It’s becoming increasingly difficult for the old-timers running the Democratic Party to control their caucus. Frankly it’s gratifying to see that politicians other than Trump are off the rails using social media. How long have Republicans dreamed of the day that Trump would forget to tweet some inane or insulting message?
In the old days new legislators sat in the back row, observed, learned, gave a couple of irrelevant speeches on uninteresting topics and voted along party lines. No more. Anybody can now speak to the entire world through a smart phone.
Two inexperienced congresswomen are controlling the Democratic dialog since they were elected last November. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez is essentially leading the party’s move to the left. She’s an admitted socialist who clearly was asleep during math class in high school just a few years ago. We know this to be true because of her inane Green New Deal proposal that will cost trillions of dollars that the US doesn’t have, and a proposed tax increase that would allegedly conquer the income inequality problem in one election cycle. AOC has come a long way from the bar she tended in the Bronx a short time ago.
Now Ilhan Omar, another liberal congresswoman, is center stage. She’s on a crusade to expose the racist actions of Israel against the Palestinian people. Her objective is to convince her fellow legislators that the Israeli government is committing human rights violations against Arabs and should be sanctioned by the US.
Since the mid 20th Century Israeli Jews have fought with their Arab neighbors over self-determination, land rights and religious freedom. This woman actually believes she is capable of settling this half-century dispute by tweeting anti-Semitic vitriol.
Omar neglected to consider that three Jews, Eliot Engel, Jerrod Nadler and Nita Lowey, chair powerful committees in the House, and that they might deem her remarks inappropriate. Chuck Schumer, also Jewish, is the Democratic Leader of the Senate. This group will not sit by idly and allow a congressional newbie to hurl anti-Semitic epithets and upset Israel support in Congress.
Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer and James Clyburn, the House leadership, are very long in the tooth. They are not hip and do not appreciate the power of social media. The uprising by rookie congress people is indicative that changes are on the horizon for Democrats in the House.
In the meantime all of the Democratic initiatives to dump Trump, increase voting rights, fight against the wall, increase gun control and decrease prescription drug prices are not getting any face time. Even the Michael Cohen circus has left town.
What does all this mean politically? Well one must consider the individuals vying for the Democratic nomination for president to answer the question. Just about every one of the contenders is slowly morphing into a full-fledged socialist. They must move left to win the primary. The base consists of millions of millenials and underprivileged people who actually believe socialism will benefit them. But if moving left means avowing socialism, the Democratic Primary winner is going to lose in the general election because people in all parties are more than skeptical about dumping our nation’s capitalistic heritage.
The Democrats in Washington are being led by radical newbies in the House. They are usurping power from the old guard. Most of these people are calling for the impeachment of the president so that Democrats will continue to investigate and probably redo Mueller’s work (assuming he does not implicate the president). I think voters are getting tired of hearing the same accusations over and over, and no indictment of Trump.
The liberal presidential contenders are not focused on major geopolitical issues. The candidates are all-in regarding women’s rights and abuse issues. Some want the US to go all green even though it is unaffordable. All want to raise taxes to exorbitant levels regardless of that effect on the economy. So, the winner of the Democratic primary will be a socialist for all intents and purposes.
What about North Korea, China, Russia, Iran, human rights, starvation and disease worldwide, terrorism and the national deficit? If you want someone attuned to these issues you could be forced to vote for Trump, or better, Nikki Haley or Mitt Romney.