US "The Squad" Megathread - Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Talib Derangement Syndrome

  • 🏰 The Fediverse is up. If you know, you know.
  • Want to keep track of this thread?
    Accounts can bookmark posts, watch threads for updates, and jump back to where you stopped reading.
    Create account
I honestly only know about American politics from what I read on the Internet but since we all love shitting on leftists I figured we'd get a kick out of this. Also it's trending on Twitter so you know it's important.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...irect=on&noredirect=on&utm_term=.960552c9ba53

NEW YORK — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a 28-year-old political novice running on a low budget and an unabashedly liberal platform, upset longtime U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley on Tuesday in the Democratic congressional primary in New York.

The surprise victory by the community organizer in a district that includes parts of the Bronx and Queens came after an energetic, grassroots campaign that mustered more than enough support in a low-turnout race that many had expected to be an easy win for Crowley, a member of the Democratic House leadership.

“The community is ready for a movement of economic and social justice. That is what we tried to deliver,” said Ocasio-Cortez, who has never held elected office and whose candidacy attracted only modest media attention.

She told The Associated Press after her victory that she didn’t have enough money to do polling in the race, but felt in her gut that her message had a chance to connect.

“I live in this community. I organized in this community. I felt the absence of the incumbent. I knew he didn’t have a strong presence,” she said.

Crowley has been in Congress since 1999 and hadn’t faced an opponent in a primary election since 2004, when Ocasio-Cortez was just a teenager. He was considered a candidate to become the next House speaker if Democrats win the majority.

“It’s not about me,” Crowley, 56, told his supporters at a campaign party following his loss. “It’s about America. I want nothing but the best for Ms. Ocasio-Cortez. I want her to be victorious.”

He later played guitar with a band at the election night gathering, and dedicated the first song, Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run,” to Ocasio-Cortez.

Crowley represents New York’s 14th Congressional District, where he is also the leader of the Queens Democratic party.

Ocasio-Cortez was outspent by an 18-1 margin during her race but won the endorsement of some influential groups on the party’s far left, including MoveOn, as well as the actress Cynthia Nixon, who is running for governor. She defeated Crowley by 15 percentage points.

Born in the Bronx to a mother from Puerto Rico and a father who died in 2008, Ocasio-Cortez said she decided to challenge Crowley to push a more progressive stance on economic and other issues.

She attended Boston University, where she earned degrees in economics and international relations, and also spent time working in the office of the late U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy.

After graduating, she returned to the Bronx where she became a community organizer. In the 2016 presidential campaign she worked for U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Among her issues is expanding the Medicare program to people of all ages and abolishing Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. She recently went to Tornillo, Texas, to protest against policies that have separated parents from their children at the southern U.S. border.

Ocasio-Cortez gained some internet attention for a campaign video called “The Courage to Change,” a two-minute spot for which she wrote the script and featured footage from her own home.

Crowley is chair of the House Democratic Caucus, the fourth-highest ranking position in Democratic leadership in that chamber of Congress.

His loss drew the attention of President Donald Trump.

“Wow! Big Trump Hater Congressman Joe Crowley, who many expected was going to take Nancy Pelosi’s place, just LOST his primary election. In other words, he’s out! That is a big one that nobody saw happening. Perhaps he should have been nicer, and more respectful, to his President!” he tweeted.

The Republican candidate for the office, Anthony Pappas, is running unopposed and had no primary. Pappas teaches economics at St. John’s University.
Click to expand...

She was a Bernie campaigner, is supported by BLM, and wants to abolish Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. Also this was in a solid-blue Congressional District so you know she's a shoo-in for next Congress.

But hey, we did get to see Trump laugh at Crowley on Twitter.
 
Click to expand...

www.yahoo.com

Speaker Pelosi shows her weakness by not controlling 'the Squad'

Pelosi has generally been dismissive of the Squad and their antics, but she has not been able to put them in their place.
www.yahoo.com www.yahoo.com
Speaker Pelosi shows her weakness by not controlling 'the Squad'
https://sneed.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/4BY1fI6XjzjtEE3JXqokkQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTgwO2g9ODA-/https://sneed.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/apKk5ym1NT_aDfY3I0VW0Q--~B/YXBwaWQ9eXRhY2h5b24-/https://media-mbst-pub-ue1.s3.amazonaws.com/creatr-uploaded-images/2018-12/b24e5cc0-fa39-11e8-bff6-c983281f3f32
USA TODAY OpinionJuly 25, 2019, 3:00 AM MDT
Months before Nancy Pelosi first became speaker of the House, she reflected on the battles she had to fight to achieve her position at the head of the Democratic House caucus. She had risen as something of an outsider in what she saw as a boys club, and it wasn’t always a pleasant experience. But she developed a reputation for toughness. As she said, “Anybody who’s ever dealt with me knows not to mess with me.”
That was a dozen years ago. Today, in her dealings with the progressive collective dubbed “the Squad,” it is fair to ask where this pugnacious spirit has gone. Because Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota are definitely messing with her, as well as the Democratic Party. And Pelosi has yet to put them in their place.
Never have so few congressional newcomers been so influential. The four freshmen receive an unprecedented level of news media attention. Their comments are sought out on any number of major policy issues, far out of proportion to their experience, expertise or legislative record, which is basically nonexistent. And while most Americans probably have no idea who the House Democratic Whip is (it’s 26-year veteran James Clyburn of South Carolina), they have certainly heard of the Squad.

Opposing view: Ocasio-Cortez is right, Speaker Pelosi has a women of color problem
The Squad swept into Congress to promote a bold progressive agenda and make themselves President Donald Trump’s personal nightmare. But House newbies are not supposed to raise a ruckus.Their job, if they want to remain in what can be a lifetime perch, is to learn the folkways of the institution, build support networks with other members and the professional staff, and support the leadership agenda. The institutional ethos of Congress and American politics in general is one of dealmaking and compromise, not grand futile gestures.
Daughter of Congressman 'Big Tommy'
Nancy Pelosi understood this from a young age. Her father, Thomas “Big Tommy” D'Alesandro Jr., served in Congress and later, as mayor of Baltimore in the 1950s, kept power through patronage, maintaining a “favor file” of people he had helped out, and from whom he expected loyalty. You don’t get in the favor file by being a constant source of embarrassment and disruption.
https://sneed.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/P0kAvr4flexnfu17e7FukQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTY0MDtoPTQyNi42MDU5MjI1NTEyNTI4Mw--/https://sneed.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/k5eB_z1EGwmX0AD80WNIGg--~B/aD0yMzQxO3c9MzUxMjtzbT0xO2FwcGlkPXl0YWNoeW9u/https://media.zenfs.com/en-us/usa_today_opinion_532/e4a8ffa3e6baa198461ba506fd09b1c8House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in Detroit on July 22, 2019.
Pelosi has generally been dismissive of the Squad and their antics. She mocked the "Green New Deal" — a ridiculous initiative to ban the internal combustion engine and socialize the American economy — as “the green dream or whatever they call it.” After the Squad loudly opposed a bipartisan, compromise border bill that the House leadership promoted, according to The New York Times, Pelosi said that "all these people have their public whatever and their Twitter world" but they don’t have votes.
And in Pelosi’s practical world, votes are how things get done. But the Squad is seemingly not interested in legislating and projects an image of a Democratic Party defined by sullen, brooding anger with no realistic programs and no sense of reasonable national priorities.
Members of Congress are also supposed to represent the interests of their constituents, something the members of the Squad have been slow to appreciate. They seem more interested in bending the arc of history (or some such nonsense) than taking care of the dinner table needs of the voters. Omar and Tlaib’s grandstanding push for boycotting Israel, which Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Calif., called “dead on arrival,” does nothing to improve the lives of the people in Minnesota and Michigan. Their upcoming trip to the Jewish state will only exacerbate tensions between Jewish-American voters and the Democratic Party.
And when Amazon abandoned plans to build a major headquarters in New York City, Ocasio-Cortez exulted at the power of“dedicated, everyday New Yorkers & their neighbors” who “defeated Amazon’s corporate greed, its worker exploitation, and the power of the richest man in the world.” But this was really the work of strident progressive activists; “everyday New Yorkers” just saw 25,000 jobs and $27 billion in revenue vanish.
Poor in the polls
This could be why some members of the Squad are extremely unpopular. A CBS/YouGov poll found that Ocasio-Cortez has a favorable rating of 23%, Omar 19%, Tlaib 18% and Pressley 17%. Democratic leaders also leaked a poll showing that the Squad is deeply unpopular in swing states, and that “socialism is toxic to these voters,” according to Axios. This was a shot across the bow, telling Squad members to shape up or face the consequences, either from Democratic primary challengers or in the general election.
Republican tip: I'm telling Democrats how to beat Trump in 2020. It's Job One so get over it.
But Pelosi has been remarkably ineffective in disciplining Squad members. She allowed a rebuke of Omar for anti-Semitic comments to be watered down. She has not stripped Squad members of important committee memberships, like Speaker John Boehner did back in 2012 when three freshmen Tea Party Republicans opposed him on a mere procedural measure.
And she has not forced a purge of troublesome staff members. In the wake of the border bill vote, Ocasio-Cortez's chief of staff, Saikat Chakrabarti, tweeted that the moderates who supported the speaker were akin to 1940s segregationist Democrats and were voting to “put kids in concentration camps.” This sparked outrage in the caucus, and Chakrabarti deleted one of his offensive tweets. But how does someone that maladroit and confrontational still have a job? If Chakrabarti is still employed at the end of the week, it will be a signal that anything goes.
Pelosi’s meeting this week with Ocasio-Cortez is being treated by the news media as though it is a summit, as if they were peers. The very fact that a meeting between the speaker and a new member is considered newsworthy speaks to the Squad’s power, and they are well aware of it.
Their perspective on the liberal Democratic old guard was summed up by Omar: "We never need to ask for permission or wait for an invitation to lead." One can’t imagine powerful Democratic old pols like Tip O’Neill, John McCormack or Sam Rayburn putting up with that kind of nonsense.
Pelosi needs to bring the gavel down on her meddlesome freshmen, and demonstrate that messing with her still has consequences. Or else she will ride out her remaining years as a much weaker speaker.
James S. Robbins, a member of USA TODAY's Board of Contributors and author of "This Time We Win: Revisiting the Tet Offensive," has taught at the National Defense University and the Marine Corps University and served as a special assistant in the office of the secretary of Defense in the George W. Bush administration. Follow him on Twitter: @James_Robbins
You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @usatodayopinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter. To respond to a column, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pelosi shows she's weak by not controlling 'the Squad'
Click to expand...


I was wondering how long she’d take the squad’s antics. :popcorn:
 
Last edited:
Congratulations, DNC. You've created two monsters. Donald Trump's (and his popularity), and the calystsc of "The Squad"'s "progressive" antics. Hope all that media attention is worth it.
 
I mean, I'd throw my hands up too if I had to somehow be responsible for wrangling the political equivalent of a bunch of unruly toddlers who keep making the walking rope drag along.
 
The Last Stand said:
Congratulations, DNC. You've created two monsters. Donald Trump's (and his popularity), and the calystsc of "The Squad"'s "progressive" antics. Hope all that media attention is worth it.
Click to expand...

It clearly isn't:
This could be why some members of the Squad are extremely unpopular. A CBS/YouGov poll found that Ocasio-Cortez has a favorable rating of 23%, Omar 19%, Tlaib 18% and Pressley 17%. Democratic leaders also leaked a poll showing that the Squad is deeply unpopular in swing states, and that “socialism is toxic to these voters,” according to Axios. This was a shot across the bow, telling Squad members to shape up or face the consequences, either from Democratic primary challengers or in the general election.
Click to expand...
 
To be fair, Pelosi is so old and senile you can see the spots where she infuses the blood of children she sacrificed to Moloch to stay alive.
 
What, Pelosi's responsible for a bunch of colored, REEEing bitches? What fucking sense does that make? She's not their fucking mother.
 
Clop said:
What, Pelosi's responsible for a bunch of colored, REEEing bitches? What fucking sense does that make? She's not their fucking mother.
Click to expand...
Welcome to politics. Everything and anything is your fault.

Except DSP. He did nothing wrong. He did everything correct.
 
Clop said:
What, Pelosi's responsible for a bunch of colored, REEEing bitches? What fucking sense does that make? She's not their fucking mother.
Click to expand...
She’s the house speaker which is the Defacto Leader of the House of Representatives for the majority party aka the Democrats. So she technically is in charge of them.

(I could be wrong but hey Wikipedia told me I was right)
 
GnomeofDoc said:
She’s the house speaker which is the Defacto Leader of the House of Representatives for the majority party aka the Democrats. So she technically is in charge of them.

(I could be wrong but hey Wikipedia told me I was right)
Click to expand...
Really? Wow, American politics is fucking stupid.
 
Clop said:
Really? Wow, American politics is fucking stupid.
Click to expand...
Yes and no. Yes the US political can be... Special at times, but on top of that Pelosi has been a major figurehead of the Dems since she was minority leader of the Democrats back in 2013 through 2017.
 
Corbin Dallas Multipass said:
Well it is politics. But what do you mean specifically? The whole "speaker of the house" position?
Click to expand...
The part where someone in a higher position is responsible for the idiotic behavior of someone lower rank, even though they're obviously not breaking any rules by being utter bellends - correct me if they actually are, though, because that just begs the question: Why not kick them out? Exactly how would Pelosi go about "keeping them in line?" Because it seems to me that she doesn't have any power over them.
 
Clop said:
The part where someone in a higher position is responsible for the idiotic behavior of someone lower rank, even though they're obviously not breaking any rules by being utter bellends - correct me if they actually are, though, because that just begs the question: Why not kick them out? Exactly how would Pelosi go about "keeping them in line?" Because it seems to me that she doesn't have any power over them.
Click to expand...
Miladdo, you just described a microcosm of American culture in general.

Ask any supervisor who's been held responsible for the failings of employees that aren't even their subordinates.
 
Clop said:
The part where someone in a higher position is responsible for the idiotic behavior of someone lower rank, even though they're obviously not breaking any rules by being utter bellends - correct me if they actually are, though, because that just begs the question: Why not kick them out? Exactly how would Pelosi go about "keeping them in line?" Because it seems to me that she doesn't have any power over them.
Click to expand...
Ah, well, legally she's not, but she's the speaker of the house, meaning dems picked her as their leader in the house of representatives. So in a sense, anything bad for the dems is bad for her as the leader. But yeah, it's not as if she can actually control these people or kick them out or anything.

I did think that was the whip's job to a point, but that's getting into more esoteric details of congress that I only have a very shallow knowledge of based on TV and movies.
 
Clop said:
The part where someone in a higher position is responsible for the idiotic behavior of someone lower rank, even though they're obviously not breaking any rules by being utter bellends - correct me if they actually are, though, because that just begs the question: Why not kick them out? Exactly how would Pelosi go about "keeping them in line?" Because it seems to me that she doesn't have any power over them.
Click to expand...

You're not wrong. The U.S. doesn't have a parliamentary system. Every representative is elected by their own district and is ultimately only accountable to his/her constituents. It's kind of absurd to hold Pelosi accountable for the "squad", since, legally, she can't do anything except try to convince them to shut the fuck up. But I'm also more invested in all Democrats getting the "squad" hung around their necks than Pelosi specifically. Pelosi knows how bad these idiots make Democrats look; I'm sure she's doing her best at tardwrangling them. Democrats in general should be blamed though since a lot of them are exceptional enough to love the "squad".
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom