Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Post by Little Raven »

I know we're talking about her in like 3 different threads, but I'm beginning to think The Meal is right - we have too few threads, and the ones we have are too long. So....time for her to have a thread of her own.

And I'll launch it with the latest from HuffPost - ‘I Don’t Even Know If I Want To Be In Politics’
For a politician who easily won reelection, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) doesn’t sound very eager to continue in public office.

“I don’t even know if I want to be in politics,” the progressive star said in an interview with The New York Times on Saturday, after Democrat Joe Biden clinched the presidential election.

Ocasio-Cortez discussed the “extreme hostility” her ideas have faced within her own party, prompting the Times to ask if she’d consider a run for the Senate.

“I genuinely don’t know,” she replied. “I don’t even know if I want to be in politics. You know, for real, in the first six months of my term, I didn’t even know if I was going to run for reelection this year.”

She continued: “It’s the incoming. It’s the stress. It’s the violence. It’s the lack of support from your own party. It’s your own party thinking you’re the enemy.”
That's...an unusual message from a politician.
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Post by Jaymann »

I wouldn't give it too much weight. She is excellent at countering douchebags like Kasich, and providing a clear, articulate voice for the progressive Democrats. Her positions like Medicare for all and free college tuition are actually favored by the majority of Americans. Plus she scares the bejesus out of the Repugnicans.
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Post by LawBeefaroni »

First off, amen as fuck to The Meal. Won't get into it here but not a fan of long-ass post-dump catch-alls and randomness threads.

On topic, AOC is a celebrity politician. At a certain point being a celebrity starts limiting your ability to be a politician or vice versa. She may have to pick one or the other to excel at either, or the choice might get made for her.

I guess disruption isn't fun once you're done disrupting and have to create.
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Post by Kurth »

If all else fails, I bet she could make bank as a Twitch game streamer after her Among Us experience. :D
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Post by Defiant »

I've said before my views of her are mixed. She's said and done some good things, but she's also said and done some dumb things. But mostly, she gets more than 10 times the attention she deserves (from both the left and the right). (Edit: I have to wonder if the ego boost of all that attention is contributing to her disappointment that she's not being treated as all that by other politicians.)

And I guess it's not too surprising that Biden's coalition, that barely won the 2020 election despite having tons of advantages, would fragment - it's far too broad to be inherently cohesive, especially when Trump was the biggest thing holding them together. But I was hoping that it would last more than a day or two. Hopefully, Biden can find compromises that will satisfy the different portions of the coalition, but he's got his work cut out for him.
Last edited by Defiant on Mon Nov 09, 2020 5:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Post by LawBeefaroni »

Kurth wrote: Mon Nov 09, 2020 3:58 pm If all else fails, I bet she could make bank as a Twitch game streamer after her Among Us experience. :D
Yeah, my daughter pivoted "what she wants to be when she grows up" from musician to congresswomen after watching the Among Us stream. We try to encourage her in whatever she wants to do, but we have limits. :naughty:
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Post by LawBeefaroni »

Kurth wrote: Mon Nov 09, 2020 3:58 pm If all else fails, I bet she could make bank as a Twitch game streamer after her Among Us experience. :D
Yeah, my daughter pivoted "what she wants to be when she grows up" from musician to congresswomen after watching the Among Us stream. We try to encourage her in whatever she wants to do, but we have limits. :naughty:

But of course that's AOCs appeal. She's not like "all the rest." Doesn't make her better than all the rest but people love something different.
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Post by noxiousdog »

I respect her greatly even if I disagree with her philosophically and think she's naive at times. Both of which are to be expected with her perspective and experience.

It would be a sad day if she quit politics. We need more people like her.
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Post by raydude »

Maybe a mentor like Katie Porter could give her a few pointers.
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Post by Jaymann »

Here is AOC addressing the election results and some of the issues raised here. IMO very well spoken.

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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Post by noxiousdog »

And this is why I like her:


Spoiler:
Pretty astounding that some Dems don’t believe it’s possible to govern, be politically popular, and command formidable bully pulpits at the same time, but it actually explains a lot about how we got here.
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Post by malchior »

The worst part is she is absolutely right but they won't listen to her. Somewhat understandably to be absolutely fair - she hasn't figured out how to talk to *them*. However the leadership of the Democratic party still doesn't want to face that except for Obama and Bill Clinton most of the party still hasn't figured out how to communicate the American people. They have failed at harnessing the power of nearly every medium. Meanwhile the GOP has built a cult around a failed, pile of shit using every tool at their fingertips. So I get where she is coming from. She can see the problem, she says it clearly, and these bunglers seemingly just want to keep leaning into their collected failure.
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Post by Defiant »

Honestly, governing well often requires doing things that aren't popular, *especially* in these times of hyperpartisanship.

I also think that Clinton and Obama's ability to communicate with the people had a lot more to do with their oratory skills - which is something not many politicians are gifted with. It's not like they knew some super secret sauce as to how to communicate to people that they could teach others (See, for example, Obama's "clinging to their guns and bible" comment, which was an unforced mistake - but then, lots of Democrats make foolish mistakes like that - see Beto's comments about taking guns or Sanders calling himself a Democratic Socialist).
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Post by malchior »

The counter point to that is the GOP. They don't have a wealth of skilled orators. Obama is seen as a skilled orator for sure but he also ran a very competent campaign when he needed to and understood how to communicate his plans to the American public through mixed media. Meanwhile the fuddy duddies at the DNC somehow don't understand Facebook. A good example of the GOP message machine is the everylegalvote.com propaganda campaign. They stood up a website, got a narrative together, got all the GOP leadership on the same page to push it, from Trump down to Pompeo and the man on the street they said 'Every Legal Vote' over and over. They had it circulating through social media and visual communications in days. The Democrats should be able to match that but without all the sinister undertones.
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

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malchior wrote: Wed Nov 11, 2020 3:40 pm The counter point to that is the GOP. They don't have a wealth of skilled orators.
I'll grant you this. I wonder if they need it less, because they're a much more concentrated, homogenous base?
Meanwhile the fuddy duddies at the DNC somehow don't understand Facebook.
And age could be a good reason for that (while I value the experience that older Democrats have, and I think they've done a reasonably good job in actually governing given what limited amount of power they have, they've not been very good at campaigning).

And yeah, Democrats do need to engage in lots of different mediums, including social media. But one thing to be careful of is the danger of equating the electorate on social media with the electorate in the "real world", which are very different.
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Post by malchior »

Defiant wrote: Wed Nov 11, 2020 3:52 pm And yeah, Democrats do need to engage in lots of different mediums, including social media. But one thing to be careful of is the danger of equating the electorate on social media with the electorate in the "real world", which are very different.
Right and even a campaign to not harness it but even counteract it would be helpful now.
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

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noxiousdog wrote: Mon Nov 09, 2020 4:17 pm I respect her greatly even if I disagree with her philosophically and think she's naive at times. Both of which are to be expected with her perspective and experience.

It would be a sad day if she quit politics. We need more people like her.
All of this. Love her or hate her, we need *a lot* more folks in politics like her--people in tune with 2020 technology/culture, with life experience working actual blue-collar jobs, who are not predominantly old white dudes.

And I can totally get where she's coming from with her comments in the OP. She gets far more than 10x the negative attention she deserves, simply by the nature of her age + gender + POC status [ + positions on green new deal, M4A, etc--all things that play poorly with a large subset of Americans but are objectively things we're going to end up doing if we're going to stop our national circling of the drain]. She does a pretty good job of clapping back, but it has to be mentally exhausting. She's the new Hillary, only to an even greater GOP snowflake rage-triggering extent.
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Post by LawBeefaroni »

I had a call with my US rep last night. He was able to get on Zoom just fine and knows a heck of a lot about tech WRT intelligence, security, and the economy. Fittingly, in line with the committees on which he serves.

He's not a Twitch streamer or witty twitterer or a female POC but I'm pretty confident in his knowledge, ability and desire to serve his constituents.

He spoke in what I would call cautious but unambiguous tones about COVID and Trump and the election bullshit. Not AOCing it but that's just fine with me. After all, his job is a representative and legislator, not a public commentator.

I thought about this thread afterwards. I'm pretty sure AOC wouldn't have had time for that call. No exposure.

And I can totally get where she's coming from with her comments in the OP. She gets far more than 10x the negative attention she deserves, simply by the nature of her age + gender + POC status.
She seeks out the spotlight. That tends to multiply any negative attention. As a freshman rep if you're getting the lion's share of your party's air time... something ain't right. When is the last time you saw/heard Ayanna Pressley or Colin Alred?
She does a pretty good job of clapping back, but it has to be mentally exhausting.
Clapping back isn't her job.
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Post by gilraen »

LawBeefaroni wrote: Wed Nov 11, 2020 4:46 pm When is the last time you saw/heard Ayanna Pressley or Colin Alred?
Not Colin Alred, but I do see Ayanna Pressley on news shows quite a bit. Way more than AOC, actually.
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

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Because she is the future and you are the ass?
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Post by Max Peck »

Maybe this is why she was smiling.

U.S. Rep. Ocasio-Cortez raises $200K after battling Jagmeet Singh in hit video game Among Us
A video game livestream session between federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and a U.S. lawmaker has raised more than $200,000 US in donations.

New York City Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said on Saturday the funds raised during her battle with Singh on the popular online multiplayer game Among Us went toward a number of initiatives aimed at reducing food and housing insecurity in the United States.

"Grateful to all who joined us last night! Wonderful learning from you @theJagmeetSingh," the firebrand lawmaker said on Twitter.

"Thank you for reminding us that another world is not only possible, but just a few hours' drive from NYC," she added, referring to affordable health care and more generous employment insurance north of the border.
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Post by Pyperkub »

LawBeefaroni wrote:
Kurth wrote: Mon Nov 09, 2020 3:58 pm If all else fails, I bet she could make bank as a Twitch game streamer after her Among Us experience. :D
Yeah, my daughter pivoted "what she wants to be when she grows up" from musician to congresswomen after watching the Among Us stream. We try to encourage her in whatever she wants to do, but we have limits. :naughty:

But of course that's AOCs appeal. She's not like "all the rest." Doesn't make her better than all the rest but people love something different.
Oh, I do think she's better than most of the rest. Doesn't mean I'll agree with her, but she is honest and has integrity. She also governs for her constituents, not lobbyists or the party. In addition, she shows up prepared to work, not just posture for donors.

She also graduated cum laude as an Economics /International Relations double major. She understands a lot more of what the impact of our current financial policies and her proposed policies are /will be than most who just yelll Socialism! at her.


Black Lives definitely Matter Lorini!

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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Post by Little Raven »

Finally, bipartisanship. ;)
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez believes the Democratic Party needs new leaders.

The progressive firebrand said it's time for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to go — but warned of a power vacuum that could be filled by "nefarious forces" who are "even more conservative" than the caucuses' current leaders during a podcast interview on "The Intercept" that aired Thursday.

"I do think we need new leadership in the Democratic Party," Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said. "I think one of the things that I have struggled with, I think that a lot of people struggle with, is the internal dynamics of the House has made it such that there [are] very little options for succession."

...

"My concern — and I acknowledge this as a failing, as something that we need to sort out — is that there isn't a plan," she said. "How do we fill that vacuum? Because if you create that vacuum, there are so many nefarious forces at play to fill that vacuum with something even worse. And so, the actual sad state of affairs is that there are folks more conservative than even they are willing to kind of fill that void."
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Post by Defiant »

Little Raven wrote: Wed Dec 16, 2020 8:55 pm

"My concern — and I acknowledge this as a failing, as something that we need to sort out — is that there isn't a plan," she said. "How do we fill that vacuum? Because if you create that vacuum, there are so many nefarious forces at play to fill that vacuum with something even worse. And so, the actual sad state of affairs is that there are folks more conservative than even they are willing to kind of fill that void."
[/quote]

I don't quite understand that last sentence. I assume that she's saying that they would be replaced by more conservative people?

Maybe that's a sign that the current leadership is actually kind of liberal, if the ones that Democratic Reps/Senators will vote to replace them with are more moderate than they are.

And, I've got to roll my eyes at random accusations of "nefarious forces" without any evidence to support the accusation. Unless it was used at Republicans, in which case I'd be willing to give it a pass after the last 4+ years.
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Post by Little Raven »

Defiant wrote: Wed Dec 16, 2020 9:53 pmI don't quite understand that last sentence. I assume that she's saying that they would be replaced by more conservative people?
That's certainly my read.

It's not exactly a secret that AOC is deeply frustrated by the gulf between what she thinks the Democratic Party should be and what it actually is.
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

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I read it as Democratic leadership needs to be more progressive, but if it is replaced, it could lead to more conservative leadership. A rather straight forward premise that she seems to be having difficulty expressing. She's not "wrong" per se, but the timing may not be the best.
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

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She's absolutely right and it's something I've experienced multiple times working in the public sector. At local, county and state level, the public positions are filled with people that should have retired or been mentoring replacements for a decade or longer. Instead, they consolidate and hoard power/information/status and all retire in waves, leaving the knowledge and power vacuums that she's referring to. I can only assume it's worse at a federal level and based on the career politicians that exist (both sides), my guess is likely correct.

Bureaucracy exists to maintain status quo at all costs, not innovate, change, modify or adapt.
Maybe next year, maybe no go
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Post by Defiant »

'Im all for having leadership mentor new people, though my understanding was that they *were* doing so for some potential up-and-comers especially after Pelosi was challenged recently.

Frankly, I don't think ideology in the role is anywhere near as important than effectiveness as a legislative leader (eg, the ability to herd cats, knowing how to use the powers of the position, etc).
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

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Smoove_B wrote: Wed Dec 16, 2020 10:08 pm She's absolutely right and it's something I've experienced multiple times working in the public sector. At local, county and state level, the public positions are filled with people that should have retired or been mentoring replacements for a decade or longer. Instead, they consolidate and hoard power/information/status and all retire in waves, leaving the knowledge and power vacuums that she's referring to. I can only assume it's worse at a federal level and based on the career politicians that exist (both sides), my guess is likely correct.

Bureaucracy exists to maintain status quo at all costs, not innovate, change, modify or adapt.
Not to change subject, but that's a good case for term limits, at every level of politics.
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

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Smoove_B wrote: Wed Dec 16, 2020 10:08 pm She's absolutely right and it's something I've experienced multiple times working in the public sector. At local, county and state level, the public positions are filled with people that should have retired or been mentoring replacements for a decade or longer. Instead, they consolidate and hoard power/information/status and all retire in waves, leaving the knowledge and power vacuums that she's referring to. I can only assume it's worse at a federal level and based on the career politicians that exist (both sides), my guess is likely correct.

Bureaucracy exists to maintain status quo at all costs, not innovate, change, modify or adapt.
The thing with mentoring is being provided with the resources to mentor and the trust that you have job security. Public sector, private sector. It's the same concern on the company side and on the labor side.

It's funny that I have little concern for democratic party, though not no concern but a big concern for the GOP for this exact reason.
LordMortis wrote: Wed Dec 16, 2020 4:42 pm
Smoove_B wrote: Wed Dec 16, 2020 4:29 pm The entirety of the GOP should be sent to history's dust bin. They've embraced (figuratively and literally) Trump and actively courted the ugliest parts of our society; they deserve to be collectively retired.
I don't disagree with you but power loves a void. What comes next? Half of the US had been revealed as willing to accept Trumps GOP as a cost of doing business or are IMO worse people than that. That's a big exposure to me that I can't wrap my head around. Even coming into 2016 as a shit sandwich, I still held to the idea that generation landslide was causing the last gasps bigotry to flame out, being used by wealthy corporate short sightedness. I was demonstrably wrong on more than one front, something I used to appreciate as a learning opportunity. I got nuthin' anymore.
I might have as easily said
"My concern — and I acknowledge this as a failing, as something that we need to sort out — is that there isn't a plan," she said. "How do we fill that vacuum? Because if you create that vacuum, there are so many nefarious forces at play to fill that vacuum with something even worse. And so, the actual sad state of affairs is that there are folks more conservative than even they are willing to kind of fill that void."
OTOH, I don't agree with AOC refusing to acknowledge any sort of conservatism in the democratic party and quite frankly the implied statement that conservative = nefarious seeking of power to be juxtaposed with progressive = the only heroic protectors of the people. I guess that's why I feel my vote for them is generally forced and I will turn my back on them in a Bronx minute.
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Post by Pyperkub »

GungHo wrote: Thu Dec 17, 2020 4:53 am
Smoove_B wrote: Wed Dec 16, 2020 10:08 pm She's absolutely right and it's something I've experienced multiple times working in the public sector. At local, county and state level, the public positions are filled with people that should have retired or been mentoring replacements for a decade or longer. Instead, they consolidate and hoard power/information/status and all retire in waves, leaving the knowledge and power vacuums that she's referring to. I can only assume it's worse at a federal level and based on the career politicians that exist (both sides), my guess is likely correct.

Bureaucracy exists to maintain status quo at all costs, not innovate, change, modify or adapt.
Not to change subject, but that's a good case for term limits, at every level of politics.
Perhaps, but in CA, the result of term limits has been to cede public power to unelected lobbyists with no term limits.
Black Lives definitely Matter Lorini!

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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Post by Combustible Lemur »

LordMortis wrote:
Smoove_B wrote: Wed Dec 16, 2020 10:08 pm She's absolutely right and it's something I've experienced multiple times working in the public sector. At local, county and state level, the public positions are filled with people that should have retired or been mentoring replacements for a decade or longer. Instead, they consolidate and hoard power/information/status and all retire in waves, leaving the knowledge and power vacuums that she's referring to. I can only assume it's worse at a federal level and based on the career politicians that exist (both sides), my guess is likely correct.

Bureaucracy exists to maintain status quo at all costs, not innovate, change, modify or adapt.
The thing with mentoring is being provided with the resources to mentor and the trust that you have job security. Public sector, private sector. It's the same concern on the company side and on the labor side.

It's funny that I have little concern for democratic party, though not no concern but a big concern for the GOP for this exact reason.
LordMortis wrote: Wed Dec 16, 2020 4:42 pm
Smoove_B wrote: Wed Dec 16, 2020 4:29 pm The entirety of the GOP should be sent to history's dust bin. They've embraced (figuratively and literally) Trump and actively courted the ugliest parts of our society; they deserve to be collectively retired.
I don't disagree with you but power loves a void. What comes next? Half of the US had been revealed as willing to accept Trumps GOP as a cost of doing business or are IMO worse people than that. That's a big exposure to me that I can't wrap my head around. Even coming into 2016 as a shit sandwich, I still held to the idea that generation landslide was causing the last gasps bigotry to flame out, being used by wealthy corporate short sightedness. I was demonstrably wrong on more than one front, something I used to appreciate as a learning opportunity. I got nuthin' anymore.
I might have as easily said
"My concern — and I acknowledge this as a failing, as something that we need to sort out — is that there isn't a plan," she said. "How do we fill that vacuum? Because if you create that vacuum, there are so many nefarious forces at play to fill that vacuum with something even worse. And so, the actual sad state of affairs is that there are folks more conservative than even they are willing to kind of fill that void."
OTOH, I don't agree with AOC refusing to acknowledge any sort of conservatism in the democratic party and quite frankly the implied statement that conservative = nefarious seeking of power to be juxtaposed with progressive = the only heroic protectors of the people. I guess that's why I feel my vote for them is generally forced and I will turn my back on them in a Bronx minute.
I think she's less referring to conservatives in the ideological sense and more towards the corporatists. Those that will vote for gay marriage and then let banks target people with predatory practices. Will vote against discrimination while encourahing practices that make gentrification easier.
Pro green tech AND deregulation
But thats a guess.

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Paingod
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Post by Paingod »

Pyperkub wrote: Thu Dec 17, 2020 2:17 pmPerhaps, but in CA, the result of term limits has been to cede public power to unelected lobbyists with no term limits.
For the life of me, I can't figure out why we don't fund political campaigns from a federal/state fund run by tax dollars and then ban lobbyists. Force the politicians to all play by the same rules and actually vote for their constituents for a change.
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Ralph-Wiggum
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Post by Ralph-Wiggum »

Paingod wrote: Fri Dec 18, 2020 8:55 am
Pyperkub wrote: Thu Dec 17, 2020 2:17 pmPerhaps, but in CA, the result of term limits has been to cede public power to unelected lobbyists with no term limits.
For the life of me, I can't figure out why we don't fund political campaigns from a federal/state fund run by tax dollars and then ban lobbyists. Force the politicians to all play by the same rules and actually vote for their constituents for a change.
Isn't that part of the rules we had in place before the SC struck it down in the Citizens United case with the whole money-is-freedom-of-expression thing?
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Defiant
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Post by Defiant »

Paingod wrote: Fri Dec 18, 2020 8:55 am For the life of me, I can't figure out why we don't fund political campaigns from a federal/state fund run by tax dollars and then ban lobbyists.
How do you ban lobbyists when it's protected by the first amendment (free speech and the right to petition the government)?
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Paingod
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

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Defiant wrote: Fri Dec 18, 2020 10:11 am
Paingod wrote: Fri Dec 18, 2020 8:55 am For the life of me, I can't figure out why we don't fund political campaigns from a federal/state fund run by tax dollars and then ban lobbyists.
How do you ban lobbyists when it's protected by the first amendment (free speech and the right to petition the government)?
I know, I know - so says the court. It doesn't mean it makes sense to me or that I agree with the logic.
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El Guapo
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Post by El Guapo »

Another challenge (both constitutional and practical) would be that such a system would threaten to make any challengers dependent on the current government. Do you literally send money to any individual who files paperwork to run a campaign? If so that could become a massive source of grift. If not any criterion that you place on who is entitled to money and how much becomes a major potential source of suppressing challenges to incumbents (and/or on suppressing particular views).
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malchior
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Post by malchior »

Paingod wrote: Fri Dec 18, 2020 10:26 am
Defiant wrote: Fri Dec 18, 2020 10:11 am
Paingod wrote: Fri Dec 18, 2020 8:55 am For the life of me, I can't figure out why we don't fund political campaigns from a federal/state fund run by tax dollars and then ban lobbyists.
How do you ban lobbyists when it's protected by the first amendment (free speech and the right to petition the government)?
I know, I know - so says the court. It doesn't mean it makes sense to me or that I agree with the logic.
I don't think there is much logic there. That they said Corporations could donate unlimited amounts of money to candidates is illogical considering what campaign finance restrictions were intended to do from a policy point of view and the fact that other campaign finance restrictions still stand. The Court essentially enabled plutocrats at the expense of our democracy with a whiff of legalism that stands in contrast to the existence of many, many common sense restrictions on our enumerated rights that recognize trade offs.

Here is the concrete example of the logical gap. Right now I am prohibited from making *any direct contributions* to a Federal candidate. Not a dime. My right to donate to a campaign is curtailed. Why? Because my employer -- until the end of the day today at least -- takes certain Federal contracts and how I am compensated. Am I directly involved in Federal contracts? Nope. I'm not even close to them. Yet, I can donate to a PAC instead. Does that really "wash" the money? Of course not. If I was a big enough donor to the PAC would my voice truly be diluted? Anyone who doesn't live in fantasy land knows this isn't the case.
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El Guapo
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Post by El Guapo »

malchior wrote: Fri Dec 18, 2020 11:30 am
Paingod wrote: Fri Dec 18, 2020 10:26 am
Defiant wrote: Fri Dec 18, 2020 10:11 am
Paingod wrote: Fri Dec 18, 2020 8:55 am For the life of me, I can't figure out why we don't fund political campaigns from a federal/state fund run by tax dollars and then ban lobbyists.
How do you ban lobbyists when it's protected by the first amendment (free speech and the right to petition the government)?
I know, I know - so says the court. It doesn't mean it makes sense to me or that I agree with the logic.
I don't think there is much logic there. That they said Corporations could donate unlimited amounts of money to candidates is illogical considering what campaign finance restrictions were intended to do from a policy point of view and the fact that other campaign finance restrictions still stand. The Court essentially enabled plutocrats at the expense of our democracy with a whiff of legalism that stands in contrast to the existence of many, many common sense restrictions on our enumerated rights that recognize trade offs.

Here is the concrete example of the logical gap. Right now I am prohibited from making *any direct contributions* to a Federal candidate. Not a dime. My right to donate to a campaign is curtailed. Why? Because my employer -- until the end of the day today at least -- takes certain Federal contracts and how I am compensated. Am I directly involved in Federal contracts? Nope. I'm not even close to them. Yet, I can donate to a PAC instead. Does that really "wash" the money? Of course not. If I was a big enough donor to the PAC would my voice truly be diluted? Anyone who doesn't live in fantasy land knows this isn't the case.
As a federal employee I am prohibited from inviting people to donate to any particular candidate, even in my private capacity and on my own time. Which seems of dubious constitutionality to me.
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malchior
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Re: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Post by malchior »

El Guapo wrote: Fri Dec 18, 2020 1:13 pmAs a federal employee I am prohibited from inviting people to donate to any particular candidate, even in my private capacity and on my own time. Which seems of dubious constitutionality to me.
According to Citizen United...yeah it is in question. Do I think that government employees can truly separate their public/private dealings in a material matter in front of them that doesn't taint institutions? No I don't think so. I think it's a necessary tradeoff to have limited restrictions.
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