AOC loses key vote in House Oversight race to Gerry Connolly
AOC loses key vote in House Oversight race to Gerry Connolly
AOC loses key vote in House Oversight race to Gerry Connolly
I’m glad congressional Democrats are finally taking steps to deal with their sclerotic, ineffective and increasingly out-of-touch leadership and building a future with younger—oh wait.
The thing that made me so pessimistic about the future of this country was when I learned that the people who advised Hillary's 2016 campaign were still advising Harris' 2024 campaign. They failed multiple times and the consequences have been catastrophic, but they held on to their positions anyway. I have no reason to think they won't be back in 2028, because the people who have a say in who gets party leadership are people selected by the old leadership. We need a borderline hostile takeover of the Democrat party, and after Trump did it to the Republicans, the existing powers in the Democrat party only entrenched themselves further.
the people who advised Hillary’s 2016 campaign were still advising Harris’ 2024 campaign.
And still running the DNC.
Biden and Kamala inherited everything from Hillary, the people behind the scenes are the same, and are still likely listening to Hillary
She's like our Dick Cheney
They failed multiple times and the consequences have been catastrophic,
They succeeded in the only thing that matters to Democratic leadership: They kept a progressive from winning the nomination.
The mayor from Jaws 1 was still the mayor in Jaws 2.
The future of this country is not in the hands of the Democratic party if this is the way of things.
Leadership Democrats: Fumble the ball for three downs, then throws an interception
"Well, its no longer my fault if the opposition scores."
The democrats still think the populace is smart enough to look at the alternative and choose the less-worse option.
The country proves them wrong at every turn.
Follow the money.
The last guy was in his 80s....
Shit like this (Pelosi putting her thumb on the scale) is why people are questioning if they'll ever vote Democrat again.
if trump keeps his promise- and this is one time I actually believe him- we won't ever have to vote democrat again!
(because he'll fuck over democracy and make that illegal.)
I don’t see an alternative and it’s making me hate democracy.
I don’t see an alternative
I want to point out how this (and I'm not doing this to single it you out, but you offer an example example of how a) lack of imagination about what is possible, is the precise kind of lack of vision that brought people to the conclusion that we "had" to support Biden in the primary, because you "can't challenge an incumbent": they were wrong. His brain was melting out of his ears and the establishment was telling you to not believe your lying eyes and ears. Authority takes advantage of this cynicisim and abuses you with it.
Its the kind of mindset that results in "Kamala has to be the nominee", because she's the only viable option; turns out, she wasn't viable. We were told she had to turn to the right, to "get centrists"; turns out, there were no centrists. We were told her campaigning with Liz Cheney was 8d chess because she'll get "never Trump Republicans". How'd that work out.
We've been conditioned into a cynical fatalism, one that is truly not borne out by reality: it does not predict the future. I can not make that point any more emphatically. This toxic fatalism is in-opposition to the results we have on hand. New ways are possible, constantly. I have no problem with either cynicism or fatalism. However, I do have a problem with a world view being expressed which doesn't predict future states of the world. BNMW, Blue Maga, the cynical fatalists who had elevated themselves into moderators of the Democratic process this election cycle: their cynical reductive fatalism is why Democrats can't do better. Not because it isn't possible, but because they refuse to ask for it, and for MONTHS they refused to allow the kinds of conversations necessary to carve and change a candidate like Harris into one who could get elected.
If anyone, here there or elsewhere, was suppressing speech challenging the narratives or strategies of the Harris campaign or Democratic party, challenges that would have led to a more viable candidate had they addressed them: these are the true enemies of democracy. There is a reason why Free Speech is the first amendment. It goes beyond what the government is allowed to do or not do: its about what we're allowed to say or not allowed to say. Its about who has power, and who is allowed to challenge existing narratives. We can absolutely change this world, but first, we have to work on ourselves, and the communities we are a part of. This cynicism is a cancer we need to stamp out.
You have all the power you need to already to make the changes. If you need inspiration: Actions speak louder than words. You have to decide if you are part of the resistance or part of a costume party. Which is what some people, recently in the news, have decided.
The future is undefined. Pretending it isn't is giving in.
You can add me to the list. I voted democrat this previous election in an effort to prevent gestures around this, but I didn't want to for a number of reasons. I don't trust the green party with Stein. I have no idea what I will do next election. I always vote for the most progressive "local" (I'm an overseas voter, but as long as I have to file taxes and get fucked by the IRS by not being able to use retirement accounts here, I'mma vote) candidate, but I don't think I've ever seen anything other than D and R in my district except maybe an I once or twice.
Shit like this (Pelosi putting her thumb on the scale) is why people are questioning if they’ll ever vote Democrat again.
Yep, 100% this is at Pelosi's feet. Fuck Nancy Pelosi, and honsestly fuck every D Boomer in congress who won't get out of the way for the younger generations. You are actively holding us back.
No more. Independent from here on out.
I did that for years with nothing to show for it. No one ever (metaphorically) came knocking on my door asking how they could win my vote away from a third party. None of the candidates I voted for even came close, except Ross Perot and if he couldn't do it, I guarantee no one else can. That dude's whiteboard presentations were watched by 16.5 million people in an age where there were three channels and everyone watched TV. You can't replicate his success today and he only got 20%
You want to change things, you have to change a major party from within, and that's the effort of a lifetime, not an election cycle.
I’m never voting Democrat.
edit: It would be election interference on account of being not American.
And unless they do much, much better in the future, you shouldn't. Regardless of whether or not you agree with the philosophy of accelerationism, its clear thats the kind of environment we're in. On the bright side, it might actually be the opening we need to truly break up the two party system.
Ha!
AOC runs several investigations that lead to results.
Connelly... Is old and has seniority.
Great fucking job Democrats. Getting my seat warmer ready for 2022 2026 already!
2022 was 2 years ago.
Thank you.
AOC should abandon the Democratic party. She should join Bernie as an god-damned Independent.
She and Bernie should start a progressive party.
I'm tired of Democrats bowing to oligarchs.
I read that as Democrats blowing oligarchs... Same feel tho
Look up the spoiler effect to learn why they don't.
We're already spoiled due to a fucking useless DNC. A complete replacement is warranted at this point.
They can worry about the spoiler effect... Or they can worry about the massive amount of people who don't vote because they feel it's pointless or barely muster enough care to do it.
Worth a try since the Democrats are worthless spineless losers anyway.
Worrying about the spoiler effect is why were here in the first place.
The spoiler effect will work in the short term, but if a progressive party can oust the DNC in even a few states Congress should look a lot different to how it is now. A bit of pain is worth it to escape the slow death promised by the DNC.
That's a false worry.
As a Canadian with multiple political parties in our house of parliament, numbers don't change.
If one left party gets 100 seats, the second left party gets 20, and the right leaning party gets 115 (for example) The right leaning party, yes technically, gets to say they're in charge. But they can't really do anything without cooperation from the left.
115 < 120 regardless of the number of parties.
Parties matter less than right vs left matters.
Make the DNC the spoiler... I think Bernie and the squad could pull enough Dems away, plus get enough new people, to actually have a bigger party than the DNC
"Everyone sort of made the case that they would be the best to help change the message across the country. ... He's a very good communicator," said Beyer.
Oh yeah that's exactly what's going to fix the problem Democrats have. Electing another old ass Clinton era Democrat to a position of power. It's not like everybody's pissed at them for losing the Presidency, the House, and the Senate all in one go.
It’s not like everybody’s pissed at them for losing the Presidency, the House, and the Senate all in one go.
With their amazing communication skills.
See it from their perspective. They are doing their hardest to be as useless as possible and people still vote them.
At this point, how pissed everyone is matters jack shit because they know their public loves outrage for the sake of outrage, and the very same public that votes them, is totally neutered and incapable of choosing or voting for anything else
They are using the fact that people can't go anywhere else and are weaponising that to do absolutely nothing.
AOC loses key vote in House Oversight race to Gerry Connolly
an Old. White. man.
Seriously. It's pissing me off; more so the republicans doing it. we need minority voices. We can't expect the republicans to do it- lets just be honest here. and I doubt very much if Connolly will be able to push back nearly as much as AOC can and will. (never mind, whether or not he's willing.)
An old white man with cancer that he announced a month ago. He should be focusing on his treatment, not adding more to his plate.
Gerry Connolly
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerry_Connolly
The Congressman's Congressman. He represents the district right outside DC. Also, prior to running for office he worked as an aide to the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations where he managed committee oversight of international economic issues, international narcotics control, and United Nations and Middle East policies, and published reports on U.S. policy in El Salvador, Central America, Israel, and the Persian Gulf region.
So, expect a guy who will toe the line on all our accumulated foreign policy blunders while banging a gavel to silence another generation of anti-war protesters.
It gets worse than that, of course.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerry_Connolly#Legislation_sponsored
Sponsoring legislation with Darrell Issa - a shameless, virulent Silicon Valley shill of a politician - as Trump lards up his cabinet with Friends of Peter Thiel is a bleak sign for the future.
Dude is probably already in diapers. Old as fuck
HEADLINE: AFTER SEVERAL BEATINGS, DEMOCRATS LEARN NO LESSONS
More the stupid us for thinking things would be any different this time.
Cool a 74 year old, that’s the life expectancy of a male in the US.
Hopefully
Somebody arrest this man.
Wait, what's your salary?
A 74-year-old with cancer.
Senatorial class lives 10-15 years longer than their working counterparts. This is also true outside the US.
A 74-year-old who is dying of cancer was chosen over a 35-year-old rising star at the insistence of an 84-year-old woman (who is currently undergoing hip replacement surgery) just months after an 81-year-old Presidential candidate was forced to drop out of the race because he showed sever symptoms of cognitive decline during a debate. If this were a satire about a gerontocracy, I would think it was too over the top.
And a 78 year old is president elect
Oh yeah, if we're talking Republicans too, don't forget that the 82-year-old Senate minority leader, who has had mysterious freezing spells this year, was hospitalized for a fall just last week.
This country is totally capable of fighting off creeping fascism. It's the Democrat leadership that's not up to the task.
What they're saying: Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), a Connolly ally, acknowledged Connolly's greater seniority likely played a role in his win but argued "it wasn't just that."
It wasn't just that. He also has a penis
The only thing that mattered was that his opponent was a progressive.
She lost to a 74yr old…yeah that guy needs to retire. Get out of the fucking way.
Democrats running out of foot to shoot themselves in
Connolly had 34 and AOC had 27, but there is a full caucus vote tomorrow.
Could you explain what this means? I learned a lot back in 2016, a bit more in 2020, but find I'm still a bit ignorant.
In the US House there are 16 committees. There are ranking chairs and minority chairs for each committee, along with committee members. The ranking chairs are for the majority, in this Congress the Republicans. The minority chairs are, of course, for the Dems. The chairs dictate subjects, schedule and rules. The Republicans choose their chairs, the Democrats vote for theirs. AOC is running for the minority chair of the Oversight Committee, which is the main investigative committee of Congress. They took a straw vote today and AOC lost, but all of the Dems will vote tomorrow.
One House Democrat aligned with Ocasio-Cortez told Axios that steering is "made up of the most senior members," making it not her most receptive venue.
Because having senior members has worked so well so far...I get senior also means experience, but we need some new blood too, not status quo. And the past experience so far with AOC's roles in committees shows she has what's needed.
Gerry Connolly more like Gerry Atric.
If AOC sticks with the Democratic party instead of going independent she proves the DNC was right to deny her power. Why bother caving to AOC'S demands if she will keep sheepdogging people to the party and get nothing in return?
The ghoul strikes again.
Hence why I staunchly refuse to donate to Democrats currently. Fuck these old ass, no idea jackasses clinging onto old shit ideas and continuing to lose at every god damn level of politics.
I hope AOC continues to be a light and the fight in the Democratic party that doesn't deserve her.
At this point, the most determined and successful opponent of progressivism in the US is the Democrat party.
After 2016, ive wondered for a while if it would have made more sense to run progressives in republican primaries instead of dem ones. We would probably have been better off if progressives took advantage of republican party weaknesses
Well what a fucking surprise; the gerontocracy continues its undefeated streak.
That does it for me. I'm changing my voter registration to independent. This party no longer represents me.
I did mine the day after they lost to trump again. This party needs to die so a real oligarch opposition party can take it's place.
As a young voter, I've always been Independent because I knew Democratic party was shit.
AOC 2028
Unfortunate, but it'll give her more time to work with Bernie and labor leaders to organize a general strike
They will never let her. She'll get the Bernie treatment time and again.
If this happens, it will be by far the biggest blunder dems have made since the election.
Biggest blunder so far.
Which isn't saying much because the election was only a month ago. You'll see more of these coming.
Annoyed? Give her a war chest: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/alexandria-ocasio-cortez
Money is speech after all.
This was a vote by the DNC so money likely didn't have much to do with it. She committed the taboo of being a progressive.
Yes, but if AOC becomes a fundraising juggernaut she’ll be harder to ignore
Let's not forget that AOC voted to protect the rail corporation from a union strike.
kindly take your scarecrow to another field.