Current Events > AOC slams privileged old boys club Senate after Manchin says no to bill

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/aoc-manchin-build-back-better-b1979477.html

New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said Democrats need to crack down on the very entitled, very privileged Senate after West Virginia Senator Joe Manchins announcement that he would not back President Joe Bidens Build Back Better Act social spending plan. Speaking on MSNBCs Morning Joe on Monday, Ms Ocasio-Cortez called the way the upper chamber operates unconscionable, fundamentally undemocratic, and said the time of indulging in long-running negotiations over bills that would nonetheless be opposed by all Republicans must end. What we really need to do is crack down on the Senate which operates like an old boys club that has a couple of gals in it that have managed to break through and we need implement some institutional discipline, she said. Ms Ocasio-Cortezs comments came just one day after Mr Manchin appeared on Fox News Sunday to announce that he could not support Mr Bidens $1.8trn social spending package, bringing an abrupt end to months of back-and-forth between the only Democrat to win state-wide in West Virginia in years and the White House, which on Sunday issued a blistering statement denouncing what Press Secretary Jen Psaki called a sudden and inexplicable reversal in his position, and a breach of his commitments to the President and the Senators colleagues in the House and Senate. The two-term Democratic congresswoman suggested that the body in which she serves the House of Representatives was the only truly democratic part of the US governments three branches, and the only one that was delivering an agenda for the people.

She also called for Mr Biden to be more forceful in pressuring senators to abandon the two-track system the Senate has operated under since 1970, in which merely the threat of a filibuster can derail a bill without any further action by the senator looking to hold up legislation, and return to the so-called talking filibuster which required senators to hold the floor and speak continuously. She also suggested that Mr Biden make further use of his own authority as president to go around Congress to accomplish their partys goals if need be. We have to break those cultural norms that the Senate is very entitled, very privileged and very protected, and say we are not going to allow that deference to membership just because of the self-importance of the institution, she said. We need to govern, and we are going to actually have consequences, and the concern is that if there are no consequences to this kind of betrayal of working families across the country, of the president of the United States, of the party that one is a part of, then it encourages more egregious behaviour like this which will make it impossible to govern.

Wahh muh democracy!

Why can't my country have someone as great as her in politics?

I guess people can vote out Sen Manchin if they want to...?

Not sure what Rep Cortez wants. This is how the Senate works; they can vote independently of the House.

Our system is flawed. When 1 random senator can derail the will of the masses, something is broken

CommonGrackle posted...

I guess people can vote out Sen Manchin if they want to...?

Which people, though? I can't.

Zikten posted...

Our system is flawed. When 1 random senator can derail the will of the masses, something is broken

maybe we should scrap the whole concept of 51% democracy. I'd be in favor of that I say if you can't get 9 out of 10 people to agree on something then it's probably not a good idea to begin with.

Why are they calling the president Mr?

Mr Hangman posted...

Seems to me that she's the one acting entitled to someone's vote. Senators and representatives are free to vote however they like and have no obligation to do what the party wants. Get a better bill and win their support.

They worked beyond reason to accommodate Manchin. The entire party was behind this bill except Manchin and another lady I forget the name of . They kept cutting the bill down and asking Manchin if it was OK yet. He kept saying no, cut more. Finally it was gutted and a tiny fraction of the original plan. Then he trolls everyone by saying "I was never going to vote for it "

Oh knoez a politician is butthurt because something dodnt go their way

sounds like what Ron Paul used to do: "I oppose tax cuts because they don't go far enough"

meh I guess some people see themselves as the big counterbalance in the congress every generation...

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/6/1/8/AAail0AACYfq.jpg

you mean a policy that is supported by 49% isn't passing? gasp