Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the outspoken member of the Democratic Party's progressive wing, had harsh words for the party's traditional political tactics in the wake of Roe v. Wade being overturned.
The lawmaker posted an extensive thread to Twitter on Saturday, the day after the U.S. Supreme Court voted 5-4 in a decision that effectively overturned Roe, and ended federal abortion rights for women. In the thread, the congresswoman, who represents New York's 14th Congressional District, laid out precise and targeted methods that Democrats should be using to fight back on abortion-rights.
"In a legitimacy crisis, the solution Biden + Dem leaders must offer can't just be one of voting, but of statue & authority," Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. "The ruling is Roe, but the crisis is democracy... The President & Dem leaders can no longer get away with familiar tactics of 'committees' and 'studies' to avoid tackling our crises head-on anymore."
Here’s how Dems can + must do more than wait for an election.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 25, 2022
Let’s start w/ why:
- 7 of the 9 justices were appointed by a party that hasn’t won a popular vote more than once in 30 years
- 1 of those seats was stolen
- Several lied to Congress to secure their appointment…
She also called out the party's current tactics as "demoralizing" and "unfocused," insisting that Democrats must not rely on standard ideas, like pleading with supporters to vote or forming committees. Instead, she explained that party leaders, up to and including President Joe Biden, must explicitly detail how many Senate seats would be needed to achieve specific goals.
"How many seats does the party need to Codify Roe?" the lawmaker added in the thread. "Dems must SAY THAT. Not just 'go vote' or 'give us $6 to win.' That is demoralizing, losing, unfocused nonsense."
Ocasio-Cortez further urged Democratic leadership to be specific about what they need in Washington, explaining to voters what they could specifically accomplish with 52 Senate seats, the amount that would counteract the influence of centrists like Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, or 60, which would allow Democrats to bypass the filibuster.
Biden called on Congress to codify the protections of Roe v. Wade into federal law following the Court's ruling on Friday.
"Let me be very clear and unambiguous: the only way we can secure a woman's right to choose, the balance that existed, is for Congress to restore the protections of Roe v. Wade as federal law. No executive action from the president can do that," Biden said in a statement, later urging voters to help elect more Democrats to the Senate in November.
In the current 50-50 Senate, a bill to codify abortion protections would likely not pass the 60 votes needed to overcome the filibuster. Manchin has also voted against similar measures in the past, casting doubt on Democrats' ability to reach even 50 votes.
Newsweek reached out to the Democratic National Committee for comment.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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Thomas Kika is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in upstate New York. His focus is reporting on crime and national ... Read more
