Debbie Young
The “stunning” victory of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is sending shockwaves through the Democrat Party. Ocasio-Cortez, a 28-year-old political neophyte, defeated Joe Crowley, the most powerful Democrat in the House of Representatives. Ocasio-Cortez’s radical vision has the potential to remake the Democratic Party, David Marcus writes in The Federalist.
Rep. Crowley accepted his loss with grace and sangfroid, but not everyone in the Party seems to be adapting to it.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi attempted to downplay the result. She suggested it was just another local election in a very blue New York City district and did not represent a Democratic Party careening towards the socialism the young nominee embraces.
So which is it? Is this just a young, attractive, demographically perfect candidate ousting a ten-term congressman who’d gotten a little stale? Or does it represent a sea change in how Democrats are going to run and, if they win, govern?
Below are two of a fistful of challenges facing Democrats:
Are Dems the party of open borders?
Under Obama, immigration posed questions full of hard choices. Massive deportations, which separated families, took place at an alarming rate, but they were accepted as a necessary means to secure our border. Even with reports of abuses of migrant children, Obama was given the benefit of the doubt that he was acting in good faith.
Under a Republican administration, securing the border is suddenly racist, inhumane, akin to fascism. Enter Ocasio-Cortez, who ran on a promise to abolish the U.S. Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
As Mr. Marcus reminds readers, let us be clear what this signifies. Abolishing ICE means complete amnesty. Is the Democratic Party ready to embrace this as part of its platform?
Are Democrats socialists?
If Ocasio-Cortez, a self-proclaimed democratic socialist, is the Democratic Party’s new rising star, what effect will that have on her Party?
Up until now, a passionate disdain for Trump has glossed over the Party’s deep fissures, writes Mr. Marcus. “But Ocasio-Cortez’s surprise victory brings them front and center again.”
Crowley did nothing wrong. He wasn’t ousted for any sin other than not representing the socialist wing of the party. For him, in his district, that was disqualifying enough. Is this the party Democrats want? Is it one they can win with across the country? They better decide, or at least try to, as it turns out the decision may well be made for them.
Read more here from The Federalist.
Debbie Young
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