jesus seems to have left town on the last bus out. And never said goodbye.
Democrats have been outsmarted by thinking that working on behalf of the people would gain the support of the people, but the truth is that the people have spoken and say they prefer a good kick in the mouth.
So that's what Trump is giving the people. And many are enjoying it.
I look forward to hearing more about and more from Ms. Ocasio-Cortez. I would like this moment of hope extended.
70
Offhand comments such as yours about Jesus taking the bus out of town remind me that we are also heading toward being a forcibly Christian nation and it sends shivers of fear down my back.
2
Thank you, Ms. Dowd, for this profile. We Democrats (I am an old one, 60+) certainly need more youth and vitality. It is time we stopped dilly-dallying around (is that a phrase you might use?) and start moving forward again. Let's talk about dealing with real peoples' issues: increase the minimum wage; create economic opportunity for those who haven't prospered in the last 10 years; propose a realistic plan to rebuild our infrastructure; move forward, not backward, on health care policy; address the opioid crisis in a meaningful way; move forward, not backward, on environmental policy. All of these things are relevant to working people, and Democrats can, and should, address them realistically, not like the phony and empty populism that the trump crowd has fallen for. We will be with Ms. Ocasio-Cortez and any other energetic young Democrats who want to go there.
56
Taxes at 90%
The new litmes test for Democrat candidates should be that they get high fives from working class voters.
67
Unfortunately we can't ignore the fact that lots of working class voters give high fives to Trump and his thugs for positions that in fact hurt those voters. So the question has to be about the specific reasons voters applaud a candidate.
10
When I, an old white guy wearing a Bernie 2016 baseball cap, walked out of Newark Penn Station in April 2016 to catch a cab, I got high fives from the African-American drivers in the cab line. "Go Bernie" one of them said.
And then there was the young African-American Millennial working at Home Depot in Edison who saw my hat and told me he was trying to convince to vote for Bernie. "They still don't get it, but I'm working on them," he said.
2
Democrats should stand for universal health care, family leave, the equal right amendment, protected class guarantees for LBGTQ, a fair living wage, just like every other wealthy country has and remind America that social security and Medicare were once considered radical ideas, too.
68
Honesty, caring and inspiration. How refreshing!
41
I was pleasantly surprised that someone so articulate and manifesting much intelligence was so young. She gives me the hope that this old voter needs, and am hoping more like her surface as Democratic candidates. Although she is not old enough to run for president, she clearly has the charisma of the candidate that got my first vote for president, John Kennedy.
74
Good luck to Ms. Ocasio-Cortez and congratulations to her. Yes, the Democrats absolutely need fresh faces and fresh ideas. There is nothing wrong with giving voice to transformative goals to work toward achieving. I hope she will bring in younger people to re-invigorate a Party that took too many things for granted in 2016, and lost sight of those whose support mattered the most at a crucial point in history.
Ms. Ocasio-Cortez is showing a way forward. She obviously rates highly with those who used to be the solid base of the Democratic Party, but had wearied of having their value underestimated. I wish her well, and hope she exceeds all expectations.
131
Go, Alexandria, go! She already has my vote for president.
41
I hope Pelosi is inclined to be helpful. That would make the Dems a force, not just a hope.
36
What a joy it is to see this young lady taking office. There is hope!
62
She is not taking office, LOL -- though you'd hardly know that here -- she only just won the PRIMARY.
1
The baby boomer die off remains the best hope for changing our politics.
35
Hey! There are lots of us boomers who totally support these fresh, enthusiastic candidates. A little slack, please.
18
There is, of course, considerable merit to your suggestion that boomers are part of the problem. But, you must keep in mind that we were at the barricades in the Sixties. You owe us at least some deference for that reality.
10
Thanks for looking forward to my death. I'm glad I could make you happy so easily.
4
On Colbert, Ocasio-Cortez made some very clear, thoughtful points. First, "I don't think polling is always right." and "We changed who turned out."
The second point is, in my opinion, what Democrats need to focus on. There are lots of Americans who don't vote. If they understood how the decisions in Washington impact their lives, maybe that could have the necessary impact.
I think there need to be tons of videos on YouTube with regular Americans explaining why they do vote and what they think matters.
185
All Trump supporters will vote. If that's not clear enough we are doomed.
1
Obama did that, changed who turned out. That is why he believed in neighborhood, door to door organising. It works!
While this is a nice story and can make us feel good during these twisted times of Trump, Ms. Cortez is replacing a fairly safe democratic seat in Congress.
Our country needs to flip seats for Democrats in normally safe but vulnerable GOP districts.
No doubt, Ms. Cortez could be a national candidate in the future but let’s focus on pounding the rock to attain a democratic majority in the House this November.
37
She won a 'safe' Democratic seat, but not a safe Democratic Socialist seat. & that makes all the difference.
1
Re: "Ms. Cortez is replacing a fairly safe democratic seat in Congress"
She is replacing a corporate sponsored Democrat. That is actually very important. If, by some miracle, Democrats suddenly had 60 votes in the Senate, and a big majority in the House, what do you think would happen? That we would suddenly reinstate Glass Steagall banking regulation? Wrong. Most Democrats are sponsored by the same banks and corporations that sponsor Republicans. Those corporate funded Democrats that grandstand about helping workers, and vote against corporate wish list legislation? Well, the Republican majority allows them to make meaningless votes in congress, to get reelected.
Again, If, by some miracle, Democrats suddenly had 60 votes in the Senate, and a big majority in the House, you would then see a bunch of angry corporate sponsored Democrats, voting against everything they have been grandstanding against, and against everything the voters want, to placate their *donors*.
And this isn't idle speculation. This is what happened in 2009, when Democrats *had* those huge majorities - *and* some votes from the two moderate Republican senators...
That, plus Obama defending bankers' corruption, is what led to the 2010 Democratic *rout*.
Filling the ranks with non-corporate-sponsored pols, could empower Democrats to again become the advocates of workers that they once were (but now only pretend to be) - and to credibly send that message to voters.
3
You aren't listening!! She is the voice of the people. Playing it safe lost the presidency in 2016.
You need to appreciate Trump’s true motivations. NO guy winks suggestively at Joe Crowley (anymore, anyway – if they ever did). Trump has a fine eye for talent.
I suppose it can be legitimately claimed that Ms. Ocasio-Cortez “made good” for herself in a Trumpish sort of way. She won, after all. Whether she “makes good” in Congress, though, is a matter yet to be tested. And I’m not at all sure that the stars resplendent in Maureen’s outer-space similes today are aligned for that to happen.
The House and Senate Democratic leaderships may be amply festooned with liver-spots, and Ms. Ocasio-Cortez decidedly is not, but what really counts is what they’re saying. Their ideology already is too extreme for America, and a lot of people may be very surprised in November if this becomes even MORE evident than it already is. Her own democratic socialism is even MORE on display than (dare I name the name and risk a chorus of terrified horses rearing and neighing their terror) Nancy Pelosi’s – or, for that matter, Joe Crowley’s.
Does a rational mind actually suppose that even MORE excessively liberal arguments will be MORE compelling to Americans when proclaimed by Ms. Ocasio-Cortez than when arrogantly asserted by Ms. Pelosi? I mean, not EVERYONE is Trump, with a fine eye for talent and even an appreciation for underdog moxy.
I congratulate Ms. Ocasio-Cortez on her upset win. However, it remains to be seen whether she truly “makes good”.
13
Sneer all you like.
Many Trump voters voted for someone who ran on a Democratic Socialist Campaign.
Meaningful tax cuts for everyone, higher wages, affordable, quality health care, etc.
They are waiting...
53
Don't listen to what they say, watch what they do. Pelosi and Crowley may talk a good one, but the reason that Pelosi picked Crowley as her successor is that he would not change anything, and Pelosi is interested in the money, not change.
But change is coming.
Kind of get your shrewd analysis, Luettgen. But Democrat party centrism doesn't resonate against the deep conservatism of the electorate. There's a yawning gap ready to recieve the left of center who are girding themselves for a long slog. The right wing has it's base. What base has the Democrat party to lean on, much less pander to with dogwhistles and agrievment? A new generation is on the rise. And they are not squeaky clean Reagan worshippers. Unlike their elders, they are not going to play defense. I for one hope not. Shrewd and determined just might be a wave that is far from cresting. Congratulations to Ms Octavio Cortez!
4
No offense - but instead of telling us how amazing she is - could someone tell us why she’s amazing.
What specifically does she do for a living?
Has she started or operated any businesses?
Has she written any books or articles explaining her political beliefs and why she holds them?
Who donated to her candidacy?
Does she have children?
Does she support public education;
Is she for or against charter schools ?
Does she own property and has she paid property taxes;
Has she released her tax returns ?
Does she support law enforcement;
Does she support enforcing immigration laws - or open borders?
She might be the greatest person in the planet, but if her only claim to fame is she’s defeated a long-term politician, color me unimpressed.
29
Sorry, that kind of stuff doesn't get covered in the media. But you'll be able to read descriptions of the clothes she wears, and lots about whether her campaign staff bickers and jockeys for position, and if her uncle got convicted for shoplifting.
2
Most of those answers are easily found, in this column and I'm sure her web page has the others. She's paying student loans which probably relates to more people than owning a string of golf courses. She's bright and articulate and answers questions without memorized talking points. She's young, who knows how far she will go or how effective she will be but if hearing her speak doesn't leave you impressed you're not a voting Democrat.
9
If you're not impressed, you have not been listening, watching, or reading about Ocasio-Cortez. You would also find most of your list of questions answered and these are questions also asked of Obama.
Once you get your answers, you will see she is not a person who has "no there there" but a young woman who has it ALL there.
5
Hopefully this fine young lady embodies our future.
38
“I wake up every day and I’m a Puerto Rican girl from the Bronx. Every single day.” Translation: "I'm not backing down from anyone at any time."
The Republican Party and the Right--sorry; they're the same thing--will fasten onto the red meat of her "democratic socialism," and it will be a fairly heavy lift for her if she reaches Capitol Hill. History says that the Right will attempt to marginalize her, shove her off into a corner where she can't be seen or, worse, heard.
Ms. Ocasio--Cortez is half the age of the Joe Crowley--can help clear a path for other women of color, young and energized. She has the guts: "I don’t flinch. I’m not going to flinch.” Because there will be men on The Hill, as well as the president himself (as well as his political assassins) who will target her from afar. But she will hold to her "star to chart her course."
The national Democratic Party chair, Thomas Perez, better get his stuff together, re-draw the agenda, and listen, listen, listen, instead of delegating and handing out orders.
Every avalanche begins with the movement of the smallest stone.
430
We have many young women running this time, so she will have company. We even have female pilots with their own type of pride & moxy! Hope they win!
1
I am not worried about the Right marginalizing Ocasio-Cortez. I am worried about the establishment wing of the Democratic Party doing so, as you rightly refer to towards the end of your post. I hope we will the NYT cover her and other true progressives honestly and with the attention they deserve.
It's also important to look at demographics which contributed to Ms Oscasio-Cortez's victory. This district is now largely Hispanic and the neighborhood felt that it was clearly time for a change. Good bye to that wheezy old boring white mainstream Democratic congressman who was entrenched in that area of the Bronx/Queens for decades--hello young vivacious newcomer who promised sweeping change.
Even Doug and Carrie Heffernan, the young working class couple of King of Queens fame, wouldn't recognize Northern Queens anymore.
12
What a compelling & charismatic woman! It's been depressing to watch everyone take her victory as an occasion to advance their agenda--on the one side to voice dire warnings about the Democrat moving toward the left (toward the center, actually), on the other side to pretend that politics all about electing women & minorities rather than about ideas & principles. Honest politicians do what Ms. Ocasio-Cortez does. They make their case, they ignore the spin industry, they create their own framing.
172
Hillary ran on the platform of breaking the glass ceiling and making history by electing the first woman president. Trump ran on a platform of creating jobs. No one has ever lost sleep worrying about the sex of the president, but many worry about jobs. I voted for Bernie in the primary, and Hillary in the general election, but as Maureen says, Hillary left me cold. Trump did not win the election, Hillary lost it. Time for some new blood in the Democratic Party. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez might make a great first woman president.
70
Hillary also ran on jobs. They wrote a book on their plans. Sorry that no one listened bc the press only reported on emails!
5
Nope, Hillary won the election by 3 million votes. She stomped Trump in 3 debates, and on and on. People voted for Trump because they wanted someone to beat their enemies (anyone who thinks they are ignorant deplorables, because they are). Jobs, ha ha. There are plenty of stupid, lowpaying jobs, and those are the ones Trump needs for his businesses.
2
Bravo, someone young, bold, and intelligent and not related to the Clintons. There may be hope. I love NY'ers.
31
More power to her. Need more like her.
24
I just hope she does not get frustrated with the congressional rules. That is where Pelosi comes in, she is an expert at them, and is a good fundraiser. You need experienced people to show you how these things work, that is why Pelosi is such a target for the GOP. The GOP has commandeered the rules, and they will not change tomorrow, so no matter how you want to change things overnight, it is very difficult to do. As we saw, the GOP took over the house by taking over the small districts first and got all the small jobs away from the Democrats. Now they make the rules, so Ms. Cortez has to learn her way around. My congressman is on his third term and is still learning his way around, even though he is a vice chair of a committee.
I wish her all the best, even though most of our California congress critters are a bit older, we should be getting some newer progressive ones also. But there are pockets of resistance in the neolithic communities to overcome. The term Democratic Socialist is misleading, and progressive does not really describe the visions of these young idealistic people who want to see the country move on to modern times. Our system is a mixed system, with the government responsible for the welfare of the citizens, and business responsible for economic vitality. They have to work together, it looks like Ms. Ortiz's supporter know this, despite the negative slurs and lies of the Republicans.
28
Ocasio-Cortez. Not Ortiz.
1
"The funny thing, as The Times’s Carl Hulse points out, is that the 56-year-old Crowley was the fresh blood of the Democratic Party."
Great line, but appalling too, because of the way Crowley was annointed and then became an old party boss.
The "local girl" is a breath of fresh air. And proof that saying what you mean instead of what you think the party means is more authentic.
Look, I have no idea (nor does anyone) how far Ocasio-Cortez can go, but she should win her district (I take nothing for granted now) and when she does, I hope she serves as an example to others in Congress that being careful to a fault just becomes its own fault.
I loved her ad (there are a lot of terrific first-time women candidates with great ads), and I love her spirit. To think she developed her platform after talking to her voters, not according to some preordained party laundry list speaks volumes.
I wish her well, as I do all the Democratic candidates for Congress, providing they are willing to learn from the local girl, who focused on the future to be had, instead of the rottenness of the present we're trying to escape.
106
"It finally seemed to be sinking in that if you insist on putting up presidential candidates who leave voters cold, really bad things can happen."
Another slam (albeit indirect) against Hillary. About three million more people were more afraid of trump and the really bad things he might do than were left cold by Hillary Clinton.
I will regret for the rest of my life that she was not elected, and I am sure I'm not alone.
122
We all regret that but it's an accurate statement. So many Republicans hated her that just mentioning her name rallied them to the polls. Some Democrats were tired of the controversies, fair or not, and couldn't rally enough support in key states.
8
No, that slam was rather direct. And spot on.
4
Mary Ann, You need to get over it. The election has been over for 18 months. I am sick to death of hearing about the 3 ML votes all of which came from NY, Cali and people like me who were disgusted that the only 2 viable choices were Trump or Hillary. Yes, I voted for her w/gritted teeth and no enthusiasm. Her loss is squarely on her shoulders (worst campaign ever) and the disgusting DNC. Dowd's comment is totally on point......as is Kathy's.
4
210,000 registered democrats in the district.
less than 30,000 votes cast.
barely over 50% of votes cast to the winner (good for her and new energy)
the demographics of. the district have changed considerably over 30 years.
this is NOT a national mandate.
17
NO, but it's a great start!
3
Nobody cared, because Crowley had been a 4 time candidate who -- like HIllary -- was supposed to be a shoo-in. So a newby snuck in -- using her good looks and a social media campaign.
This also happened to Eric Cantor a few years ago and the GOP lost a future "star". What has his replacement accomplished? What's his replacements name again?
1
How long will it take MoDo to dis our new Democratic star?
I hope Ocasio-Cortez does run for President eventually but first lets get her elected in November. She has the kind of WOW Barack Obama excitement that America has badly needed.
31
Maureen, I'm glad you've found a politician you seem to be fond of- she is pretty irresistible, maybe she can help turn the Dem party into something we can love as well.
Those of us not raised during the time of nuclear bomb drills in our schools, where we crouched under our desks for protection, have a different idea about the definition of socialism.
Actually, most Americans love government programs that help people and the economy when they understand them. The Ayn Randian donor base of the GOP knows they can't abolish Social Security or Medicare just by calling it socialism- which indeed it is. So they have been working for decades to reduce benefits and cause their gradual dismantling.
Now comes Alexandria, unafraid of the word socialism as are most voters of her generation. They know that free college is the same as free high school was when it became a standard socialist program- educational requirements have risen that much. The more educated and less bound by restrictive debt our children are the more they can contribute to the overall economy by unleashing their creativity.
The majority of Americans AND their doctors now approve of universal Medicare.
Time to push the dinosaurs out of office and get the government doing what it does best while the private sector does the rest. Socialistic capitalism.
82
There has been no reduction of SS or Medicare benefits in the last 45 years -- not even under Reagan or Bush 1 or Bush 2 or Trump -- in fact, benefits have increased. It was Bush 2 who put in the Medicare Part D plan -- prior to that, Medicare did NOT cover ANY drugs.
Being a Marxist Socialist did not help Bernie win -- did it? and that was just two years ago. Maybe you think NOW is the right time for liberal Dems to come out of the closet as Marxist Socialists! I guess we'll see.
There is no such thing as "free college" anywhere -- it is paid for by high taxes -- it is subsidized in places like Canada and the UK but NOT "free" -- and where there are no upfront costs....the only students who get this "free college" must pass stringent tests, meaning it is only free to the top 20% of students. The rest get nothing.
As a 67 yr old who sadly feels that I will never see an open-minded Supreme Court again in my life time, I am so encouraged by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez' Congressional win. I hope she has good advisers and can get past all this publicity and do great things for our country. She is our future.
315
Maureen Dowd writes another piece insulting a Clinton - must be a Sunday.
I also find this young woman intelligent, dynamic and very impressive. But I wonder if she or Bernie Sanders will actually be able to accomplish any of their stated goals given the current state of things in Washington.
And even if they could somehow manage to make these things happen, wouldn't some challenge be made in the court system similar to the attempt to abolish Obamacare in the Supreme Court? How do you think such a case would be decided with the new makeup of the court, a makeup that is purposefully being designed to last for decades.
So I would have preferred the older, "colder" candidate with more realistic ideas. Because what really leaves me cold is the idea of working people losing their healthcare, losing the safety nets that already exist but are in danger now.
18
The New American Way: When it's time to help the poor and working classes, we need to take "realistic" baby steps. But when it's time to help the rich, and it's always that time, we swing for the fences.
30+ years of yawning, uninspiring "incrementalism" is how you got Trump.
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You know, if candidates don't have "the vision thing", then they are criticized for that. If they create a vision, then people are ready to jump on them immediately and say, "Why isn't it accomplished already?"
Can we create a space for this breath of fresh air to gather her constituency around her and maybe we can all develop the vision together?
Welcome, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez. It's a pleasure to see your win in politics. Don't let the turkeys get you down.
36
So tell us what the safer way accomplished. Allowing Bush to go to war in Iraq, allowing banking practices which lead to the collapse of the economy, removal of people from welfare, building prisons for profit and filling them with those who struck out three times, failure to pass a single payer health bill, failure to enact sensible gun laws and allowing g Congress to punt on Obama's SCOTUS nominee. These were failures of the old timers in both parties. The bar has been set pretty low.
8
The primary win for Ms. Ocasio-Cortez has so many of us across the country energized, excited and hopeful. I apologize for taking the focus away from that to make a side point: PLEASE let us think about the ramifications of normalizing the use of the word "girl" when we are talking about adult women. For occasional, casual, personal use it is fine, but in general conversation I believe strongly that it's important to distinguish adults from children in a class of people who are still being subjugated.
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That was exactly my first thought at the title too Kathy!!! The language we use means something, and to call this inspiring woman a girl is completely inappropriate and degrading. Ms. Dowd should know better.
1
How about using "progressive" instead of "socialist?"
The word has such negative connotations among older voters that I'm afraid support will be lost because of that one issue.
This is the candidate we need in these back-sliding times.
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Alexandria, bravo! it's a sensible, long-term-growth plan, not just a star!
According to economist James Heckman, dollars invested in early life actually earn 13%, in future savings-- from better outcomes for these kids. Stuff like the the Nurse Family Partnership. Start there, where we earn 13%. That's a no brainer!
Also when you help the unstable working class people, a lot of it goes straight to children-- via more stability, fewer ACEs, safer streets, better housing-- and that creates future savings along the same lines. Free college pays back (a higher tax base, less dependency, etc). Maternity care leave pays back in higher birth weight, better attachment, more breastfeeding, and less stress. Education pays back, health care pays back, family planning pays back. Hey, don't we want functional, mentally healthy citizens and a chill society?
PLUS, providing all this opens a lot of good-wage professional jobs (therapists, nurses, tutors, mentors, public safety officers, etc). So it's a great economic boon to middle class workers too.
The way to build high-functioning humans and a great society is to invest in, nurture, mentor, and support kids and families, to undergird dignified living for all, and to build community thriving from the ground up. This is also how we create citizens capable of governing themselves, rather than narcissists and gluttons.
37
When Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez appeared on my TV screen Tuesday night, I immediately leaned forward. I had no idea who she was but I was interested in what she had to say. She has the same magnetic pull and genuineness I saw in Barack Obama. She made me smile.
One of the few things that's given me hope in this gruesome year has been all the new faces running for office under the Democratic Party, especially all the women.
I admire her courage in jumping into the thick of things and her unrelenting focus on the issues.
This was such a lovely profile of Ms Ocasio-Cortez, I didn't notice until I read it the second time that Ms. Dowd managed to zing Hillary again. Some things never change.
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I hope and pray she turns out to be more "genuine" than Mr. Obama who campaigned as a change agent but pivoted to the center right in office. No wonder the shellacking in '10 and beyond.
8
There is a big difference between Ms. Ocasio-Cortez and Pres. Obama. He has a kind of calm, professorial thoughtfulness. His speeches were inspiring. But she has an incredibly upbeat, positive personality that is just magnetic. She has passion.
Whereas Obama had to figure out who he was, and develop an almost superhuman self-control, she has a genuiness that is so appealing.
I think I have a crush on her.
7
Ocasio-Cortez hooray! Hitting a spectacularly qualified Hillary again is low Ms. Dowd.
1
Those who find Ms. Ocasio-Ortiz too "radical" should think about the guy who's presently running the country, an anarchist intent on tearing down everything the U.S. presumably stands for even while having vertical sex with the Stars and Stripes. I can only wish that I lived in Ocasio-Ortiz's congressional district given that my home is located in that vestigial area of Brooklyn forced to endure the indignity of having to share a congresscritter with Staten Island. (Even so, thank heavens it won't be Michael Grimm!). I do, however, wish that Ocasio-Ortiz and Bernie Sanders among others would stop identifying as "Socialists." Last I heard neither one endorsed the principle of state ownership of all forms of business and property. Why scare anyone off when, at the present moment, we need as many progressives in D.C. as we can get?
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Oops, make that Ocasio-CORTEZ. Never heard of her until a week ago but I'm certain I won't make that mistake again.
2
"I do, however, wish that Ocasio-Ortiz and Bernie Sanders among others would stop identifying as "Socialists." Last I heard neither one endorsed the principle of state ownership of all forms of business and property."
Excellent point Stu. Socialism is a fear word, a wedge word used by the GOP to strike the fear in voters that we are headed straight for communism if we adopt socialism. Democrats need to pull away from the word as very few Americans really know what it means.
7
They don't identify as socialists but as democratic socialists which happens to be the FDR brand of democrat, if anyone cares to remember. Those were the good old days when the Democratic Party was the party of the people, not the party of corporations and the military industrial complex.
It's the careless media that can't be bothered to pay attention to such crucial details. Or, wait - might they possibly be careless on purpose? From the way they treated Bernie Sanders in 2016 - including this paper - one could be forgiven to think their constant misnomer is indeed very much on purpose.
2
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is The Future.
I am very happy to hand her the reins so that my grandchildren will have a better world to live in.
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So far, So good. She hasn't been wrong in anything she's said. She seems to have a special talent for common sense and good values. If we could find 500 more candidates like that for Congress, the nation will be saved.
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There are thousands of people like her out there. What we need is a level playing field, and for the media to actually cover them. Sanders and candidates like him have been routinely ignored and downplayed by the media, including the NYT.
4
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez' stunning victory is the charge that the Democratic Party needed in these troubled times. Her victory is also a backatcha moment aimed directly at the president after the way he snubbed Puerto Rico after the hurricane. While he tossed towels at hungry American citizens on a distant Caribbean island, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez tossed bouquets of hope and promise for her constituents in her city. She is the future of politics in America and her message is that women and minorities cannot be taken for granted anymore.
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“Those were the people that I had to deal with so much in hospitality. He’s not just a figure. He’s a type of person. People like that say shocking things to gauge your reaction and to read if you flinch...."
The best description ever of Donald Trump. She gets it.
20
Do you hear echoes of Sonia Sotomayor in her, as I do? It's an encouraging thought, anyway.
1
Ms Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is indeed a breath of fresh air but it may be worthwhile for people to follow her example. She has avoided identity politics. Her ideas may be up for debates and they may resemble many of Sen Sanders's but she is her own person. Every dem should think that way. This is not about which faction you belong to. Infighting is a problem the Grand Obstructionist Party, Trump and outside agitators have exploited. Learn the lesson but don't look back. If the party couldn't come together, it would remain broken winged. And worse is yet to come
25
Mo, the pendulum is swinging. My generation was conditioned from birth - by the church, entertainers, political elders - to mistrust anything touched by socialism - but Ms. Ocasio-Cortez's generation has been spared this. They don't carry our Cold War baggage.
Universal health care works pretty well - especially given its dramatically lower cost as a % of GDP (17%-18% in the US as compared to 9%-12% elsewhere) - in most advanced industrial democracies.
The universal job guarantee that she is likely talking up is a revival of the Humphrey-Hawkins bill of 1978 - which might not seem relevant today, a moment of more-or-less full (if low wage) employment, but is likely to be extremely relevant in the coming of age of automation, especially in those rust belt states that have foolishly put their faith in our current Groper / Con-Man / Russian-Stooge-in-Chief.
And the exponential rise in college tuition that Ms Ocasio-Cortez has had to bear has absolutely forced too many of her generation to begin their adult lives under a mountain of debt.
Socialism is not a panacea - but neither is capitalism-globalism run amok.
There needs to be balance. We need a far wider political spectrum than one consisting of Corporate Democrats - Moderate Republicans - Market & Right Wing Religious Fundamentalists. Ms. Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Sanders help to expand that spectrum. The Corporate Democrats represented the only feasible path to power in the post-Reagan era - but that era is ending.
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Hence the term "Democratic Socialist". See any compromise in it.
Nothing like being a little aspirational to attract some enthusiasm to your campaign. I am guessing it had been a while since anyone in his district applied that term to Crowley's campaign.
I have to admit that my first reaction to "get rid of ICE" was that that's crazy talk. But then I recalled that ICE was a more militarized replacement of INS, created along with the Dept of Homeland Security to make us feel safer by taking our shoes off, while a woefully understaffed FBI does all of the real anti-terrorism work and DHS chases poor Central American agricultural workers and refugees through the desert on a $100 billion annual budget.
Count me in on Medicare for All, along with government negotiation of drug prices. You can keep your private plans but don't get sick or "you're fired".
I am glad to see more Democratic "safe seats" challenged by newcomers, especially aspirational women.
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ICE is clearly incompetent. We can do better, more efficient and more humane.
“It’s not like they expect improved and expanded Medicare tomorrow,” she said. “But we need to name our star so we can chart a course.”
That's exactly right, and on the national level, only Dems will be pressing these issues against GOP'ers.
If Progressives don't vote for national Dem candidates because those candidates aren't perfect (since those Dem candidates have to win the conservative-tilting Electoral College) the country and the planet are condemned to a parade of GOP'ers legislatively undoing generations' worth of Progressivism, and polluting the Judiciary along with SCOTUS with lifetime appointees stretching 3-4 decades into the future.
There are no angel politicians - but no sentient American can now say with a straight face there's no difference between a Hillary or an Orange Jabberwock.
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A ray of sunshine in a week where the Trump death star reigns supreme.
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Kevin,
“Evita”? “Don’t cry for me Argentina!” or “Dangerous Times!”.
It’s a measure of our despair when a young woman’s unexpected win against a moth-eaten Democratic Congressman feels as though we all just won the lottery. She would be a small voice of reason crying out in a psychotic din of political insanity, but it’s one of the few bits of good news we’ve heard in a long time.
Her strong, honest and sensible speech is music to our ears. We can only hope that we’re not hearing the band playing on the Titanic, but a new rendition of America the Beautiful that will be the soundtrack to the demise of the hateful cabal that overran the government, sadly with the help of the American people.
It’s not our leaders that we have to fear. It’s us. Our collective I.Q. is in the single digits, but we need all the smarts we can muster. Our electoral process may be subject to manipulation by foreign powers, not to mention voter suppression engineered by our honorable Congressional leaders and unlimited financial power granted by the courts. How much can Ms Ocasio-Cortez do? We's need a hundred more like her to undo what has been done.
She strikes me as an echo of the sincerity and common sense of Bernie Sanders, who might be sitting in the White House today if he’d been taken seriously by journalists who seemed to be mesmerized by the delicious improbability of a crotch-groping idiot slouching toward Washington to be born. They were midwife to the birth of this evil. Now we’ve got to change his diapers.
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Gemli,
This Twitter thread points to more than moths being the problem.
Look at the very long list of people and entities who supported Crowley, including Emily's List
https://twitter.com/matthewstoller/status/1011786192210350081
6
re "... Bernie Sanders, who might be sitting in the White House today if he'd been taken seriously by journalists who seemed to be mesmerized by the delicious improbability of a crotch-groping idiot slouching toward Washington to be born":
Actually, that's not quite the reason Sen. Sanders didn't make it to the White House. The reason is the journalists, the party apparatus and the rest of The Establishment that were in the tank for the "inevitable" Mrs. Clinton from the get-go and tone-deaf to all else. The same Mrs. Clinton, that is, who was the only prominent Democrat, Democratic socialist or major independent capable of losing to Donald Trump. And, of course, she proved it.
1
"...the delicious improbability of a crotch-groping idiot slouching toward Washington to be born."
Wonderful phrase!
9
"...if you insist on putting up presidential candidates who leave voters cold, "
Maureen, It never was about "personality", which helps (like in the case of Ms Ocasio-Corteza) but what policies the candidate endorses.
With that in mind, explicitly state what was wrong with Hillary's campaign when compared to Trumps?
There were probably better looking women, flashier, and with more "personality" but, given the mood of the country then, as much as I admired Bernie (and voted for him in the primary), Hillary's policies made sense and paved the road for a Bernie-like successor. Even after her first term.
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Medicare-for-all; Ending the Wars; A Living Wage; A Green New Deal; Free College Tuition; Making the Rich Pay Their Fair Share; etc. would have given Hillary plenty of "personality".
But she chose to sell her "personality" to the highest bidder, and then peeople wonder how we got Trump.
10
Ok , here’s what was wrong with her campaign: the electoral college. Other than that, she had a history of giving just enough to social issues so she could claim to be liberal, while always giving the big things away to big money. TPP, the pipeline, private insurers rather than single payer, her cowardly vote to authorize Bush in Iraq, her support for repeal of Glass-Stiegel, she was way late on gay marriage. Her response to the Sanders challenge was to trim her sails here and there, changing her positions on TPP and the pipeline for obvious political reasons. I voted for her because she wasn’t Trump. “Liberals” need to start acknowledging that she was a big-money phony to a lot of people.
7
Hillary didn't connect with voters -- at least not with working class voters. She wore her sense of entitlement like a badge of honor ... so obvious Helen Keller could have been right through it.
Until women/feminists/Democrats stop bemoaning HRC's loss and start
looking to the future with candidates like Ocasio-Gomez, we're lost.
Ms. Ocasio-Cortez is an ideal foil to Donald Trump. While both can say they are fresh to politics, only she is from a background representative of the non-wealthy and she's therefore tuned in to the interests most immediate to us. And although she is looking to secure a House seat in November, not the White House (at least not yet), she is still young and has decades of influence to come. Time is on her side, not Donald's.
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@NM, NY: Daughter of the Cairene scholar, could it be that we just heard a bell ring somewhere?
4
By Ms O-Cortez I am cheered
She deals with the frights I have feared
A template-to-be
For candidates to see,
Although by the Right it is jeered.
Her sex and her youth? A big plus,
Oldsters have thrown Youth 'neath the bus
We need inspiration
Without reservation,
Our time is too pained, too parlous!
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Thank you, Larry!
3
Larry,
Socialism is Great!
It’s paying for it folks hate!
It’s like going out on a date.
For the check to show up you can’t wait.
The easy money was spent.
From Bush and Obama it went.
Getting more now will be hard.
Demonizing those who have is the “card”.
Class warfare is just what we need. (Not!)
It is what the Socialists seed.
Has Europe turned out well?
You should answer before you sell!
1
"Democratic socialists" may win in the Bronx, California and here in Maryland. But that will not be enough seats. New York, California and Massachusetts already comprise nearly half of the democrats' House votes.
If you want to sell free college, guaranteed federal jobs and Medicare for all, you may have a hard time persuading independent voters who are employed and who pay taxes.
As Maggie Thatcher famously observed, "Socialism is great until you run out of other people's money."
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We have plenty of money for tax cuts, trillion dollar deficits, military spending, financial bailouts.
The people have had enough.
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Well said, Kevin. In addition to which, Socialism is also MY money and I'd much rather donate my share of it to a government that spends it on programs that benefit all of us than one that uses it to subsidize the affluent.
8
As Ms. Ocasio has said, Congress has the power of the purse. A currency issuer funds investment without needing to tax. A country budget is not like a household or even a state budget. Ms. Thatcher was dead wrong.
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Local girl makes more than good. Local girl makes very proud all of those among us who hoped Bernie Sanders' revolutionary run would produce a movement.
She's one among a few around the country who were allowed to mount a campaign and run it. In many parts of the country, my own neck of the Cali woods included, the DCCC and DSCC, along with the DNC, went back to their old tricks, pulling shenanigans as a result of which millionaire candidates were given preferential placement in the primaries, candidates were given talks with the purpose of discouraging runs, and in some cases, negative ads were placed against progressive candidates. In one Texas town, a long-time Democrat was passed over in favor of a brand new former Republican member of the local chamber of Commerce. This is really shameful stuff. The kind of stuff progressives fought really hard to eliminate after the 2016 election.
A "local girl" to me who's made good by being one of the loudest voices of the resistance is Rep. Maxine Waters. The Democratic party owes her an apology for calling her unacceptable and un-American. There is nothing un-American about protesting Donald Trump and his white supremacist henchmen.
America is browning. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the voice and face of renewed hopes for the democratic process in this nation. I wish her all the best!
---
A Mighty Strange Resistance...
https://www.rimaregas.com/2018/05/31/in-trumpian-times-a-mighty-strange-...
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One victory does not a movement make.
4
Tom,
She isn't the only progressive to win their primary. There are others.
9
"Tom,
She isn't the only progressive to win their primary. There are others."
I don't mean to be argumentative, but please provide names of progressives who beat Pelosi-camp primary candidates. I'm not kidding when I say I hope there are a lot.
4
Fun fact: JFK was elected to the House at age 29.
Inspirational leaders have been known to start relatively early and, step by step, fine-tune their skills. So why not in this case?
Best of luck to Ms. Ocasio-Cortez. At such a young age, she already has a lot for going for her.
465
Oops: one "for" too many in the last sentence. Apologies.
2
I don't know anything about Mr Crowley except that I read that he sent a substitute instead of showing up for a debate. That would have been enough for me. I would have checked out the other candidates and chosen the best one. As it happens I probably would have voted for a person with a big vision and not someone who says " We can't. It's not practical." Fortunately Bill Gates, Elon Musk, Christopher Columbus et al didn't say "Not pactical. We can't."
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Well Dora, in naming Bill Gates, Elon Musk, and Christopher Columbus, you've named three flim-flam men, who cheated their way to the top (Gates), murdered thousands of native people (Columbus) or just plain took people for a ride, not to Mars (Musk) on his families money. Try to think of some better names next time.
3
It is heartwarming and reassuring to watch young women scale the tall greasy pole of politics with grace and humility. The tall greasy pole reference belongs to Benjamin Disraeli, who after several failed efforts was elected Prime Minister in Great Britain. When asked how he felt, that was his response.
Both parties need to heal themselves. Producing two loser candidates as nominees for President says a lot about the magnitude of their failures. In the aftermath of 2016 someone was going to regret their nominee ever getting on the ballot.
44
It's not just that Ocasio-Cortez won in an upset but that she's so articulate and clear in her message. No "poli-speak," just a vision of, as she says, "a star to chart our course." Just having someone who's not afraid of losing the status quo is wonderful and I hope the first of many bright and challenging newcomers into Washington with energy and intelligence.
Politics is often ruled by the too clever to be honest types, who've been around so long they're afraid to face the real world without adoring staff and drivers and a zillion perks most of us know nothing about. The backlash to Trump will grow but needs to be replaced by honest and hard workers not beholden to money interests. A few more upsets and we might actually get a Congress to be proud of.
Her Bronx district just won the lottery. Let me rephrase, America gained hope for the future.
357
"Politics is often ruled by the too clever to be honest types."
So true. I am always weary of politicians who have to have a bunch of people behind them when they propose something, often times, utterly stupid. The montage is all to familiar. A bunch of politicians with and/or some obviously people of color and minorities.
2
Many in her party and in the media will focus on the Congresswoman-elect's demographic characteristics and reflexively foreground her age, ethnicity, and gender. While significant, what's refreshing and powerful is her spotlight of policies directly impacting people's lives.
Ms. Ocasio-Cortez recognizes that healthcare, employment, education, and massive wealth inequality are the most salient issues in 2018.
We live in a plutocratic banana republic with a kleptocratic family in power.
At what point does the pendulum begin to move a bit in the opposite direction?
Here's to hoping we have a leader and catalyst for meaningful change.
409
What a great comment. I for one regard it as a form of divine justice that it is from the Bronx that this grew.
7
If Alexandria Ocasio Cortez is the new face of the Democratic Party, they are doomed. She may do well in Philadelphia and the coastal elite states but the rest of the country will never accept her radicalism. She is too far left for most people and she will fizzle within a matter of time.
36
I don't think so. The Democrats have moved too far to the Right over the past four decades.
Trump ran making Progressive promises that he won't and can't keep.
Remember these ?
"beautiful affordable healthcare"
"a tax cut for the middle class, not the rich"
" infrastructure spending"
"reduced prescription drug prices"
"drain the swamp"
America is a wealthy country and politicians find ways to benefit mostly the wealthy. Trump promised to change that but has just made it worse.
Her's is a welcome voice.
25
Hmmmm..I don't think so.nothing radical about Ms. Cortez's ideas...perfect example of out of the box thinking. We all know what doing the same thing over and over expecting different results creates...insanity
3
I think this is the tip of an ice berg. The uncaring conservatives are doomed, because the young won't put up with that type of nonsense, and they don't care if the likes of Crowley get thrown by the wayside.
1
Remember when FDR proposed the new deal for the American people who were drowning in the depression? 90% of Americans are currently drowning economically and socially. So if Miss Cortez is calling for a Green new deal, why are people so frightened? In fact all the current polling data indicate that the American people by overwhelming majorities support her agenda. The current political establishment in DC needs to leave because they are betraying the American people. And that includes that guy in the White House.
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Ocasio's excellent education and grassroots political experience - plus her bareknuckled fight to work to save her family - should compel us all to acknowledge that Ted Kennedy wasn't much older than Ocasio is when he was first elected senator. And we can thank him today for introducing the Americans with Disabilities Act and fighting for gay rights and battling for healthcare. Big dreams, like hers. And she got this far without a famous family paving the way.
But that all said in Ocasio's favor, I need to say again that - AFTER the primaries are over - every single Democrat put forward is a far better choice than giving Donald Trump a Republican majority again in November. We can't care if Democrats are 'left cold' by the Democratic candidates in their area in the general elections in November.
Trumps and their ilk can run for office any time - that's the beauty of democracy. Democrats need to show up to keep them out of office - that's the responsibility of democracy.
Democratic voters who didn't show up gave us at least 2 alt-right Supreme Court justices - 100 alt-right federal judges - untold numbers of families destroyed by impending losses of Roe v. Wade and same sex marriage - untold numbers of cancers from deregulated chemicals - job losses from illogical tariff wars - deadly expansion of NRA weapon sales - AND an exploding deficit (every single Democratic administration has had a better economy than the GOP since WWII).
Show up and vote Democratic. SHOW UP.
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"every single Democrat put forward is a far better choice than giving Donald Trump a Republican majority again in November. We can't care if Democrats are 'left cold' by the Democratic candidates in their area in the general elections in November."
Amen. My county Democratic party chairman put it this way: "the worst Democrat is better than the best Republican." I was a little taken aback but he was talking about candidates on the ballot. After realizing this, I thought "he's right on the money."
5
Ms. Ocasio-Cortez has many positive attributes, but from what I can tell, no in-depth knowledge of foreign policy. Her comparison of the rioters in Gaza, many of whom were terrorists( as Hamas itself admitted) to teachers protesting for salary increase is, at best, ill-informed. It is also possible that it demonstrates the dangers of excessive intersectionality. Her prospective constituents and the media should make sure they know where she stands on all major foreign policy issues.
31
Well, maybe she shouldn't be put on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Reps represent their constituents. If they start expressing grave concern over events in the Middle East, I'll agree with you. Right now, I believe she's more concerned about getting them health care and reasonable wages.
The Palestinians have been victimized for decades. There's definitely two sides to that story.
Yes, there are two sides to the story; it is not a black and white issue. She seems to have a one-sided perspective. She weighed in on the middle east; no one forced her to do so. I support many of her policies, but who knows, maybe she will end up in Foreign Affairs, or another committee that requires more in depth knowledge of foreign policy.
1
This race is about social issues regarding American health care, food stamps, working class wages, and standing up for people in New York State and the rest of the country, who have no one to stand up for them.
Most candidates who have been elected to the House or the Senate do not have a grounding in Foreign Policy until they get to Washington. That does not mean they are unaware only that they need more information from State Department sources and the Foreign Relations Committee.
2
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is exactly the type of young, fresh blood, intelligent, young, media savvy individual the democratic party needs. She is exactly correct about the fact that the republican party is grooming its younger politicians for leading the party. Just earlier this year, there was a report that showed that the age of the average republican house member was 48. in contrast, the average age of the democratic house member is 74 years old! Average is 74! A 26 year gap!!! That means that the most democrats in the house are old enough to be parents of the average republican member! We need to move in a more youthful direction.
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Average age is NOT 71!! That's impossible.
https://www.cnn.com/2017/10/10/politics/democrats-age-problem/index.html
What Ocasio-Cortez did was what we should all be doing: She got active in the democratic process.
She knocked on doors, listened to the people, got the voters to the voting booth. Grassroots activism for a grassroots democracy.
If we want a democracy of, for and by the people we need to get active, join activist groups, get out the vote, canvas voters, call congressional representatives and let them know what we think.
The alternative is unthinkable, unspeakable, unacceptable and inevitable unless each and every one of us gets active.
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Good for her. The Democratic party is at its best when it has big ideas that benefit everyone especially those at the bottom. Working people shouldn't have to work multiple jobs to survive. The Democrats need her energy and others like her if they ever again hope to regain power.
FDR saved the country and his policies were pretty radical too. Those who hate socialism, how do you like your social security and Medicare. Pretty strongly considering how strongly you fight back anytime any politician dares to talk about cutting it.
This last election should have been a wake-up call for the Democrats. If not, new blood will come in and make the changes that the old timers are too afraid of.
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In her television appearances O-C presents as intelligent, focused, able to speak coherently and well, with a clear progressive vision, and charming with a sense of humor. At 28 I think she may be a little too young to be effective but I am more than happy to give her a chance. Certainly she is an improvement over the moribund hack timeservers currently in Congress.
178
We need youth desperately. A 72 year old POTUS, a 76 year old Mitch McConnell, a 76 year old Pelosi, talk of 75 year old Joe Biden, 76 year old Bernie Sanders... ENOUGH!
2
while I applaud her victory, let's not get ahead of ourselves. She wasn't elected to the position of 4th most powerful Democrat in Congress. If elected -- and if that doesn't happen it will be an even bigger shock -- she will be one of 435 voices in the House. She will need to build a base of power and influence and that takes time. But my guess is she's aware of this. So while the press has a honeymoon with her, she should elaborate on why her "socialism" makes sense, and how we would pay for the programs and ideas she supports. She should take the larger stage given to her and use it while she can, and distancing herself from those, like Mr. Sanders, whom the public has already rejected.
58
You are 100% on the mark but she will be a voice at least. As another comment said, my hope meter just sparked to life.
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The public is did reject Sanders. He won 23 states all while the DNC and the Hillary camp were colluding. He was filling stadiums and arenas. He would have beat Trump hands down. True, she wasn't elected to the fourth most important Democratic position. Se did something even more impressive and useful. She REMOVED the 4th most important Democratic persons from the congress. Out with the old, corrupt, and ineffective is the way to allow new shoots to grow.
Hummmmm ... better watch out for the millions of young men and women who believe in a better world. I trust they will change the status quo and achieve the awful task of getting these dinosaurs out of the way. Compassion,hope and inclusion will be the new slogans to define our leaders. Our kids deserve better.
I am appalled at the fawning and adulation suddenly bestowed upon Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, an avowed socialist.
Suddenly, for reasons I can't fathom, she is lauded in the media as the new look and savior of the Democratic party, which in the 2016 election showed that socialism and Democrats don't mix. Here is Ms. O-C's platform:
- Medicare for all
- Universal jobs guarantee
- Tax Wall Street to support tuition-free higher/vocational education
- Paid family/sick leave
- End war on drugs
- Demilitarize police
- Abolish for-profit prisons
- Protect DREAMERs and TPS recipients, simplify paths to citizenship, and abolish ICE
- Invest in 100% renewable green industry
- End corporate finance in public elections
Unfunded pie in the sky, for sure, but I hope her win will wake up the ossified Democrats. (BTW, she grew up not in the Bronx but Yorktown.)
We know how Democrats and Trumpers will vote, so we should focus on undecideds and moderates, who will likely control the outcome of most of the mid-terms. Calling Ivanka Trump a vile name, saying that Barron Trump should be locked up with pedophiles, and tossing a senior White House staffer out of a restaurant can only convince the undecideds and moderates to vote for Trump and Republicans because Democrats are wacky and disgusting.
Don't slither into the muck with the Trumpers; we can win in November (and 2020) if we offer strong candidates and a positive platform that meets the needs of the many voters who felt ignored in 2016.
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Yeah, well after witnessing trillion dollar bank bailouts being funded without hesitation, quite a few of us are skeptical of that 'But how do you pay for it?' line.
As for the platform, looks great to me.
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So, Hillary again??
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I agree with virtually that entire platform - and I'm not a socialist!
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