Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 14th Congressional District

[abcdefghijk]

This obvious split between the Socialist Democrat faction and the more Centrist Democrats (old guard)...doesn't bode well for 2020... Particularly compared with the seemingly united GOP...

My observation.

that is indeed a valid concern. i am not attacking your POV here.

but the far-right dragged the entire GOP rightward in the past decade, and that's why they remained united. the centrists in the GOP shrugged and went along on the trip to the extreme right.

that could happen on the other side, too, could it not?

The GOP became united ONLY under TRUMP.

No real uniter has arisen on the Democrat side.

Even Trump's simplistic motto MAGA is actually inclusive. It is for all Americans.

Alas some of the loudest Democrat mottos...down with rich Americans...down with rich corporations...is not unifying.

[dssjh]

there is no uniter on the left at the moment, that's for sure.

it could happen, though.

FDR's radicalism was as extreme in its time as AOC's is today, so one never knows.

again, not arguing with you, just expressing my hopes.

[abcdefghijk]

there is no uniter on the left at the moment, that's for sure.

it could happen, though.

FDR's radicalism was as extreme in its time as AOC's is today, so one never knows.

again, not arguing with you, just expressing my hopes.

FDR was during the Great Depression. Desperate times. 

I certainly do not believe times are as desperate in America now.

[hum@njukebox1]

I would argue the GOP is not truly united.  I believe establishment Republicans are only supporting Trump at this time so that the Republican party does not split. 

[abcdefghijk]

I would argue the GOP is not truly united.  I believe establishment Republicans are only supporting Trump at this time so that the Republican party does not split.

Probably.  But the optics are that the GOP is basically united under Trump.
As opposed to Democrat optics. There's no-one to unite them.

[Paul11372]

I would argue the GOP is not truly united.  I believe establishment Republicans are only supporting Trump at this time so that the Republican party does not split.

Probably.  But the optics are that the GOP is basically united under Trump.
As opposed to Democrat optics. There's no-one to unite them.

Heaven forbid we had a strong 3rd party to stop both parties from acting like jerks

[dssjh]

a strong third party would be great. and it would have to be centrist. the problem is, we don't have a lot of pure centrists out there. there are very, very few people who fall into the grey area on issues like, say...abortion, guns, "entitlements," tax rates, environmental issues, and so on.

we could really use two -- a center-right and a center-left -- but they wouldn't hit the ground running. and, in the current climate, the right would attempt to kill and bury the center-right. the Fox News types never stop using the term "RINO" to refer to people who believe the things Republicans espoused for decades. the only true republicans are the newly minted ones who refuse any compromise. as an equal and opposite reaction, the left is doing the same now.

[lalochezia]

Heaven forbid we had a strong 3rd party to stop both parties from acting like jerks

It is a rare day that I agree at all with  Paul11372

today is that day!

[JK resident]

While I don’t agree with the new green deal, AOC has been a Democratic Party superstar. She has excited many people about free college and healthcare for anyone present in the US. She is actually getting more attention than old limousine liberal Pelosi. She is setting the agenda. We don’t know what Pelosi is even “for” except she has been around a long time congress. Too bad we don’t have term limits!

[dssjh]

my main issue with term limits is that it takes two years to figure out what's going on with the job, leaving two years to actually serve. if we make it 12 years (two senate terms, six congressional), i'd be in full support. does that seem fair?

[deja]

Term limits and publicly funded elections.  No more donations from anyone, and all running get the same amount of cash at each stage of the election process.  The latter just might help stop politicians from spending half or more of their time running rather than doing their job.

As it is now, wealthy donors are able and inclined to pay for much more "speech" than the common people and are hence able to inflict their own self-righteous we-know-better-than-you viewpoints on everyone else a la Koch brothers, Bloomberg, etc.  And add to that, why should anyone that doesn't live in that locality/state be able to fund who is running there?  They don't live there, it's none of their business. 

As for the Green New Deal, all the restrictions seem to be a "for thee, but not for me" deal.  I'd respect it and its proponents more if they chose to lead by example and live it wherever possible rather than telling others they can't eat meat while they are dining at steakhouses, etc. 

[abcdefghijk]

My question and head-scratching is whether the clear shift towards "identity politics" is the correct path for Democrats. 

Identity politics are great but can be factional.

Identity Politics lack the vision that we are all AMERICANS and being American (united Americans!) is our overriding identity.

I have a feeling that, on some level, the President knows (and utilizes) this in his very simplistic approach.



 

[deja]

The one thing politicians on both sides of the aisle seem to forget is regardless of party they are there to represent ALL of their constituents and tend to not be mindful that a win by a handful of percentage points does not constitute a mandate.  The vast majority of elections seem to be won with a very small margin.

Respect everyone, yes, but do not draw battle lines based on identity.  That goes nowhere good. 

[dssjh]

The one thing politicians on both sides of the aisle seem to forget is regardless of party they are there to represent ALL of their constituents and tend to not be mindful that a win by a handful of percentage points does not constitute a mandate.  The vast majority of elections seem to be won with a very small margin.

Respect everyone, yes, but do not draw battle lines based on identity.  That goes nowhere good.

agreed that elected reps are there for all, but AOC did not win by a handful of percentage points. she won by nearly four to one. this district will elect the Green Party before the GOP.

[deja]

I was speaking in general and about identity politics, not specifically about AOC and this district.