The exaggerations around Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY)’s political career have become farcical of late, with numerous platforms branding her a key contender for the 2028 elections. Ocasio-Cortez potentially securing a Democratic nomination is not far-fetched, considering the lackluster talents within the Democratic Party, especially in the light of Kamala Harris’ failed campaign. Harris previously squandered a staggering $1.5 billion of funds to lose to President Donald Trump, and bafflingly still appears to be the prime candidate to secure the nomination once more.
The nomination pool also includes former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, renowned for his imprudent paternity leave during a supply chain crisis, which he undertook without consulting anyone. Similarly, making the roster is Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN), a former vice-president candidate infamous for his alleged war zone absences. Upon discovering his unit was to be deployed to Iraq, Walz opted to abandon them.
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) also joins the list, under whose reign California has reached the highest tax, homelessness, and one of the highest unemployment rates nationwide. Also in the mix is Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), whose presidential aspirations in 2020 extinguished even before his reach to Iowa. Ocasio-Cortez also makes it to the lineup, notorious for her dramatic yet unfounded prediction in 2019 that the world would cease by 2031 due to climate change.
Ocasio-Cortez is currently on a ‘Fighting Oligarchy’ journey that includes stops in previously Trump-won states like Nebraska, Idaho, Arizona, and Nevada. Her rallies are drawing substantial attention, resulting in an impressive $9.6 million fundraising within just three months, marking a personal milestone. Supporting her are people swayed by her social media engagement and virality, a superficial yet effective metric that ticks in her favor.
However, beneath the veneer of enthusiasm, youth, and social media dexterity, Ocasio-Cortez’s outrageous standpoints raise critical doubts about her potential for victory in a general election. Her positions encompass radical proposals like advocating for open borders and raising taxes. The environmental extremist seeks an abrupt end to all fossil fuels, fracking, and offshore drilling while promoting the Green New Deal and its trillion-dollar expenditure. The ominous question remains: where is this colossal amount expected to surface from?
Further nuance of her radical stance includes her opposition to funding the Iron Dome, a proven lifesaver in Israel against the missile attacks thrown by Hamas and Hezbollah. Ocasio-Cortez, without missing a beat, endorses men competing against women in sports and even voted against a legislation to safeguard women recently. The Rep. remains elusive regarding her standpoint on trade and displays a bewildering proclivity to support the indefinite funding of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Her response to the catastrophic Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas in Israel that resulted in over 1,200 casualties was disturbingly mute. Instead, she goes as far as to label Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, a ‘war criminal’. Addressing an assembly at Arizona State University, she proclaims, ‘no matter your past voting history, your expertise in political jargon, your race, gender, religion, or status, if you yearn for the collective welfare, you’re welcome here.’
Yet, how does Ocasio-Cortez plan to resonate with vital Democratic voting bodies like the Teamsters union, United Steelworkers, United Auto Workers, farming communities, and hospitality industry workers, all while endorsing Electric Vehicle mandates and disparaging Tesla? The apparent answer: she simply cannot strike a chord with these pivotal constituents.
Moreover, despite her Latina roots, she fails to resonate with this massive voting demographic, as her advocacy for illegal immigrants over legal citizens rings hollow for her constituents. During a Los Angeles rally, she resorted to a worn-out narrative to paint Trump as a ‘criminal — convicted on 34 felony counts of fraud’. According to Ocasio-Cortez, the best of Trump is secluded to enriching his billionaire backers, Congress members trading favors with him, and not the common citizenry.
Interestingly, Ocasio-Cortez has found the leisure to fly privately to her rallies five times over, contributing to the very environmental degradation she supposedly advocates against. The irony lies in her condemnation of the affluent while enjoying the same privileges, all the while claiming to strive for a planet she prophesizes will become non-existent in half a decade.
Should the Democratic party decide to endorse a mid-30s congresswoman, with little to no significant legislation credit under her belt, as a legitimate presidential hopeful – a generous donation from Republicans to this ludicrous proposal doesn’t seem misplaced. The glaring incongruity in Ocasio-Cortez’s actions and rhetoric remains a serious concern for the Democrats’ future.