Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, that noted deep-thinker from a safe Democrat district in New York City, decided that her combination of intellect and experience should make her the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee.
The Democrat House Committee, however, declined to recommend Ms. Ocasio-Cortez for this role and, instead, went with Rep. Gerry Connolly – who, at 74 years of age is old enough to be Ocasio-Cortez’s father….or maybe grandfather.
Was this because anyone thinks Rep. Connolly – now in his 11th term of office – is hot stuff? Or is it because Rep. Ocasio-Cortez’s elevation would solidify the hard left’s control over what used to be a reasonably mainstream political party?
Little doubt where Republican Chair of the committee, James Comer, stands. Says he:
“I hope they .”put her on there because she symbolizes what the Democrats stand for. She’s a socialist. She’s the architect of the “green new deal” in the House”
There is little doubt that Democrats have to – have to – start moving younger people into more important, more visible roles. But Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez????
Is the fact that they have rejected her in particular (the word is, her ascension to ranking member was kiboshed by 84 year old Nancy Pelosi) because Democrats desperately need to shed the hard-left image they are now (justifiably) tagged with? Or because putting someone like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in an elevated position on anything is an embarrassment? Or a combination of these two? Who knows.
What we do know is that the Democrat Party remains where it is, and has been for some time: a political enterprise owned and operated by a geriatric faction that apparently will not let go, and has allowed the party to become so marginalized that Republicans are now moving ahead of it even in what not so long ago were core Democrat-supporting groups – like Blacks, Latinos and, generally, the working class.
For the good of the party, and the good of the two party system, I hope (and, I hope you do too) that this changes in the very near future.
