Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is open to supporting Pelosi: "There's an opening, for sure"

[RandySF]

Congresswoman-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez shook up the Capitol this week by cheering on a group of climate activists protesting inside the office of Rep. Nancy Pelosi. But that doesn’t mean the 29-year-old is anti-Pelosi.

The Democrat insurgent from the Bronx wants to use her newfound national prominence to force climate change onto the top of her party’s agenda, and if Pelosi agrees, she’s open to supporting her bid to be re-elected Speaker of the House.

“I think there’s an opening, for sure,” Ocasio-Cortez told VICE News while she was rushing to an event for freshman lawmakers in the sprawling Capitol complex. “This is not about supporting or not supporting an individual. It’s about making sure that we can get as progressive and aggressive of legislation as a party on climate change as quickly as possible.”


https://www.google.com/amp/s/news.vice.com/amp/en_us/article/bjem88/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-is-open-to-supporting-pelosi-theres-an-opening-for-sure

[JI7]

1. isn't she going to be a member of congress ? she is able to start working on legislation and getting

others to support it .

this includes members of the senate since you need the house and senate to pass it to make it to the president.

it's not pelosi who is standing in the way of climate change legislation . and anyone who really cared about the issue would know that.

[JonLP24]

2. She is not the one that organized the protest

That was the Sunrise Movement. AOC took their concerns seriously as should all of us.

Climate protesters storm Pallone's office

Dozens of youth climate protesters stormed Rep. Frank Pallone’s (D-N.J.) office Friday urging bold action to address climate change, in the latest signal liberal activists will continue pushing senior House Democrats to ramp up their ambition.

Pallone, the incoming chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, said he agreed with the “basic outlines” of Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez “Green New Deal” proposal and endorsed the idea of moving towards decarbonizing the grid. But he stopped short of committing to the activists' demand that he swear off campaign contributions from oil, gas and coal companies, and he disputed how they categorized some of the contributions he has received from fossil fuel interests.

“The ideal of getting towards a carbon-free America is certainly something I agree on,” Pallone told POLITICO after leaving the protests. “How long it takes to do that, how we would get there and the details of the legislation, all that has to be worked out. But the idea is a good one. There’s no disagreement here on the substance.”

The demonstration was organized by the Sunrise Movement, a group of youth activists rallying around the increasingly dire predictions from climate scientists. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned earlier this year that steep cuts in carbon emission are needed by 2030 to have a chance of avoiding the worst effects of global warming and sea level rise around the world.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.politico.com/amp/story/2018/11/16/climate-protesters-storm-pallone-office-978185

[NurseJackie]

8. It was Cenk Uygur's "Justic Democrats" AND the "Sunrise Movement".

As of May 2018, the board of Justice Democrats is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Saikat Chakrabarti.

[R B Garr]

10. Interesting. Makes you wonder why an ex-Republican can't

figure out that it is his ex political party that is actively against climate change reform and target them instead of Democrats. Is Bernie’s office being protested?? Makes you wonder...

[brush]

3. Considering the legislative climate with repugs in charge in the Senate and WH...

you'd think they'd know Pelosi and the House are not the roadblocks to a climate change bill.

On account of that, the protest earlier this week should have been at turtleman's office in the Senate instead of at Nancy Pelosi's office.

[Eric J in MN]

4. The only thing the House can accomplish

...for the next two years is preparing for when then is a Democratic Senate and president.

[Jersey Devil]

9. Yes, and presenting that preview is very important

For 2 years we should be telling the public what we would do if we had the power to do it by passing bills that never will become law but which will demonstrate what the Democratic Party stands for. In essence, we would be presenting our party platform for the 2020 elections with a 2 year head start. I think that is a pretty good position to be in.

[brush]

13. See post number 12. There's quite a bit we can do.

[brush]

12. Maybe you don't know but Dems will be chairs of all committees now and can...

hold public hearing and investigate trump and the repugs for all of their shenanigans and wrongdoing over the past two years.

We will also have subpoena power and the Speaker is the one who controls what bills go to the floor.

Also spending bills are initiated in the House.

I wouldn't call all that nothing.

[hlthe2b]

5. There is a level of naivete' that is endearing in its exhuberance & earnestness but...

infuriating at the same time because it puts our new-found victories and best opportunities for change at risk. We need the energy and idealism, but sans the arrogance that comes from believing ones' unexpected success conveys superior and unique wisdom. I only hope there is time for them to learn HOW to be EFFECTIVE.

[empedocles]

6. A republico promoted, high profile, oblivious, costly learning curve

[Hortensis]

7. Yes.

[Hortensis]

11. That's nice. The excitement of those elected to

the 116th congress must be intoxicating. Those reelected finally have the opportunity to do all they've been hoping and planning for, and the freshmen will be joining a majority caucus where things are happening.

I'm starting to tentatively feel a little sorry for Ocasio, not just irritated, and feel she's really off on the wrong foot. She's young but graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor's degree in economics, which should help her in developing competence, yet she's pushing a giant, ridiculously impossible (and technically unworkable, but it'll never get that far) vehicle designed to elevate her to power over most congressmen, and of course rescue America from them.

Yes, she came in with a power bloc that will get her better initial assignments, but what seems an immense, clueless dismissal, even contempt, for the work most of the 116th Democratic caucus are excitedly planning is liable to erode her standing badly.

Does she know that because of these attitudes Sanders accomplished very little in his going on 3 decades in congress and has no real friends among his colleagues? He basically has spent his years badmouthing legislation the rest of the Democratic caucus decided on, voting for it, then badmouthing it some more. Ocasio can't want that. Hopefully she will join with others to achieve the great things a large majority will be enthusiastically working for, not against.